HAPPY HOLIDAYS! WINTER CLASSES!

Happy Holidays!
I thought it would be a good time to let folks know about classes coming up in 2012 - something to look forward to in the New Year.  I know I am!
In addition to the classes listed below at the Gallery School of Pottstown and Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium, I will be offering two classes at my home studio, located 5 miles northwest of Downingtown, in Lyndell.  These classes will be separate weekend workshops - see details below.
Wishing the best for you for the holidays and new year! 



2-day Intensive Mosaic Workshop
Dates:  January 28 & 29; February 4 & 5  - 9am-5pm Saturday & Sunday. 
This is a chance for more individualized instruction, tailored to the desires of the participants.  Classes will only have 2-3 people.  Participants will have full use of my collection of vitreous glass tiles and mirror.  Some stained glass will be available.
Cost will be $125 per person per weekend, materials included.
Call Amy at (610) 585-5641 or e-mail at info@piece-of-mind-mosaics.com - be sure to put Mosaic class in the subject line!



Gallery School of Pottstown 
www.galleryonhigh.com
MOSAICS with Amy Bruckner

Learn the indirect method of creating beautiful mosaics with vitreous glass.  Make an 8 inch by 10 inch mosaic suitable for framing in a standard size frame.  This class is good for beginners and for those with some experience as well.  There is a $10 materials fee, payable to your instructor at the first class. On class days that run from 10am - 3pm, we will take a half hour lunch break.  Minimum 4 students. 

WINTER/SPRING SESSION  Class runs Saturday, February 11 and 18 from 10am - 3pm and Saturday, February 25 from 10am - 1pm.  $110 + supply fee (member), $120 + supply fee (non-member).  

Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium
www.darcinfo.com/

Class # 111027-1 Mosaics with Vitreous Glass

Instructor:  Amy Bruckner
Dates:  Mondays, February 6, 13, 27 March 5, skip 2/20
Location:  United Sports Training Center; Party Room (1426 Marshallton-Thorndale Rd.)

Time: 6:00 to 9:00pm

DARC:  $115  Non-Resident:  $130

Visit the violin!

The violin will be making an appearance at the Kimberton Waldorf School Craft Show December 2 & 3.  Come out and visit!  Next stop - the Kimmel Center in January!  Details to come...stay tuned.

Open Studio Rescheduled; Kimberton Craft Show

Well, being that we had the first snow of the year on October 29 (who would have thought?), I will be reschdeuling the Open Studio in the Spring.   There will be a tilemaking workshop, door prizes, food & drink, and maybe even an encaustic painting demo.  Stay tuned for more information!

A reminder about the Kimberton Waldorf Artisan Village/Craft Show on December 2 & 3.  This a juried show with quality crafts.   Kimberton Waldorf School Craft Show, Friday 6-10 pm/Saturday 10am-5pm.  410 West Seven Stars Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460  (610) 933-3635.  There is a $10 admission on Friday night (adults only) and $5 admission (childrenfree) on Saturday.  http://www.kimbertoncraftshow.org/.

What to do with with that empty wall space - Part 2

What can you do to transform a space?  Why, use mosaics!  From simple accent borders to intricate designs, mosaics can totally transform a space from ugly or boring to sublime!

Here's that ugly blank wall after mosaics:

And here is the blank space above the window in the new kitchen:

A good mosaic design doesn't just fill the space, it renews and invigorates the entire area.

What to do with that empty wall space? Part 1

Got an empty wall space? It could be a space above a window or even an entire wall.  Maybe you have an ugly outside wall that needs help.

 Or maybe you got a new kitchen and a blank space is staring at you from above the window.

So, what do you do with it?

Well, you could paint it, stencil it, put up a wallpaper border or you could go to Home Depot and get some prefab "Mosaic" tiles.  The options are somewhat...limited.

On the other hand, you could transform not only the empty space but the whole outside of your house or your kitchen.

Stay tuned for Part 2 - and see the transformations!

OPEN STUDIO!

To celebrate having my own studio space, I am having an Open Studio on Saturday October 29, 10am to 4pm at 71 Lyndell Road, Downingtown, PA.  Come on out - will have refreshments, door prizes and of course, art for sale. 
Note that this address is not in Downingtown proper, it is 5 miles northwest off Rt. 282.
610-585-5641

New Website!

I am so happy to say that my new website is up - http://www.piece-of-mind-mosaics.com/.  Please e-mail me at info@piece-of-mind-mosaics.com for mosacis related messages.

