About my mosaics and Community Mosaic Projects...
ArtSpider visits my studio!
Watch the video here...
BA Visual Arts,
New England College
Professional Memberships and affiliations; SAMA (Society of American Mosaic Artists), Mosaics New England, NH Made, Micro-Credit NH, NH Women's Caucus for Art, Sharon Arts Center Faculty, Vermont Carving Studio and Sculpture Center
When I am working on my own mosaics, I am drawn in purely by the tactile quality and visual stimulation offered by the uneven and reflective surfaces of the broken china, stained glass and found objects I use. Something about handling these materials appeals to me in a way that paper, paint or pencils don't. I can create a three dimensional story with each piece. Sometimes it's the china itself that creates a story with it's pattern. Occaisionally it's what I actually add on to a piece that tells a story or captures a moment in time. Or the viewer will have to decide what the story is...
I also find it very rewarding and important to use mainly recycled materials in my work. I collect scraps from stained glass artists, dichroic glass from jewelry makers, broken or cracked china and found objects from antique shops, yard sales and flea markets. My substrates are often pieces of wood from building projects. There is so much more character in things that are used and recycled, they have a story all their own.
When my mosaic is completed I feel that I have made something that people will look at enjoy, maybe even smile at or be reminded of another time. I want to leave behind something lasting, and I hope the mosaics and their stories will live a long, long time.
If you are interested in a mosaic for your home, you can see what is available on my gallery page, and I also offer custom mosaic work for your home. Please contact me for more info.
In the COMMUNITY MOSAIC PROJECTS that I facilitate, I work together with small or large groups of people to create a mosaic or mosaics. We can do this in a number of ways. Maybe we'll make individual projects such as boxes, or smaller mosaics for a garden or park. We could make individual mosaics and put them together to form a larger mosaic. Or work together to add our own bits of glass or china and found objects to make a whole image. We would decide together ahead of time what the image or story would be. There are many possibilities! This type of creativity is so important. I want to bring people together to help them feel they can be a part of something, give them a sense of belonging, of accomplishment and pride in creating something beautiful and lasting for the future. I want to create an opportunity for people to do something they might not have realized they could do. Making mosaics as a group is really fun! There is magic in this process and we all need that in our lives. Again, please contact me for more details.
I hope that you'll keep coming back to visit my website. New photos will be added to the gallery on a regular basis and classes posted regularly.
Thanks again and keep in touch!
Follow me on Twitter!
Other Links:
(603) 746-6745
lizzvansaun@tds.net
Hours: by appointment. Open Studio dates will be posted here.
