SEPTEMBER 2012
Enjoyed working with 3rd – 5th grade children at the Linus Pauling Institute’s Chefs in the Garden summer camp in late August. Together we created a permanent mosaic installation featuring six beneficial insects.
The kids loved learning about insects and were most enthusiastic about the mosaic project!
Close-up of their praying mantis:
AUGUST 2oth
The Corvallis City Council voted unanimously to approve the ‘Mosaic Collaborations for Downtown Trash Receptacles’ project! It was a long four months to reach this point, I am so very pleased!
AUGUST 7th
The Human Services Committee recommended the project for approval by the Corvallis City Council.
THURSDAY JULY 26th
The Public Art Selection Committee approved the ‘Mosaic Collaborations for Downtown Trash Receptacles’ project! YES! I am hoping to have a donation button in place here on my website by mid-August. I will also be offering ‘Nip & Sip’ sessions in the garden for those who would like to help with materials preparations. Stay tuned for more details…
The first venue for community participation will be at the Rhapsody in the Vineyard event, sponsored by the Downtown Corvallis Association. You’ll find me at the corner of 4th and Madison near the brass trillium flower fountain from 5-7pm on Saturday, September 15th. I will also be at Fall Festival near the old circle fountain from 11-2 on both Saturday, September 22nd and Sunday, September 23rd.
MID JULY 2012
Do you ever ponder how good life can get? Yep, this good with just enough wiggle for great on the horizon!
The ‘Mosaic Collaborations for Downtown Trash Receptacles’ project is moving smoothly through the approval process with the Public Art Selection process.
There will be a second meeting of PASC on July 26th for discussion. The artist does not attend but David Livingston, the designer and fabricator of the concrete trash cans, Joan Wessell, Executive Director of the Downtown Corvallis Association and Cynthia Spencer, Executive Director of Fall Festival will be attending as my three project sponsors.
My proposal is to create 18 mosaic inserts for the concrete trash cans that are located on Highway 20 through the downtown area on 3rd and 4th Streets between Washington and Van Buren. As these are one way streets, the mosaics will face oncoming traffic and provide a welcoming atmosphere for pedestrians and motorists alike. The second side panel will be left in it’s original state to honor the relief work created by David which features the Benton County Courthouse and our beautiful surroundings.
The cost for the project is estimated at $5,000. I’ve got close to $1,000 in pocket due to the FEAST dinner contribution, a CYA grant for a speaking engagement, $100 from Fall Festival and a donation in materials from Pris Ewing of Murano Millefiori. I’ll also be applying for a Benton County Cultural Coalition grant in 2013. For the rest, I am seeking 150 – 200 people who can donate $20 each/30 people to donate $100 each…you get the idea! I will be actively fundraising once the project has been given it’s final blessing from the city. If you would like to make a donation when the time comes, I welcome your e-mail at ella@sacredshardmosaics.com
One thing that I am extremely passionate about is making this a true community project. It will be traveling to different venues throughout town where various civic groups and community members/visitors will have an opportunity to participate in the creation of the panels. The pattern will remain consistent but the colors in the design will change. Various shades of blue will fill in the background. This will provide a crisp, clean look while also being participant friendly during events.
The Linus Pauling Institute has opened two spectacular children’s garden here in town.
One is located at Lincoln Elementary School and the other is located at Corvallis High School. In addition to edible schoolyard programs, they are incorporating art into their activities. Working on a possible mosaic project for their upcoming Adventurous Artist summer camps in August. I am so impressed with this program and it’s leadership. Great things will be growing here, kids as well as plants!
Here at the House of Y Not…you know…we’re just hanging around!
Bruce took two weeks of vacation in early July and went gonzo on our second bathroom remodel!
Sometimes I worry that he may just combust into a pile of sawdust!
We have had some help with this one! Steve Kurtz and his crew from Xtreme Xteriors were here to install the window and a new skylight!
Mid Valley Tile has been helping us with the shower substrate and waterproofing!
Gratitude for their excellent work and assistance with the process. It may be fall before we get serious about the mosaic for the shower but it feels very good to have a fresh, clean start!