Amy Guskin of Fjordstone Inc. Graphic & Website Design did a wonderful job and I can't thank her enough. 

I have met some truly awesome people on this path.  Thanks to all who have supported and encouraged me along the way!

Out And About - Fall 2011

Here's the schedule for fall shows, classes, and the Open Studio (to celebrate having my studio revamped into a real working space!).

Open Studio:  Saturday October 29, 10am - 4pm at 71 Lyndell Road, Downingtown PA 19335, (610)585-5641

Shows:

October 1 -  23rd Annual Bridge Bust - 9am - 4pm, Rt 462 Veteran's Memorial Bridge, crossing the Susquehanna River between Lancaster & York Counties (www.parivertowns.com)

December 2 & 3 - Kimberton Waldorf School Craft Show, Friday December 2, 6-10 pm, Saturday December 3, 10am - 5pm.  410 West Seven Stars Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460  (610) 933-3635 (www.kimberton.org)

Classes:

October 12, 19, 26 & November 2 - Mosaics with Vitreous Glass.  Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium (www.darcinfo.com for registration). Tuesday evenings, 6-9pm at United Sports Training Center on Marshalton Thorndale Road in Thorndale.

October 15 & 16 - 2-day Intensive Mosaic Workshop, 9am-5pm Saturday & Sunday.  Offered at my home studio.  This is a chance for more individualized instruction, tailored to the desires of the participants.  Classes will only have 2-3 people.  (610) 585-5641 or info@piece-of-mind-mosaics.com - be sure to put Mosaic class in the subject line!

October 22 & 23  - 2-day Intensive Mosaic Workshop, same as above.

November 5, 12 & 19 - Spirit Animal Mosaic Class for Adults.  Gallery School of Pottstown (www.galleryonhigh.org for registration). 10am - 3pm, Saturday November 5 & 12, 10am - 1pm, Saturday November 19.

  

The violin (from last blog) will be exhibited throughout the year at concerts by the Community Music School of Trappe, PA.  There will be 20 violins raffled off at a Gala dinner in October 2012 to support the music school.  You can buy raffle tickets at the concerts or by contacting the music school (610) 489-3676.

Many thanks to all who have supported me in this new venture...could not have done it without you!

The Painted Violin Project

As a fundraiser, The Community Music School in Trappe, PA selected 20 artists to create individual works of art using violins as their canvas.  Each violin was done according to a music theme.  I was selected to create a piece with the theme of "Appalachian Spring".  The violins will be shown at the concerts performed by the music school for a year and raffle tickets will be sold throughout the year. The violins will be raffled off in October 2012 at the 20th Anniversary Gala.

"Appalachian Spring" was my first choice of theme.  I lived in Virginia for a few years at the foot of the Appalachians and Redbuds and Dogwoods defined spring for me there.  I am extremely honored and excited to have been selected for this and am looking forward to seeing all the violins.

I finished the piece last week and here it is!

I'm also looking forward to getting some professional photos of the violin as part of the agreement.  I've found mosaics to be difficult to photograph because of the reflections from the glass.
Amy

Mixed Media

I'm delving into a new world - mixed media using glass mosaics, poly clay and encaustic paint!  If you don't know what encaustic paint is, never fear, I had no clue what it was before a few months ago!  Now I see it all over the place.  Encaustic painting is painting with pigmented beeswax, of all things.  I had first seen it at the Phoenix Village Art Center in Phoenixville at a show where they had an encaustic artist demonstrating.  She let me try it and I was completely blown away!  Not only was it great fun but it lit up something in me and I have been dying to use it with my mosaics.  I got the chance when I was asked to submit a piece of artwork for a competetion for MOSAIC Community Land Trust of Pottstown.  It seemed a perfect fit so I first tried a piece of my own and then did a couple of pieces to be incorporated into the exhibit.  It's still a work in progress but here is my first attempt at encaustic and the work in progress for the competition.
Details on the competiton can be found here - http://pottstownclt.wordpress.com/arts/
I welcome any thoughts!
Amy

Summer/Fall Classes

Upcoming Classes:

Saturday, July 23 & 30 at Pottstown Gallery School http://www.galleryonhigh.com/

Tuesdays, 6-9pm, October 4-November 1, Chester County Night School - West Chester, PA  http://www.chestercountynightschool.org/ (Will be listed with Fall Couses)

Wednesdays, 6-9pm, October 12 - November 2, Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium - Downingtown, PA  http://www.darcinfo.com/ (Will be listed with Fall Couses)

Saturday, 10am-3pm, November 5 - 19, Pottstown Gallery School http://www.galleryonhigh.com/  (Will be listed with Fall Couses)

Photos of Students Work!

