Glittering Shards

I have moved 'house'!

This blog has moved to a new home.

Please come to the housewarming party! There is a big giveaway happening to celebrate!

http://glitteringshards.com and click blog!

If you have been one of the many kind souls that has had a link from my site to yours, or from a specific blog post. I would be so very grateful if you could change the link to the new one.

If I can help to do this (by sending an up to date link to a post) please do let me know by emailing me at

concetta(at)glitteringshards(dot)com

Thank you!!!

News....

Oh my....after months and months (and months)....this blog will finally be moving to my gorgeous brand new site in the next few days so watch this space (literally!)

In the meantime, look what Isabella has been doing! A work in progress...

Labels: Get creative: make mosaics with children

Call yourself an artist?

Picture this. I am exhibiting at the weekend. My work is on display as part of the annual "Artsists Open House". The sun is pouring in, catching the edges of tiles and glass, making it gleam.

My daughter, Isabella, comes for a visit. After a while of hanging around, she takes a piece of paper and pencil and starts drawing.

Minutes later, I see her confidently sticking her picture on a blank bit of wall by my art. I look and see her own pencil-line drawing of one of my mosaics, a picture of ‘mummy’ and the following words:

“My name is Isabella. I am an artist and this is my mummy”.

Now that's confidence for you!

I know from my own experience and discussions with other creatives, that it is often hard to say the words "I am an artist?" Why is this?

It is as if 'artist' is a status which we have to be given (by whom?) rather than an inner state of being which we develop (or not).

I am firmly of the opinion that art is everywhere, that life is art (think interiors, think food, think gardens, think use of space, body, clothes, words, finger nails, think dancing and music...).

I know, I know....back to that old 'what is art' debate. But if art and creative expression is so fundamental to our humanity (which I believe it is), then to have that identity taken away from us, turned into a job tile and given over to the power of some bestowing institution or financial transaction, is like giving away a part of our soul. Or am I being a touch dramatic?

I am with Isabella.

Sit down and write

"I am an artist"

then stick it on your wall.

Labels: deep thoughts and reflections, developing as an artist, nurturing creativity in children, parenting and family life

Little mosaic lovelies appearing in new Stampington mag!

This weekend has seen me doing the Wandsworth Artists Open House whilst the capital basked in this most bizarre but lovely 30 degree heat.

Lots of people came, 'oohed' and 'ahhed' at the gleaming glass art of Sally Dunnet combined with the shimmering mosaics of yours truly. It has been lovely meeting so many people who are always so happy to discover the artists 'hidden' in their midst! Same again next weekend so do come and say hello if you are around (we are number 61 on the map which can be downloaded here).

I'm still playing catch up after summer holidays and I have not had time to make more art. Mosaics being a slow art, I am discovering some things that I can make that don't take ages. One of these is mosaic stones as paperweights or mementos. I do love these little beauties that will be making an appearance...

...in the new magazine by Stampington Press no less (who publish titles such as Artful Blogging). A tutorial for my mosaic stones will be appearing in the January 2012 issue of Create With Me magazine - a stylish publication showcasing art by all ages and projects for adults to do with children. This time last year one of my mosaic projects with children was showcased in Disney's Family Fun magazine too. I see a little trend appearing!

Labels: "my mosaics: made and in the making, exhibitions, Get creative: make mosaics with children

Origin contemporary craft...or is it art?!

Please excuse the silence on this blog. I do aim to post at least once a week, but sometimes life takes its own twists and turns, which it did last week with the sadness of a family bereavement.

On Saturday, I appreciated the opportunity for some space to just think and be, as I went browsing through Origin - the annual craft fair organised by the British Craft Council (finishes 28th Sept).

There were many beautiful mediums expressing art and craftmanship (for it truly straddled the two) with sleek, skillful forms, colour and variety. As is often the case, no mosaics, but I did notice much work based on repeated pattern and tessellation, touching on the mosaic medium. But still, no mosaics. Its interesting to ponder why? There are of course way more silversmiths, potters and textile artists out there (partly as mosaic is not taught as a standard element of art degrees I guess). But are we mosaic artists just a shy bunch? It got me thinking.

Here are some works of note for you to cast your eyes upon.

This piece, very much in the mosaic tradition, made of stone by Sylvain Deleu

Loved this lady's work, using pins and thread. See more at Debbie Smyth's site

This is a book I saw that caught my eye - always looking for patterns and where better than nature to go to for inspiration!

Clare Knox-Bentham creates art with melted plastic. I always tell my students to 'go with the flow' but this takes it to another level...

Ella Robinson's work really appeals to me as it uses driftwood and rubbish collected from the sea, including these bits of plastic. I have had an idea for ages to use nik nak's from my kids toy box as 'tessearae', and here we have another example of 'nearly mosaic art' doing just that. A lovely lady too...

The two pieces above are by another lovely lady called Esther Coombs who describes herself as an Upcylcer (love it!). The first image is one I have to do as I have rather a lot of broken ceramic in my studio ('do it, do it!' said Esther). And because allotmenteering is getting into my blood... The second image is a tray with images etched on and ceramics embedded - again, a nice side spin of the mosaic world. Like it a lot. It transpired that we both have sheds converted into studio's - so we swapped insulation tips and talked smugly about how it takes us 30 seconds to get to work!

The above piece, entitled "A Woman's Work" is one of the Glass Cathedrals series by Lisa Swerling. Honestly, all her pieces left me grinning on the outside, and some on the inside. I have met Lisa before and every time, her work stands out, particularly how she uses humour and scale (small in big) to touch something very human in us. Please visit her website and be sure to click on each image so you get to see the scale of each piece.

Lastly, (sorry no pic), I loved the work of Guy Bird - the most beautiful ceramic sculptures of birds and my favourite was this one ...ehm, a little hint for hubby as Christmas is coming!

Labels: exhibitions

Must see...!

What an amazing treat. An invitation to the private view of the most delicious collection of mosaic sculpture here in London. I walked in the door and began ooohing and ahhing right away. The Piecemaker exhibition at the wonderful London Glass Blowing Centre (worth a visit in its own right) brought together the collection of Takako Shimizu's body of 3d mosaic work. You can feel when someone has made art that is their own. It was embued with a sense of play, skill, whimsy and experimentation. Love, love, love! It is on until 17th September so if you can, GO SEE! If you can't (or its too late), I hope my pictures below give you some inkling as to the wonder of this artists work.

Labels: exhibitions, mosaics by others

On autumn resolutions...

"It seems to me that January resolutions are about will; September resolutions are about authentic wants.... The beauty of autumnal resolutions is that no one else knows we're making them. Autumnal resolutions don't require horns, confetti and champagne. September resolutions ask only that we open to positive change."

Sarah Ban Breathnach

Labels: deep thoughts and reflections

Mosaic exhibition pictures galore!

On Wednesday we went to see the mosaic exhibition at Fishbourne Roman Palace. Here's some pictures. Photos never do mosaics justice and the lighting in the place wasn't brilliant so please excuse the quality. Enjoy.