This is the sink…going with a Geisha themed bathroom and lots of koi!
Scored some great glass for the bathroom and additional projects up at the annual sale at Bullseye Glass in Portland, OR. It happens the second week of July each year. Fantastic experience!
Oh, and back on Father’s Day, we created our first InSitu pebble mosaic. Installed it recently as en entrance into our garage/shop area. Learning curve as with anything new but pleased with our first attempt!
Looking forward to our next workshop of Garden Mosaics and Exteriors on July 28th!
MID JUNE 2012
Home from the Community Built Association conference. Summer workshop season is in full swing. Still a few openings for July 28th. Grab one while they’re available! (See ‘Workshop Opportunities’ page for full descriptions and registration information!) Working with city officials to gain approval for a downtown community mosaic project. More details forthcoming…
HAPPY SUMMER, EVERYONE!
MID-MAY 2012
We tucked two more Mosaic Basics workshops into the April schedule this year which was great!
I spoke at the Corvallis Art Center on the topic of public art and placemaking on May 10th to a marvelous group of artists and art educators as part of their CYA training. Together we made an event board which will be used by the Art Center to guide patrons from the court yard in to various shows and events.
On Friday, May 11th we held the dedication for the first Little Free Library in our sweet town.
You can read more about Little Free Libraries at http://littlefreelibrary.org There is also a visual gallery of libraries throughout the world (We’re #1603) and plans that you can use as guidelines to build your own! It is an absolute kick and we are having so much fun with it!
Part of our neighborhood tribe…
Gearing up for the OSU Life Long Learner’s tour and then it’s off to the Community Built Association conference!
Registration is up and running for Garden Mosaics/Exterior workshops. We’ll be hosting two sessions this year. June 23rd from 1-5pm and July 28th from 1 – 5pm. $95. Please see the “Workshop Opportunities” page for full class description and registration information.
APRIL 2012
Oh. My. Goodness. Surge of mosaic energy wafting out into the world! We’ve got another Mosaic Basics workshop happening on April 29th and are making plans for the two classes of Garden Mosaics/Exteriors which will be held this summer on June 23rd and July 28th. See Workshop Opportunities and register today!
In the studio, I am working on a book illustration, several plankton themed projects for a DaVinci Days art show, and our headboard which will be completed before the end of this month or I will eat your Aunt Ruthie’s favorite floral tea party dress!
Very excited to be registered for the national Community Built Association conference this year which will be held in Portland, Oregon in June. Stars are aligning more and more in this direction.
We’re building a Little Free Library for our neighborhood and also hope to have installed with a neighborhood dedication ceremony before the end of April! Stop by and check it out! Go House of Y Not! Mover and shakers in the realm of community art…oh yeah…
I’ve applied to serve a 3 year term on the board of the Benton County Cultural Committee, a non-profit that distributes funds to local artists and organizations that propose art enhancement projects for the Benton County area. Also, watch the Art Center newsletter for an upcoming series of workshops with local artists themed around community art. I’ll be presenting the evening of May 10th on the theme of neighborhood placemaking. Participants will also help to create a mosaic sandwich board for use by Art Center staff.
As the weather improves and stabilizes, thoughts also return to our lovely front garden and more work on the mosaic entry to the House of Y Not.
And arbors and more mosaic for the back garden. We’re excited to welcome the Life Long Learners of OSU for a tour near the end of May!
MID-MARCH 2012
Quick note to say that SAMA was wonderful. I have posted a lot of photos and experiences on my Sacred Shard Mosaics facebook page. More still to come. The BIG news is that SAMA 2013 will be held at the Tacoma Museum of Glass just south of Seattle. Those of us in the Pacific Northwest are elated! April 10th – 13th, 2013 SAVE THE DATE!
I’ve also become a Professional member of the Community Built Association. Their annual conference will be held in Portland, Oregon this year, woot! May 30th – June 2nd. I am over the moon excited to learn more and contribute to this organization! Think public art…community gardens…playgrounds…oh yeah!