When it Rains, It Pours!

Well, thank goodness, I got my kitchen mosaic done...the floodgates just opened and I am up to my ears in projects!  Yeah!!!  I just found out  I have been selected to mosaic a violin as one of 20 artists who will be using violins as a medium to express various themes based on 20 different pieces of music.  Mine is "Appalachian Spring" and I am looking forward to jumping into that one!  Then, I have also entered a contest to design a mosaic for the MOSAIC Community Land Trust in Pottstown (how appropriate!)...And another exciting thing is that Amy Guskin is working on a real website for Piece Of Mind Mosaics - you should see her awesome website designs - www.fjordstone.com/web.  We really need the rain and I am thankful for the rainwater we got today and for all the great opportunities coming my way.

"How Fun!"

My favorite thing to hear people say about my mosaics is "How Fun!".  I like it because to me it means my work makes people happy and because I do have fun creating my mosaics.  If it weren't fun and exciting, I wouldn't be doing it.  From the moment an idea comes into my mind to finishing off the grout, it's an exciting & creative process. Every step of the process is fluid and a meander in any step can create a totally different expression.  So I might have one thing in mind when I start but depending on how much I surrender to the process, it could end up with a whole different look!  I usually start with a rough sketch of the design and a general color scheme but allow  my muse to fill in the details.

Musings on Creativity, Part 2

I never really had a plan to be a mosaic artist, it was just a thought in the back of my mind, something I didn't totally connect with.  There were still blocks in my mind to daring to be an artist - "WHO do you think YOU are?" being the biggest one!

Last year my husband and I went to Asheville, NC on vacation - and it was pure magic!  I have been there many times over the past 20 years and watched it develop and come into it's own as an art city.  One day I stumbled into the Jonas Gerard Gallery (you really MUST check him out - http://www.jonasgerard.com/.  No REALLY, go there now!).  His work hit me right in the heart.  He came out of his studio and we started talking. He is a very sweet unassuming man.  You would never know he has work at the Smithsonian and all over the world.  But he took the time to talk to me and for some reason took a liking to my husband and I.  I asked if there were any mosaic artists in Asheville as I had not seen any.  He looked and me and said "No, do you have a portfolio?"  He believed I was a mosaic artist and in that moment I became one!  That's all it took. He fanned the sparks and now it's a flame that won't quit.  Just like the Velveteen Rabbit, sometimes all it takes   is for someone to believe we are real... 

Reflections on Creativity, Part I

At a barbeque a couple of weekends ago, I was showing my mosaic photo album to some folks I had not seen in a long time and someone asked me if I've always been artistic.  Well, that's a loaded question and a there's meandering story to answer it...I believe we are ALL artistic in some way but our society tries to put us in boxes, we are this and not that.  I always liked to create things.  My father was an artist, he had a degree in architecture and designed exhibits.  One of my strongest memories from childhood was him telling me stories and illustrating them as he went along.  But my sister went to Philadelphia College of Art and was the identified "artist" in the family so I went the route of environmental science since I love nature.  It was not a great fit, it earned me money but I was never happy with it.  My sister meanwhile went the technical route and never pursued her art.  So here we both were, neither being very creative.  Sure, I took classes and dabbled with pottery and watercolor.  Then one day I thought, I want to take a mosaic class.

That was about 6 years ago.  My first mosaic was a portable counter top.  The design came from a doodle I did one day during a meeting at work  :-)!  I proceeded to leave it outdoors in the summertime.  I found out the hard way that was not a good idea - the underside was particle board which soaked up the humidity like a sponge.  It warped and many of the side and corner tiles fell off.  Now it is part of my worktable.

Well, that's it for now.  Story to be continued...
Maybe I'll see you this wekend at Good Samaritan or Maysies Farm.  See last blog for details.

Upcoming Events with Piece Of Mind Mosiacs

Craft fairs:
Good Samaritan Fair in Paoli, Saturday June 11.  Church of the Good samaritan http://www.good-samaritan.org/.  Will be there with metal craftsman Gene Reed, with pieces for sale and photos of completed consignment work.  I'll be there working on a current piece.  Lots of new and different work.  Come on out!

