announcements

1″ diameter, found objects

In the fall I’m always very aware of the birds flying south.  The trees go quiet, and sometimes I can look up and see the birds flying away to somewhere warmer, while I watch jealously from chilly New England.  But in the spring the birds seem to creep back and just magically appear. Do they fly north all at once? Do they hide in their nests until the weather is just too beautiful to stay hidden any longer?  This pendant might be hard to read, but if you look carefully, you’ll see a bird’s head facing north and its wings spreading back on either side.

1″ x 1″, glass and slate

I took a mini-mosaics mini-class online with Rachel Davies (who you should all check out),  and while other people’s minis were 2″x2″, I worked on a 1″ square pendant.  She’s a master with slate, and I remembered why I love it, for its rough edges, its brittleness, and its complexity.  And while today is gray and dreary, there are signs of spring everywhere.  I pulled out my shiny green glass to add to this pendant, to echo the bright green sprouts among the rocks and leaves, the greens fighting their way through the cracks, and the shine of the sun that will, eventually, shine.

1″ diameter, found objects

There’s a lot of good news this week, and on top of everything happening politically, I got some good health news.  There was a chance that I might have a bicuspid aortic valve, but no, mine is tricuspid, which should last longer and be stronger. I was able to watch fuzzy images on the echocardiogram while they explored, but I didn’t know what it all was.  In this pendant I used a ceramic tile with crystal glaze to make the shape of a valve, and wire that came from inside some dis-assembled electronics to represent blood flowing smoothly.

Instead of a mosaic pendant as usual, I wanted to let you all know that the show “Translations, a chain of painting, poetry, mosaic and assemblage” will be on display at the Gorse Mill Gallery in Needham from March 2-April 5 with an opening reception on March 8 from 3:00-5:00.  The ten pendants that I’ve made based on poems will all be on display as part of the show.  I hope some of you can make it!

And, as a special (unrelated) treat, here are a few of the pendants I made this week using Shel Silverstein’s illustrations and texts.  I love the rhythm of the poetry and the humor of the illustrations.