here is a backsplash that my friend from PA did. joanne did a great job with ceramics on this mosaic. i like the clean and simple look, and her colors are fresh and neutral. i think she used just the right amount of black in her crazy paving to balance out the whole black tiles.

lately, i have been pondering the meanings of the terms art, fine art, and craft. apparently, i have found something here worth exploring, but i cannot yet put it into words in a satisfactory way.

beginning this week, i will be documenting my work on a project using what i call my artcraft technique. this is the technique that i use with mirror and van gogh glass in small geometric shapes. i will be doing a 32" x 28" | 81cm x 71cm mirror frame, with a 20" x 16" | 51cm x 41cm bevelled mirror in the center. this will allow a 6" | 15cm frame area around the mirror for mosaic.

i will be attempting to illustrate the technique on this journal, using photos and written intructions and tips. over the years, i have had many inquires over my website about how i do this technique, and i will attempt to share it through my journal. so, if you are interested in this technique, you may want to check in with my journal over the coming weeks to watch my progress.

this tutorial series will be tagged as artcraft technique tutorial.

well, i have finally started mosaicing rhapsody, the second piece in my music to my eyes: opus in 24kt series.

weeks ago, i thought i had a rough design for this piece. i cannot say how many hours i have spent 'refining' the design... somehow trying to make it be THE design for this piece. i thought i knew how i wanted it to feel, and that that is what the design was expressing. however, no matter how much i played around with it... moving lines here... opening up lines there... it just did not feel right to me.

finally, last week, i gave up on that design... and said ok... i am just going to draw what i feel... what does the material say to me (red, orange, and violet gold)... what does a rhapsody make me feel... where does it take me... forget what i think the feeling should look like...

i just started to draw... right away... and i was amazed at what i drew! very simple... very provacative... i had to keep telling myself to just go with it... don't think about it. while this may seem so obvious a process... i am not a natural artist... too left-brained... i really have to work at spontaneous and intuitive... i know, what a contradiction!... me in a nutshell...

so, i am going with it. started mosaicing it today.. will use contorno and black smalti or black granite... not sure yet... but it is mostly gold. how many times did i say to myself today 'does it have to be complicated... does every mosaic have to be such a big deal... can't i just do this and not worry about it? that remains to be seen... so does the mosaic... if it turns out halfway decent!

the entries for the orsoni prize 2007 have been posted on the orsoni website. look under the news link.