*Scroll to end for update on this project. I recently finished a mosaic entitled Seacrets. It was a commission for a lovely snowbird couple who winters here in our area. They have supported me in the past and have purchased two of my other mosaics. The husband wanted to surprise his wife with another mosaic for Christmas. Their beachfront condo was in the process of a renovation, so I went down for a site visit to see the space. Rather comically, (I think), I was told the designated place of “honor” was to be directly above the toilet. Hmmm...okay… Once I actually saw its intended home, I could understand why that location was selected. The bathroom, though beautiful, is windowless and is the only one in the condo. Both the owners and their guests will face that wall as they enter the bathroom My only artistic directive from the husband was that he wanted the mosaic to be “organic”. I sent him some photos of materials that I had taken with me on the site visit, which included soft greens to complement their paint color and the shower tile. After some consideration, I decided the space called for an interpretation of the scene that was out of the window that did exist in their living room. With that in mind, and after a lovely gaze out of their balcony window, I decided to create a “fake window” for them with my mosaic. I took a photo, then manipulated it to a very blurry rendition altering the blues to more green hues, as if one were gazing out a foggy window. I then painted a "guide." Many times, I may paint a composition directly onto the substrate, or I just wing it. In this case, I was using tinted thinset as my adhesive, and just found it easier to place my painted guide beside me as I worked. This is a very loose interpretation of a seascape. There is a lot of texture with incorporated stone, shells, chunky glass, and even within the way the material was placed. Like the sea, there are a few surprises. Some you may find if you look closely, and some are a little more hidden. I hope this mosaic evokes the same sense of wonderment as our lovely Gulf of Mexico. I am happy with how it turned out, and I do like the unexpected dimension one can see upon closer inspection. I also incorporated a few surprises for them, like glow in the dark stars that appear when the lights are off, and a few pieces of their leftover floor tile that I snagged from their discard pile. I wrapped the piece with hopes that the husband could wait until Christmas, so he and his wife could unwrap it together. I have heard from the client, and both he and his wife are pleased. Below is a video of how Seacrets came together. Thanks for stopping by, ![]() *update: These patrons asked for a small companion piece to go along with Seacrets. Below are a few shot of 8"x6" More Seacrets.
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