MARCH 2012
Chocolate Fantasy, the Corvallis Art Center’s annual fundraiser, will be held on Friday, March 2nd at the club level of Reser Stadium. I will be in Lexington, Kentucky at the Society of American Mosaic Artist’s conference, so I will miss the event this year. I have donated a 32″ mirror to the auction. The title is Sunset Sky and the phrase reads:
Clouds no longer come floating into my life to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. Rabindranth Tagore, late 19th Century poet.
The studio will be closed Monday, February 27th through Monday, March 5th for SAMA. Watch my Facebook page for photos and updates the week of March 5th…
Gratitude for all the marvelous Mosaic Passionistas who came for workshops in January and February! The next Intro to Mosaics class is tentatively planned for Saturday, March 17th from 1:00 – 4:30pm. 4 openings e-mail ella@sacredshardmosaics.com to register. First come basis.
FEBRUARY 2012
Workshop season is in full swing bada bing around here! We’ve had 14 students through in the last two weeks with two more sessions scheduled. February 11th is filled, possibility of another Mosaic Basics/Interiors being scheduled for March 17th. Please view my Workshop Opportunities page for photos and class descriptions!
Very exciting news, I’ll be partnering with Kristina Ender of Live Well Yoga Studios on Sunday, February 12th for a Meditation and Creativity workshop which will be held here at my studio from 1-5pm. Each person will create a 7″ x 11″ drishti/altar piece for your home altar. Fabulous opportunity for inspiration, quiet reflection. You can register by visiting the Live Well website at www.livewellstudio.com $150, space is limited.
I currently have work for sale in the Howland Open at the Corvallis Art Center. Those who attend the annual Chocolate Fantasy Art Auction, will also have the opportunity to purchase a large 32″ circular mirror as a part of the evenings festivities. So sorry, I will miss you at the event that evening as I will be in Lexington, Kentucky at the Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) convention! I’ve made a decision to immerse myself in all of the conference happenings this year. Do look for detailed updates on my Facebook page upon my return…SAMA is always an energy explosion of inspiration and fresh ideas…
Dates for Garden Mosaics/Exteriors workshops have also been scheduled for 2012. Saturday, June 23rd or Saturday, July 28th. 1 – 4:30pm both days.
We spent much of December and early January designing new garden structures and interactive community work that will one day appear in front of the House of Y Not. Feels like it is going to be a huge year for the garden and moving it forward! I’ll be taking a Sacred Geometry class while at SAMA, feels like it will have some influence upon the outcome of the front wall…
Pretty much riding the wave of a mosaic high and not even at the conference yet…life is so good! Create. Play. Immerse yourself in the joy of all of it…
JANUARY 2012
Woot! Welcome to the new year and all the marvelous, creative opportunities on the horizon!
Workshop season is getting underway here at my studio! Please check under Workshop Opportunities (right side of my home page) for the latest schedules! I run Mosaic Basics/Interiors in Winter/early Spring. Garden Mosaics/Exterior workshops will be held in early – mid summer. We also have one tour group coming through in late May. If you would like to schedule a tour or if you need a different workshop date to suit your schedule, please feel free to send me an e-mail ella@sacredshardmosaics.com and we will do our best to accommodate you!
Excitement builds for the annual Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) conference. It’s being held this year from February 29th – March 4th in Lexington, Kentucky. I am especially looking forward to Dianne Sonnenberg’s Sacred Geometry class!
In terms of studio news, I am in completion mode!
Under the Banyan Tree shrine
Valance for the Laundry Area
Our laundry area is cleverly hidden behind a curtain in The Peace Grotto. Enjoyed creating this valance during the Winter holiday!
Circular holes were cut into the substrate. Squares of stained glass were glued behind each one. They glow when the light is turned on in the laundry area!
Our big Winter project was to create a beam between our dining and living room. It contains seven raku orbs, created by ceramicist Dawn Jones, which read “love” in seven languages and a series of red mercury hearts. The beautiful corbels were found at a local estate sale.
