Yezidis 011 and 021

There are a few things I really do not like. Child abuse is one of them. And so child abuse on a large scale, such as what the Yezidis children is something that deeply saddens me. And I do not like what is happening to the Yezidis women who are systematically raped and sold in slavery by their captors eager to go back to their interpretation of the Arabian 7th century society.

I cannot fix greed, hatred and stupidity, but I can try to help. 

I already have created one portrait of one of these children. This portrait is at the welding shop right now to get its frame made, and I will publish it once it is complete, but you can get some idea from my November 12 post "Yezidi Eyes"

I am presently working on two more portraits. 

Here are the models : 

A little girl

Yezidi 011

And a young boy.

Yezidi 021

I am realizing these mosaics according to a new and very unique method. To my knowledge, nobody ever made mosaics this way. The mosaics are realized in black and white, using only tiny glass tiles of various shades of grey.


The result is unique and stunning, as you will see it very soon once the first piece comes back from the shop. 

For the time being here are 2 pictures taken on Dec 4. As you can see, I am working in a very different way from the usual.

Yezidi 011- December 4.

It is however, a reverse method on mesh similar as what I have done for my last Pomegranate Tree. At the time I am writing (Dec 7) I have progressed some more, but have had to stop for I am waiting for a shipment of tiles ! 

Yezidi 021, Dec 4.

These kids were able to escape the persecution. They are now hosted in camps in Turkey and Iraq, financed by the Free Yezidi Foundation.

My goal is to auction these mosaics sometimes in the spring to raise money to help the foundation. I will donate 50 % of the profit of the auction to this cause.  

I have no idea of the way to organize this, so if you like this project and would like to help or participate, please let me know at frederic.lecut@gmail.com, or call me at (334) 798 1639.

 

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by this project or by my work in general 

or if you would simply like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com  

or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

 

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Yezidi Eyes Mosaic Project, 

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Miura Hanshi Mosaic, all tiles laid !

I finished laying Miura Hanshi's last tiles last night ! 

I worked fast on this piece as I want it ready as early as possible to take pictures, wrap up the rewards for my Kickstarter campaign backers and take with me to Pensylvania for the KNBK Gasshuku in November.

It took me just a little more than 2 weeks to lay this 22 x 30' piece. I hardly worked on any other mosaic while I was building this one.

Miura Hanshi Mosaic, October 3, 2015, DRY

Remember that you are seeing the back of the piece. it will be glued onto a ridgid support before it can be flipped and seen for the first time.

In the afternoon I sprayed the piece with water to show its actual colours.

Miura Hanshi Mosaic, October 3, 2015, WET

Water turned the granite tesserae from a dull grey to a brilliant black. You still cannot see the difference between the two different granites used for the background and for Hanshi's black attire. You'll have to wait until the piece is flipped - which should happen sometimes this week - and cleaned up, which should take care before October 15. 

 

Detail of the head

If you liked this post, please forward it to a friend. If you did not like it, feel free to forward it to your ennemies. 

 

 

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see my own mosaics on my site at mosaicblues. 

If you are interested by my work or would like to drop me a line please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

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60 years later

In July 1954, Claude and Marie were enjoying a warm afternoon at le Bois de Cise...

In July 2014, Claude asked me to make a mosaic based on this picture... I went to work in Alabama, and delivered the mosaic in December, for Marie's Birthday...

Can you really think of a more awesome birthday or anniversary present than a mosaic portrait? Paintings can be gorgeous, but so can be Mosaics, and they last forever ! Some of the oldest art we have are Greeks and Roman mosaics !

I am a French Mosaic Artist. I live and work with my 2 dogs, 2 cats and many chickens in Alabama and have a second studio in France. You can see more of my mosaics on my mosaicblues pages. If you would like to discuss or commission a portrait mosaic, or any other type of mosaic, please call me at (334) 798 1639 or drop me an email at  frederic.lecut@gmail.com.

You can also Subscribe to my Newsletter wher I share with you the last news about Materials, Techniques and Sources of Inspiration of modern and antique (Specially Greeks and Romans) Mosaic Artists and Patrons !

The Luana Mosaic - Videos

In 2014 I designed and executed a portrait of a talented young musician. The design was inspired by Renaissance Painter Alessandro Botticelli famous painting "Primavera".

This short video below simply shows the evolution of the faces from the original Renaissance painting by Alessandro Botticelli to the final mosaic. 

If you are interested in more details of the execution, this other video shows more views of the actual execution of this piece. 