Maysies Farm Fest in Ludwigs Corner, Sunday, June 12.  Lots of music, local food and it supports a great cause:  http://www.maysiesfarmfest.org/index.htm.  20% of proceeds will be donated to Maysies Farm Conservation Center.

Classes:
Starting June13, I will be taching a 4 session class through Downingtown Area Recreation Consortium (DARC).  It will be 4 Monday evenings from 6-9, no calss July 4 - last class will be July11.  http://www.darcinfo.com/ - see the Summer 2011 Brochure.

I am teaching vitreous glass mosaics at The Gallery School of Pottstown / Gallery On High.  The July classes are listed in the Summer Course Catalog under Glass Classes:  http://www.galleryonhigh.com/. 

More Out and About!

On Friday, May 6,  I will be at the opening reception at the Phoenix Village Art Center for their member's show from 6-9pm.  http://www.phoenixvillageartcenter.org/gallery.html
Stop by and say hello and have some munchies!
The Lady In the Waves will be there too!

Good Samaritan Fair in Paoli, Saturday June 11.  Church of the Good samaritan http://www.good-samaritan.org/.  Will be there with metal craftsman Gene Reed, with pieces for sale and photos of completed consignment work.  I'll be there working on a current piece.  Come on out!

I am teaching vitreous glass mosaics at The Gallery School of Pottstown / Gallery On High.  The July classes are listed in the Summer Course Catalog under Glass Classes:  http://www.galleryonhigh.com/.  I also have one piece in the gallery on consignment.

Twisted Glass Gallery  http://www.twistedglassonline.com/.
This is a new consignement gallery for local artists.  I have two pieces there on display for sale. 

Beams Music in Frazer, PA is a locally owned music school/retail store:  http://www.beamsmusic.com/.  I have a music themed mosaic for sale there at the front desk.

Backsplash!

My first backsplash installation.  Thanks to Ellen for being brave enough to let me play in her kitchen! 

AFTER:

BEFORE:

Out And About!

I've been busy getting myself and my mosaics out and about.

I just started teaching vitreous glass mosaics at The Gallery School of Pottstown / Gallery On High.  Am teaching Saturday mornings in April and will also do classes in July.  The July classes will be listed in the Summer Course Catalog and should be on the website soon under Glass Classes:  http://www.galleryonhigh.com/.  I also have one piece in the gallery on consignment.

Also started spending First Fridays at Twisted Glass Gallery in Phoenixville:  http://www.twistedglassonline.com/.
This is a new consignement gallery for local artists.  I have three pieces there on display for sale. 

On Friday, May 6, however I will be at the opening reception at the Phoenix Village Art Center for their member's show from 6-9.  Stop by and say hello!
Beams Music in Frazer, PA is a locally owned music school/retail store:  http://www.beamsmusic.com/.  I have a music themed mosaic for sale there at the front desk.

Good Samaritan Fair in Paoli, June 10.  Will be there with metal craftsman Gene Reed, with pieces for sale and samples of consignment work.  Come on out.  Details coming soon....

Seasons Changing

I've had this idea in mind for quite awhile and the opportunity came along for me to create it.  A friend of mine wanted a present for her sister's 50th birthday and asked me to make a mosaic reminiscent of Vermont with maybe some sugar maple leaves in fall and maybe some mountains.  So I jumped on it, using the leaves as the focal point with mountains changing from summer to winter in the background.  My friend,Gene Reed, is a metal worker and made the frame the mosaic is hanging on.

Spring's Coming!

Here's my latest completed mosaic.  I'm working on a blacksplash for a client in West Chester so that is keeping me busy.  But I am still trying to work in some other pieces as I go.  The idea of creating mosaics based on quilt designs has intrigued me for awhile.  This is the first of many, I hope!

Mid-Winter Mosaics

Here's my latest creation - I kept seeing a lady in the waves as I was designing this one.  It took a lot of patience but finally she appeared, my lady in the sea.  Maybe I'll just think of her as my muse...

 A present for a friend...

A New Direction

After working with ceramic tile and mirror for 4 years, I discovered vitreous glass!  It's a whole new world and I just love it!



Summer Mosaic Project

We were sitting on my friend Eileen's patio one day and I said "Oh, you need a mosaic on that wall", as you can see, she really did!

So, the following spring, Eileen was my willing pupil, and with help from Carla, John, Brent and Christine, here's what we created!