Ugly Thrift Store Find Challenge #1

I try to make a trip to the Goodwill stores in my area every other week. Sometimes I find some amazing things that are blank canvases just waiting to be tile or painted. Sometimes I find things like that monstrosity pictured to the right. How ugly is that? Problem is I was so intrigued with its ugliness, that for $2.00 I bought it. I can only imagine the room it hung in, probably for years leaving a permanent mark on the wall of it's rosary bead like outline. A 70's classic for sure, this mirror would be best suited for a paneled room with a gold velour couch and console TV. There may even be those large wooden fork and spoons on the wall somewhere near by.

So what am I going to do with it you ask? I have no clue. I'll start with a nice coat (or 2) of primer. That dark wood will probably be hard to cover. From there, I really don't know, but.... I am ready to face the challenge and make something worthy of listing in my Etsy shop. Can't you see the possibilities? I am so inspired by this project in fact, that I am naming this my first ever, Ugly Thrift Store Find Challenge. A tradition that is sure to catch on and be a world wide web phenomenon.

So do you have any thrift store, tag sale or flea market finds that you are embarrassed to show friends and family, but you are convinced you can turn into a beautiful work of art? I would love to see them! Send your "before" pictures to GMmosaics@aol.com and tell me a little about your blank canvas, your fabulous score, your diamond in the rough. You don't have to share your plan of attack, just show it off and tell me where it came from and why you were drawn to it and compelled to buy it. I will feature all of the entries here on my blog with a link to your Etsy shop or web site. The uglier the better. Email your pictures to me by July 22nd, 12:00am EST. Then get to work! The completed projects will also be featured here. The deadline is to be announced once all submissions are received.

As much as I'd like to award cash and prizes, this is purely for fun and for a bit of free advertisement on a fellow artist's blog. Join in and send me your photos!

New Pretties for Summer

Finally ~ I got the hang of taking up-close pictures with my camera! Countless hours and large quantities of batteries have been lost forever, but I am so glad I figured it out. It seems that being outdoors using natural light does the trick. As for the settings on the camera, auto works just fine. Just a little bit of tweaking in Photoshop, and my new magnet pictures are perfect!

Come on over to my Etsy Shop and take a peek at all of the magnets I currently have available. Many new sets have been added since I last featured these little goodies here on my blog, and I am adding new sets frequently.

To motivate you just little bit more.... I am offering FREE SHIPPING on all items in the MAGNET SECTION in my shop. Just enter the words "SUMMER SPECIAL" in the message to seller box at checkout, or convo me prior to payment. I will send you an amended invoice. This offer is good until Tuesday, July 1st, 2007.

New Mirror ~ COCORAMA

New today ~ COCORAMA, a ReTRo mirror featuring vintage, hand cut dinnerware in assorted shades of brown. Be sure to check it out!

Work in Progress Revisited

About 2 weeks ago I posted a project I started and showed some pictures of the progress as I worked on it. It took longer than I anticipated to get it grouted, but above you can see the finished piece. My plan was to take pictures of the grouting process, but that didn't happen. I set up to work outside because of the number of pieces I had to grout. Rain clouds loomed over my head, and I knew I had to work quickly or be in a big mess.

You can see the listing for this mirror titled "TROPICAL KIWI" in my Etsy shop. A few more new pieces will be listed in the next few days. So be sure to check back soon.

Custom Design Work

Are you looking for a new mirror for above your bathroom vanity or in the entryway of your house? Are there particular colors you would love to have in a mosaic that you do not see available on my web site or in my Etsy Shop? My custom design program offers you the opportunity to have a mosaic mirror, art panel or variety of home decor items made specifically to order for your home, office or that special housewarming gift. I will work with you to coordinate colors, and come up with a design that will work with your decor. There are many, many materials to choose from and a nice selection of mirror bases and panels for wall pieces, or even trays, birdhouses, flower pots, mailboxes ~ you name it, I could tile it!