Next completion…the headboard for our bedroom…a donation for the annual fundraiser at my local Art Center…
DECEMBER 2011
Wishing everyone a beautiful Winter Solstice as another year draws to a close! I always appreciate this personal time of quiet contemplation although a new workshop season at Sacred Shard is upon us! Please view my Workshop Opportunities page or contact me if you have a request. ella@sacredshardmosaics.com
In the studio, I have been working on a shrine that will become the centerpiece of one wall of the Peace Grotto here at the House of Y Not. After working on it for awhile, I realized that it the Lord Siddartha’s banyan tree. Upon completion, Buddha will find his place of enlightenment beneath his tree. There are also four small bird charms, one to represent each member of our family, and a tiny fairy hidden among the branches.
It has been a challenging piece to create, largely due to the depth of the box that I am working in which is large 22″ by 14″ with a depth of about 7″. Awkward angle for elbows for long periods of time. The box was saved when our local Borders book store closed it’s doors. It used to hold newspapers. Pegasus Gallery, in downtown Corvallis, gave me an award during a competition last year. They collaborated on the custom frame.
Other news this month…I registered for the SAMA conference which will be held in Lexington, Kentucky in March 2012. Very excited to be registered for Dianne Sonnenburg’s Sacred Geometry class. Visit her Facebook page to view her recent entry into an art charity auction down in Austin, TX. She mosaicked a life size cow sculpture which sold for $31,000! Yowza!
NOVEMBER 2011
Participating in the Portals themed exhibit at the Corvallis Art Center. Bidding starts at the opening reception the Friday after Thanksgiving at 5:30pm and goes through the end of auction party on Saturday, December 17th from 5:30 – 7:30pm. My piece this year is entitled, You Are Unlimited
Many seem to think of portals as being gateways between worlds of existence. In my reality, all worlds, all souls, are one. There is no separation between living and death, between time and space. Bone and glass come together as a reminder that so very much is possible when one truly believes that (title) You Are Unlimited.
OCTOBER 2011
Andamento: Flow of Mosaics exhibit at the Illahe Gallery in beautiful Ashland, Oregon! The show runs October 7th through October 27th. Artist Reception on Friday, October 7th from 5 – 8pm in conjunction with the town’s evening Art Walk.
My piece for the exhibit is Shed Your Skin: Become Who You Are Meant to Be
In recent months there has been a noticeable theme to many of the conversations that I have had with both friends and total strangers alike. People are ready to cast off the materials items and emotional baggage which no longer serve. They crave the opportunity to feel both fulfilled and to give back to their communities.
It brings to mind the essence of snake who must shed it’s skin in order to enter the next stage of it’s growth and development. Transformation is never fully evident to us all in one fell swoop but as with the dichroic sparkle, we receive encouragement and shimmers of hope as part of the process.
Shed Your Skin: Become Who You Are Meant to Become
3-d glass Mosaic
16″ w x 11″d x 5″ h
Materials: styrofoam substrate, Van Gogh Glass, Taxidermy snake eyes and dichroic glass
$500
The interior of the front wall on The House of Y Not is now complete. I commissioned word tiles from etsy shop Popogirl to complete the last section.
The words read:
Deliveries
Love Offerings
Royalties
Abundance
Grace
A small red heart…With Gratitude
Delightful, a friend just dropped off our first love offering! Champagne (to celebrate!) and orange juice to make mimosas! She also brought my daughter, Kate, champagne tops that she collected from France. Kate made oodles of bottle cap earrings and magnets which she sold at our local Fall Festival of the Arts. The champagne caps are extra special!
My older daughter, Sara, created mosaic pumps with her friend, Rachel, in between Driver Education classes this summer. Shoes require such extreme patience. I was really impressed that they hung in there to completion! Great outcome!
Sara created a spare pair for Dorothy!
Rachel went all glam and glitz!
SEPTEMBER 2011
Carol Shelkin’s Mosaic Portraiture class up at Seattle Mosaic Arts was wonderful!
The goal is typically to complete an eye. I kept cruising along, not to create my life’s masterpiece, but to get as much feedback from Carol as possible! The lesson in cartoon layout was incredibly helpful.