Portraits make outstanding Birthday or Anniversary presents and mosaics last forever ! If you would like to discuss or commission a portrait, or any other type of mosaic, please call me at (334) 798 1639 or drop me an email at  frederic.lecut@gmail.com

You can also Subscribe to my Newsletter to get the last news about Materials, Techniques and Sources of Inspiration of modern and antique Mosaic Artists and Patrons !

Illustrated Reverse Method

In the Reverse Method the mosaic is build upside down.

Everything begins with a model, mirror image of the final piece. To allow for easier cleaning, I ask my printer to laminated mine between 2 thin sheets of plastic.

The tesserae are glued upside down on the model with a water soluble glue.

At this stage, only a few  beige tumbled Travertine and black Granite tesserae had been laid.

Later, all the Travertine and Granite had been laid.

And I started to lay iridescent red glass in the background of the Michi Sign.

Once all tesserae were laid,

Came the time to apply the Thinset mortar on top of the piece.

And glue the support on top of its back...



48 hours later, once the mortar is properly cured, one flips the mosaic

Et voila le travail !

This particular mosaic represents the Chinese Ideogram TAO, also pronounced "Do" or "Michi" in Japanese. It was commissioned by a Martial Art Instructor to display in her Atlanta dojo.

 

If you are interested by a similar piece or by an other of my works, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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In which I keep you informed of my work, techniques, history and archaeology of mosaics. 

 

Alexandro Botticelli

Alexandro Botticelli c. 1445 – May 17, 1510), was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. He belonged to the Florentine School under the patronage of Lorenzo de Medici, 

Among his best known works are The Birth of Venus and Primavera.

I had always loved Botticelli's Venus. One of my very first mosaics was inspired by her.

And well, I am going to do it again... This time the inspiration will be Primavera.

This is a "semi-secret" project, a portrait in the style of Botticelli, a present for someone who does not need to be aware of it. I won't be able to show the actual design, or the completed piece before she gets it. I will however, be able to post some of the work in process pictures. As I will be working with the reverse method, nobody should be able to figure out whose portrait it is...


If you are interested in my purchasing one of my existing mosaics, would like to discuss a special project or simply discuss the wonderful art of mosaics, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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New Projects, June 2014

So these were my new babies at the end of June 2014, before I flew to France to install Mariam

One new Boddhisatva

This one had been on the backburner for about 18 month. As I completed Miriam, I decided he needed attention again! I have realized 2 of these pieces several years ago, they are now displayed in a home in Atlanta, and I am interested in seeing how my  technique will render this time ! 

2 Michi or Do projects, one reverse method - stone, one direct method on mesh, glass. I have not even laid the first tessera of any of these 2, but they should come up faster than the others, as they are of smaller size.

Michi or Do is a Chinese symbol for the Way, or Tao. It is the "do" in Judo, Kendo, Aikido... Judo is the way of flexibility, Kendo the way of the sword, Aikido the way of Gentle Energy...

And Red Scarf has been waiting a long time to get started, for I did not have the reds I needed. I brought them back from France last Summer, and will bring some more this year (with yellows, blues, greens etc...), so I could get to work

Red Scarf on the bench...

Model for Red Scarf mosaic.

Turns out, now that I am back from France with a few orders, things might happen a little differently, I may have to let these down a little to progress on my new projects. I will soon tell you more about them.

 

If you are interested in purchasing one of my existing mosaics, would like to discuss a special project or simply discuss the wonderful art of mosaics, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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Don't Mess with Dyonisos - or the Birth of a Passion

When Thracian King Lycurgus - whose name means : “The one who keeps the wolves away” -  heard that the God of Wine Dionysos was in his kingdom, he decided to attack him. As he tried to kill Ambrosia, one of the followers of the God, she became a vine that twined around the enraged king and restrained him, eventually killing him.

In 1967, in Saint Romain en Gal, a small city 30 km south of Lyon, France, excavations the building site of the new town High School revealed the existence of a Gallo-Roman city. A remarkable find it was indeed ! For years archaeologists and historians believed a Roman settlement had existed on the west bank of the Rhone river, but what they found there was a full size town.

In July of that year – I was 10 – my mother took me to the site were the actual archaeologists were working. We spent several hours of visits – the guide was one of the archaeologists, he was passionate and showed and explained to us houses, temple, theaters...

That very day, I had my first encounter with Roman mosaics. The most beautiful of the pieces found in Saint Romain was a depiction of Lycurgus being smothered by the vine.