Pictured below is custom mirror I designed recently for a customer. The mosaic was made using the family's favorite piece of pottery from Peru that had broken and could not be repaired. If you have a family heirloom, or plates you no longer use but love the color of, I could easily incorporate them into the piece.

If you see something you like in on one of my gallery pages, but the colors are not what you are looking for, please do not hesitate to ask. It is possible to have a similar design made in the colors of your choice, but keep in mind that my pieces are one of a kind, and I do not duplicate any of my work.

Pricing for custom work will vary by piece. I will do my best to provide you with an estimate based on the size and complexity of the piece. No request is too off the wall. I would love to take on your unique project ideas. Just send an me email or visit my Custom Orders page for more information. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Meet My Apprentices

Meet my assistant Sam. He has been helping me out in the studio for about 4 years now. A true Siamese, Sam has a strong opinion and he is not afraid to voice it. Whether helping himself to my chair when I get up, (as seen in this photo) or walking across my workspace and pushing my tile off my desk, one by one, he always hangs out in my studio while I work. He has a great eye for design. He has helped me with color choices on occasion too. (He favors blue!)

My other furry assistant, Max, isn't as involved with the creative process as his brother. He is however an expert at finding the most comfortable (and in the way) spot in the room to catch a snooze, or to just sit like a meatloaf and demand to be paid attention to. He loves my paintbrushes, and will roll them off of my desk onto the floor and flip them around. He knows when UPS comes to the door, the box that I take inside probably has packing peanuts in it and will do anything to get to them!

Max & Sam came from a good home, but it was a home where they did not make an attempt to spay and neuter the cats they had. They were the 2nd litter born to 2 of the adult cats in the house, and the people could not keep them. You can read more about the importance of spaying and neutering your pets here. We took them in, and we are so happy we did! They are so much fun, and such a huge part of our lives. If you are thinking about getting a pet, please consider adopting. There are so many pets waiting for homes in shelters across the country. Probably one right in your town. And if you happen to be looking for a Siamese, check out The Siamese Rescue, where you can find so many blue eyed guys and girls waiting to help you out in the studio too.

~ Brady Go Go ~

Recently, I participated in a show at a local, co-op gallery I belong to called Artwell in Torrington, CT. Titled "A Show for a Show", the mission behind the exhibit was to expose up and coming artists to gallery curators and directors by inviting them to view the show, and select artists to in turn show at their galleries. Over 500 pieces were entered into the show at Artwell. Over 50 galleries viewed the work. I entered "Brady Go Go" my retro mosaic boot.

When deciding what piece to put in the show (it was 1 entry per artist) I turned to my support group and fellow mosaic artists. They helped me narrow it down and eventually make a choice. The boot! Use the boot! Little did I know ~ the boot ~ would fit the theme of an upcoming show and catch the eye of a gallery owner. "Brady Go Go" is headed to A.L.A.S ART, LLC, a gallery in Canton, CT. They are having a fashion show at the gallery, and all artwork hung in the space will revolve around fashion in some way. The show opens June 22nd and runs to July 27th. I will post the gallery hours and information on my web site, Gemini Moon Mosaics, once it is available.

Mini Mosaic Mirrors ~ Small in size, Big in Design

My mini mirror collection is celebrating it's 2 year anniversary this month. At 5 inches square, these mirrors are the perfect size to accent a shelf, hang over a desk or in your cubicle at work, or decorate a small wall. They also look great grouped together. As with all of my pieces, each one is hand crafted with care and made with the same commitment to quality and attention to detail as the larger works.

The designs range in color and in style from wild and colorful, to more subdued and traditional. When creating my mini mirrors, I am able to use unique tile and pottery that I may not have enough of to use in a larger piece. So if I find one, very cool plate or mug at a thrift store, it is almost always headed for a 5 inch frame. Currently I have 19 different mini mirrors available in my Etsy Shop. There are more than a few lined up in my "waiting to be grouted" pile of work too. So check back at my Etsy shop soon to see some brand new designs.