Here’s the photograph that I was working off of, a lovely woman with lots of character lines and eye glasses.
Here’s how she looked as class ended!
We saw so many other beautiful mosaic sites in the Seattle area! Two of our favorites were Waterworks Park…
And the Bailey Boushay Hospice House which features mementos from family members, donors and bottle from the original apothecary shop that once stood on the site.
The Tacoma Museum of Glass goes without saying. Such a celebration of hometown hero, Dale Chilhuly!
Back on the home front, I’ve been working on the interior section of the House of Y Not in my calliope style! Waiting for a commission of letter tiles from etsy shop, Popogirl, and it will be complete! The wall measure about 2′ by 24′.
Close-up
Quite fun to view it from inside the dining room!
On to the upcoming Illahe Studio and Gallery show in Ashland, OR. Andamento: The Flow of Mosaics
Opening reception October 7th, 5 – 8pm
AUGUST 2011
As Malingo of the Abarat (author: Clive Barker, wonderful series!) would say…LORDY LOU! It’s been the summer of festivals, gardening, day trips, teenagers learning how to drive, travel, lots of fun social gatherings…and to a certain extent REJUVENATION! YES!
Snippets from the summer road…
Daughter Sara created a nice table for the deck…
and took some creative liberty with our kitchen ceiling…
Daughter Kate is still hopping around on her stilts! She met many fascinating people at our local DaVinci Days festival which is a celebration of the Arts & Sciences.
The event spirals around kinetic sculpture races. Favorite entry this year was the Newlydeads in their taco truck!
We’ve listed Cosmic Cottage, a sweet little spot on the Oregon Coast for sale. $167,000 e-mail me for the full listing! Beautiful mosaic columns on the front porch, kitchen back splash and mermaid altar…
As another season of Camp Rhoades begins to wind down, I am starting to find the focus to return to exterior mosaic work. aka: MUST MOSAIC! Will be getting back to work on the wall of our front porch, slowly starting to give the garden windows greater consideration.
I’ve enrolled in Carol Shelkin’s mosaic portraiture class. It’s being held in Seattle in a few weeks time, stay tuned for more about that experience when I return!
MID-JULY 2011
Just returned from our maiden voyage to the Oregon Country Fair! Oh my honey, GO! GO! GO! in 2012! It was such a phenomenal experience of CREATIVE SPIRIT! Loved all of it! Our daughter, Kate, spent the day up on her kinetic stilts, loving life and posing for pictures in her winged fairy costume!
You literally walk away with the desire to paint your entire world in neon bright colors. We decided to add mosaic to the glass panel of a door for a focal point in our garden…
Love to watch the reflective light of mosaics on secondary surfaces in the summer. There’s such a beautiful quality to the colors as they move throughout the day.
Life is drawn to this energy…
Here is the photo of the completed ‘Ode to Koi’ Mosaic Artist, Wendy Brewer (left) and Moi (right)
JULY 2011
The past few months have been energetic, travel-filled months. 400 students and teachers at Wilson Elementary. 300 participants during the koi project at Lebanon Hospital. 36 students through our home studio for some incredible workshop experiences! Yowza! We are getting ready to sell the artistic Cosmic Cottage at the coast; once it welcomes it’s new owner, I am looking forward to some mosaic and garden immersion during the months of July and August!
Oh, and also just announced…the Winter show and silent auction at the Corvallis Art Center will be themed “portals” this coming holiday season! November 25 – December 24th!
MAY 2011
Installed the front column on The House of Y Not this past weekend. One of those items that just feels so good to cross off the list!
The Emenhiser Infusion Unit project at the Lebanon Hospital is going extremely well. Patients working 1:1 as we facilitate progress on the koi mosaic!
We also provided a staff orientation which gave them with the opportunity to participate as well as a chance to ask questions about the process etc. Always a bonus when the staff is enthusiastic too!
The koi keep popping their heads up to see what’s going on too. The one on the right seems to be wishing it had thumbs so it could join in all the fun?!