Love at first sight...

Life being what happens to you when you plan differently, it took me about 37 years of various endeavours over 3 continents before I could go back to my childhood love.

Although I create different styles of mosaics, I still have a little extra fondness for Classical Roman style.

Last December I delivered in France a very classical piece named “Ubi tu Gaius”.

The classical “Ubi tu Gaius, Ego Gaia” meaning “Where and whenever you are Gaius, I'll be Gaia”was a marriage vow – the wife would pronounce it, and the husband would answer : “Ubi tu Gaia, Ego Gaius”, the reciprocal.

Ubi tu Gaius was a commission – a birthday present to his wife by a loving husband. It was built using the reverse method which allows the use of materials of different thickness and is made of ceramic, travertine and black granite.

If you are like me a lover of everything Roman, and would enjoy a very unique – and almost indestructible -  piece of Art for your home or garden, a mural or a floor mosaic, you can contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.  Together we will discuss your goals and wishes, come up with a design, and I will make your dream come true.

If your preferences are in more contenporary styles, please check my other pieces on my website mosaicblues. 

How to video : Lay your tesserae - Reverse method.

In this short video I demonstrate how to lay your tesserae.  (the little blocks of stones we learned how to make in the 2 previous videos)

We are using the reverse method here: the tesserae's shiny polished face is glued to the model, upside down. so what we see while building the mosaic is actually a mirror image of the final mosaic.

Once all the tesserae are placed, a rigid support is glued with thinset mortar on top of them and left it to set for 36 hours minimum. Then the whole thing is flipped, and the model removed from the top; there appears the final mosaic for the first time ! This will be the object of future videos. 

With a special appearance of Mugen, great destroyers of foxes, grand destructeurs des renards.

Music by the Mokurai Roosters

I've been taking my shower with Sean Connery for the past 3 weeks...

Let me explain...

I build most of my mosaics upside down, this is what us mosaists call the reverse method. Once all tesserae have been laid on the model and a support glued on top of them, you flip the mosaic and before you can further finish it.  Then you have to - painstakingly - remove the glue used to set the tesserae on the model. I tried different ways, but finally figured out the easiest way was to do this in my shower...

I am building a collection of Mosaic Eyes - Eyes are the first thing most of us consider when we first meet a person.

Apparently, nobody has ever done this, at least in mosaics. My good friend Joe Byers - a Viking shipwrecked in Pensacola, FL, told me that during the Italian Renaissance a famous painter specialized in eyes portraying.

Wealthy patrons would ask him to paint the eyes of a person they loved, who they should not have loved... They would keep the portrait in their office, knowing who these eyes belonged to, while visitors could only wonder...

I find it a beautiful idea. I researched it, for reference, but could not find the source. if you know about it, please let me in the dirty little secret !

Since 2010 I have created a few eyes portrait. Two of them are now displayed in the collection of the Alabama College of Osteopathic medicine and one of them shipped in November to Dubai and has now been sold to a collector in Pakistan.

Today, I would like to share with you the magic of unveiling a mosaic. This one is a portrait of James Bond's eyes - Sir Sean Connery.

I have explained before how I use the Reverse method for most of my work. In this method, you build your mosaic upside down and you do not really see it before you flip it.

So it is really a magic moment. Every time I come to this point, I hold my breath ! What is this going to look like ? 

I have never been disappointed so far ! 

And I believe like every sensible person does that Sean Connery is the one and only James Bond ! 

You can see some of my EYES MOSAICS on my Website Mosaicblues. If you would like to commission a Mosaic Eye Portrait of a person of your choice, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com, or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

Sean's eyes

I finally laid the last tesserae of Sean's Eyes.

Sean's eyes is made following the reverse method. It is built upside down, then glued to a support, then flipped. The picture you see here is a mirror image of the finished product to be !

The reversed method is much more labor intensive than the direct method, but it allows a greater choice of materials of different thickness. Its results are also in my opinion much more beautiful ! 

Sean's Eyes is 14 x 50 inches (35 x 125 cm). It is made of stones, ceramics and glasses.

Sean's Eyes is part of my popular series of Eyes Mosaics.  Sean's eyes will be available next year. Eva's eyes and Tuareg's eyes are presently available for sale. 

If you are interested in one of these, or in commissioning a special piece for you, you can contact me at frederic.lecut@gmail.com or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

You can also contact me for any other reason related to my work. I'd love to share my dreams with you !