Inspired By Color

Yesterday while I was outside watering my small garden area, I became mesmerized by the gorgeous leaves of the huge hosta in one of my flower beds. The same hosta that I grumbled about the day before because it had grown so enormous and was beginning to take over my other plants and flowers inspired me enough to run inside and get my camera. There was something about it at that moment; I wanted to capture the amazing, brilliant vibrant green color. I wanted to take out my oil paints and grab a canvas.

A fresh coat of bright, yellow paint on your kitchen wall, a new pair of red patent leather shoes, a shiny new midnight blue car may all bring to mind beautiful examples of color. In my opinion, no man made color on earth can come close to the intensity or brilliance that colors in nature exude.

"The whole world as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color."
~Hans Hofmann

COLLAGE ART MAGNETS ~ Fashion for Your Fridge

In addition to mosaics, I love to create mixed media art pieces. Some of these works can be found in my Etsy shop including mixed media mirrors, boxes and frames. While working on one of these mirrors sometime last summer, I glanced at the eclectic assortment of found objects in front of me ~ vintage jewelry findings and broken bits, wire, glass gems, random odds and ends with everything from old game pieces, vintage sheet music to fringe, ribbon, and a pile of beautiful hand made paper. It was an amazing collection. Well to me it was amazing. Most people would have looked at the top of my desk and thought that I cleaned out the junk drawer in my kitchen. I think even the vendor at the flea market I purchased some of these goodies from thought I was nuts. While he was trying to sell me some gorgeous vintage brooches and earrings, I politely asked "Do you have any broken bits and pieces?"

My Collage Art Magnets were born from that pile of junk last summer. After purchasing a dozen 2 inch, flat wood squares with the hopes of making quick mosaic magnets for a craft show I was doing, I remembered that nothing about making a mosaic is quick. Too many steps to go through for a small, inexpensive item to have at the checkout counter in my booth. Then a light bulb went off in my head. (Closely followed by a puff of smoke out of my ears.) Take the concept of a mixed media collage mirror and make that a magnet.

Over 70 magnets later between Etsy and several craft shows, I am still on a a search for broken bits, and unique found objects. What started out as an idea to fill some space in my craft display at shows has turned into a permanent line of mini, one of a kind art pieces for your fridge, filing cabinet or locker. My quest for supplies to create these wonderful magnets continues to bring me as much joy as designing and putting them together.

Moving Right Along

It's always nice when things move along quickly and smoothly on a project. I just glued down the last tiles on the 12 inch mirror I showcased as my work in progress. It has been moved to my "waiting to be grouted" table, and will remain there for about a week to allow the adhesive to cure.

This is the first time I actually documented a project in pictures. Section by section I built the design. Hand cutting each tile to shape if it did not fit exactly the way it should.

You can see in my first few pictures that my original collection of tile for this mirror, I had intended to add bits of orange in the design. About halfway through I knew that I didn't want the orange. Instead I stayed with a palette of greens, aquas and blues. I am very happy with the way it turned out. I will revisit this piece in about a week when I am ready to grout it. Now it is time to start another mirror.

Work in Progress ~ 12 inch Round Mirror

It took me 45 minutes to dig through my tile and put together the color and pattern combination for my next mirror. I decided to go easy on the color with this project. Well not really ~ We have bright lime green, green retro flowers with hints of orange, a tropical green and aqua retro pattern, plaid, orange flowers, zig zags, glass gems.... What can I say, I like variety of color, pattern and textures in my pieces. Chances are the finished mosaic will have something entirely different. That is part of the fun for me; to be able to change my mind and do something unexpected and random in my design. I will also start at least 2 other new pieces, just to keep it interesting. Rarely do I begin one project and work straight through to finish it. I have always worked that way. The good thing is, I almost always go back and finish everything I started. Even if it is months later.

Here is how the mirror looks after my first 15 minutes of working. I usually have a solid idea for a focal area on a mirror when I begin. Beyond that, I have no idea, no plan and I don't layout the tile before I adhere them. It just comes together.