MID-APRIL 2011
Another terrific group for a Mosaic Basics workshop on April 2nd. Always neat to watch how the materials summon the people to use them. Same choices; totally different outcomes!
April 10th we hosted a small gathering to explore the creation of mosaic bowling balls.
They definitely add some sparkle to the garden!
The Community Wishing Tree Mosaic at Wilson Elementary School is now complete. Fabulous people, great experience. Gratitude for artists Chris Neely and Keith Moses who helped each child make individual leaf tiles, pendants and bowls, my family who pitched in with glass nipping and sorting, and especially to my partner, Bruce, who gave up several of his days off to cut some unique and challenging substrate shapes!
5th Graders helped to create their school mascot, The Wildcat:
To accommodate space issues, I wheeled and carried panels classroom to classroom. It was difficult for the kids to visualize the entire tree as they worked on odd shapes. The first time they saw it all come together was truly magical! Eyes got big and then they set to the task of finding the leaf tile that they created for the canopy! Very, very fun!
APRIL 2011
We hosted our first studio birthday party in March. Marvelous group of women, great fun!
Thrilled to welcome another wonderful group for a Mosaic Basics class the morning of Saturday, April 2nd.
I will be working as an Artist in Residence at Wilson Elementary School during the month of April. Sixteen classrooms, all 340 children and teachers, will be working together to create a beautiful mosaic “community wishing tree” for their school lobby. Artists Chris Neely and Keith Moses will be creating clay leaf tiles and insects with the kids. I’ll be facilitating the inclusion of all the leaf tiles and a lot of shimmery, beautiful glass into the mosaic component. Brass keys that can be rubbed to send a special wish to a friend or for good luck before a test will be included in the trunk! Gratitude for my amazing partner, Bruce, the Substrate King, for his help in preparing our substrate. The completed tree will be about 45 square feet and branches out over two hallways.
As we were preparing the cartoon for final adjustments a teacher filed by with her class. “Children, what do you see?” One boy said, “A frozen white tree.” The kid nailed it. I nodded but thought, “Babs! It may look dead and white now but hold onto your Dear little elementary school heart! It’s going to be transformed into a magical, vibrant representation of life as your entire school community gets involved!”
Toward the end of April, I’ll be starting an Arts Care collaboration with fellow mosaicist, Wendy Brewer at the Emenhiser Infusion unit at the hospital in Lebanon, Oregon. Funding has been approved and we know that they are interested in a koi themed piece. Very excited to get their patients involved with this one!
Koi experimentation…
Not a lot of time for House of Y Not projects but the four panels for the front porch column are now finished. Trim and installation will happen when weather and schedules decide to play nicely together!
MARCH 2011
Back in Oregon after a marvelous SAMA conference in Austin, Texas. I’ve posted lots of photos from the Magical Mosaic Bus Tour on the Sacred Shard Mosaics Facebook page. It’s almost too much to summarize but posts will be added to Travels to Mosaic Wonderlands as my schedule allows. The presentations, the Salon and Mosaic Art International exhibit, the wonderful new people from all over the United States and the world, it was a rush!
Our first students of Spring 2011 were here on March 5th for a Mosaic Basics workshop. It’s always a joy to amp people up on mosaics, especially those who are eager to learn! Classes are running full, as of today, we do still have 2 openings for the Mosaic Exteriors on May 21st.
The next few months have the potential to be very high octane. Proposals for several projects have gone out, when funding and schedules come together, hang on to your hats…
Until then…
The House of Y Not has a new laundry area. It’s completion finally brings us into the space of beginning the Grotto of Peace. In the area that was once the main entrance for the original part of our house, we’ve started to mosaic “wallpaper” the walls with images and phrases from those who have used their energy to make the world a better place. Each phrase will have a frame of mirrored glass, millefiori, something to make it unique.
Still working on the master bedroom headboard when the spirit moves me….
Mesh for the front porch has come out, gone back in, come back out again…The design is flirting with me and continues to solidify in my mind. Pieces for the front porch column have been cut, ready to go on that one too!
Thanks for checking in!