Quetzal at the 2012 Biennial of the WMA

Quetzal has been selected to be displayed during the 2012 Biennial event organized in July 2012 by the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dothan, Alabama.

Quetzal was inspired by a Art Deco leather book cover. The original piece was a "Marquetterie" - where leather strips of various colors were inlaid in the main red piece. Quetzal measures 18 x 25" (45 x 63 cm). Quetzal's materials are stained terracotta, irridized glasses and gilded mirrors.

The Replendent Questzal is the national bird of Guatemala. It's name comes from the Nahuatl "quetzalli" and means "Large Brilliant Tail Feather"...

The Peacock

Actually I have been working on this one all winter, and had not progressed for lack of time...

I designed "Peacock" at the same time I did  "Rising Sun"

It was inspired by the cover of a book in the Art Deco Style. 

Peacock is made of Terracotta, with colored glasses, mostly irridized, brought back from France 2 years ago.

18 x 25", Wood frame

Rising Sun

In early Japanese history, the Rising Sun, or Hinomaru motif was used on flags of daimyos and samurai.  

Rising Sun is my last Mosaic Creation.

This Mosaic designed in an Art Deco Style, is almost entirely made out of mirror pieces. I only used black granite and ceramic for the outside borders.

Mirrors are a little different than regular stone or ceramic tesserae. Although the process of laying the tesserae is the same ( I always use the the inverted method, and lay my pieces upside down), the following operations - gluing, grouting, are made more complicated because of the material used to make the mirror. To make a long story short, mirrors do not adhere to thinset as well as stone... So you have to use your imagination - and experience - to make sure it is going to stick well ! 

Rising Sun has taken a long time to complete, as I am actually also working on 2 beautiful walk-in showers, one made of ceramic, glass and marble, the other one, in a similar style, made of Travertine, Dark brown Marble, Granite and Colored Glasses. 

I should soon be able to post pictures and comments about these 2 beautiful pieces