MosaicSmith Blog

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Rainbow Fish is done!


Took me a while, but Rainbow Fish Clock is now complete. Inspiration for the background was a little slow in coming. I had been thinking of adding more detail- like swimming through sea grass or swirling water. I played with glass for a bunch of days but every time I added that detail, it seemed to take away from the fish. So, sweet and simple, I used that blue/white streaky glass I had (previous post) and did a random placement of triangles. I also did a subtle frame. The framing has the added benefit of no tiny pieces of glass at the vulnerable edge.

At the moment this guy is living on my lanai and I just might keep him.

NFS

I create original design silver jewelry too!! 
https://www.mosaicsmith.com/collections/all   or
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MosaicSmith

 

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Ornaments


I finished up a new batch of mini mosaic ornaments Monday.

These look great in a garden (protect from freezing, please), in a window as a suncatcher or, of course, on a Christmas tree.

When I make a large mosaic, I always have bits left over. Sometimes these bits are shaped pieces like flower petals, or circles and are just too cool not to do something with.

So, I came up with this idea of mini mosaics. The pieces are glued to a square glass background. I ground the background edges smooth, ground little grooves in the side and formed a hanger with copper wire.

Monday, October 8, 2007

WIP- Rainbow Fish Clock

I've been working on this fish all weekend and he is coming out so fun and funky I wanted to share.

At this stage he is all pieced and glued down with thin-set.
And now I'm waiting for inspiration for how to piece the background. I have a nice piece of streaky blue/white that might work. My first thought had been a dark watery blue but it just seemed too dark and dreary for this fun guy.




A while back I was playing with shapes in my sketch book and doodled this fish looking at the clock in his belly. Fish are just such a classic thing to mosaic but I put off doing this one because I try to make my work unique and different.

He just kept calling to me so, with a few design tweaks inspired by a photo of Pumpkinseed fish (who knew there was such a cool looking fish in nature??), he is now coming to be.
He has great over sized eyes made from glass glob squiggles and 300+ 1/4 inch scales in a rainbow of colors. My favorite are the iridescent turquoise ones sprinkled in the top half. His face is pieced from scrap multicolor glass I had that went just right.

NFS

I create original design silver jewelry too!! 
https://www.mosaicsmith.com/collections/all   or
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MosaicSmith

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Workshop Kitties






Every time I turn around, there is at least one cat hanging out with me wherever I am. And in my shop is no exception. They both kindly posed for me this week while I was working, so I thought I'd share.



To the left is Max. He came to us via animal rescue folks. He is at least 10 years old but we've had him for about 5 1/2 years. He is a mellow sweetheart. He yearns to go outside. But he managed to get himself lost once or we wouldn't have him, so we keep him in. He loves to be on the lanai and sometimes my kids will take him out on a leash. That's fine with him.

And that is Shadow curled up on the cushion. She came to us three years ago as a stray kitten. She can be very sweet also, but she terrorized poor Max like you wouldn't believe at first. And mellow Mr. Max would just put up with it. She still will tackle him, but I think they have come to an understanding about it. Now this one has absolutely no interest in the great outdoors. I like to think it is because she knows a good thing when she found it. She is quite content to hang out with us inside, thank you very much.