New Mosaic Artwork in Bellingham, WA

During the Memorial Day weekend, I put in 41 hours installing mosaic along Maplewood Ave. in Bellingham, WA between Shuksan Middle School and the intersection of Maplewood and Birchwood. There are two horizontal sidewalk inlays, one near the intersection and the other near the school. On the other side of the street are three vertical projects on concrete light post bases.

These are the light post bases, designed by kids during a community event in Squalicum Creek Park last summer. I rolled out butcher paper and asked kids to draw themselves and critters that one might find in a garden. Then I spent about 6 months re-creating their designs in mosaic.

Here is an example of an original drawing (one of my favorites.)

And this is the same face in mosaic. (The eyelashes are there, but I used groutlines.)

 The sidewalk inlays began as several designs that were presented to the community and voted on. They went with mandalas featuring Pacific NW species. My favorite is the one with Blue Herons, salmon, Skunk Cabbage, the Cascades and Birch trees (located close to Birchwood Ave.)

This one is brighter, with a spring theme. There are some glass butterflies and dragonflies mixed in as well.

The second mandala features otters in the center, Sword Ferns, eagles, the Cascades and Maple trees (for Maplewood Ave.) This one is more Fall themed and feels a bit more subdued.

Usually, my projects are at least partially grouted when I install them, but this project had different circumstances and I underestimated the time it would take to complete 125 s.f. of mosaic by myself. Luckily, I had some great helpers come to my rescue.

My friend and sometimes-assistant, Tara, loaned me her Kia Soul, which had enough room to pack all of these mosaic panels, installation supplies, a fold-out canopy, and my personal belongings.

Mount Bakery owner Vince Lalonde provided my breakfast on three mornings, which was so hearty (and delicious) that it got me all the way through each day, which was amazing because I didn't have time to stop until about 9pm each night, and I was too tired to eat then. He also loaded up his van with 5 gallon buckets of water and dropped a few of them at each project site, and this was a life saver. Vince owns and manages the two locations of Mount Bakery (downtown and Fairhaven) and is a very busy guy, so I can't thank him enough for taking time out to help me. And the food! So good.

Theresa, a woman who lives on the block, and her son Langston, helped me grout for two days. (Langston played nearby most of the time, but he helped here and there, and was a good conversationalist.) I really enjoyed spending time with them, and the help was awesome.

I want to also mention that I love the Birchwood Neighborhood! This has to be the most diverse neighborhood I've ever spent time in, which seems very strange to find in Bellingham of all places. The people who stopped to talk with me were from all persuasions, wearing different ethnic and religious clothing, speaking different languages, and appearing to be from all different levels of wealth and privilege. Everyone, without exception, was enthusiastic about the artwork. Doing public art closer to home, I have found that a large percentage of the community resents seeing the new artwork, and they ask me if I'm being paid and if their taxes are being used for something so frivolous. Last weekend, people were just delighted that the City would invest in their neighborhood, improving the street (there are new sidewalks, bike lanes and street lights - much safer for everyone.) Several people shocked me by saying, "I hope you are getting paid well for this!"

It was a very hard weekend, and my body is still recovering, but it was also extremely rewarding. If you happen to be in Bellingham, now or in the future, swing by Maplewood Avenue and take a closer look.

Joanne Daschel, Environmental Mosaic Artist

Last week, I started writing about some of the creative people in my social circle who inspire me. Each day, I look forward to checking my facebook and instagram feeds because they are filled with posts about art and nature, and it uplifts and motivates me.

Today's blog post is about Joanne Daschel. I first met Joanne while teaching a workshop in Hillsboro, Oregon on precision glass cutting for mosaic. There were about 20 students, and Joanne was quiet and needed very little help. She was a quick learner and brought her own style to the project, so she knew what she wanted to do. I spent a lot more time helping other students, but I noticed that Joanne was already skilled in the medium.

This is Joanne in that first class, having cut a narrow, inverted curve that would become part of a peach.

I think it was during that first meeting that Joanne told me about The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, where she works part-time. She suggested I teach a workshop there, so we corresponded afterward and within about a year, I did get on the Sitka schedule. The class filled up right away, and I was happy to see that Joanne was one of my students again. This time, I taught a glass-on-glass workshop, where students made a translucent mosaic on a reclaimed window.

This was Joanne's window! It still hangs in her studio.

I spent 3 days in Lincoln City, OR while teaching the workshop, and Joanne was a great host, taking me around to meet local artists, showing me the good places to eat and drink, and showing off the amazingly beautiful landscape on that part of the Oregon coast. Conversation flowed easily and we became good friends very quickly.

The view from Cascade Head.

Since then, I've taught each summer at Sitka, and there have been other opportunities to spend time together at workshops, art events and the SAMA conference. Joanne is funny, smart and insightful, and I learn something new and surprising about her every time we hang out. She is a very skilled artist. Examples of early drawings are on display in her house, and they are outstanding. Her work focuses on the natural world, including the food we eat. Joanne was landscaper until her body began to suffer. Now she balances her job at the Sitka Center where she is surrounded by artists and environmentalists who are teaching and learning, with her personal work in her awesome studio located in the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

Joanne teaches workshops and holds open studio hours, and she is constantly creating new work that celebrates the natural world and her connection to it. When Joanne isn't working at Sitka or in her studio, she's either in her own garden or hiking. When you see her work, you sense her passion for the things that sustain us.

I could keep gushing about Joanne, but I have a tendency to make my posts too lengthy. Be sure to look her up on social media to see more of her work. Right now, she's working on a series, making a 6" x 6" mosaic every day in tandem with painter Katia Kyte. These will be on display at the Chessman Gallery in Lincoln City, opening on August 10th. I'll be there! (I'm teaching a workshop on light and shadow in mosaic that week at Sitka.) It is worth a trip to this beautiful area. (*Also, we will both be at the reception for another version of the Chiaroscuro group exhibit in McMinnville the following evening, August 11. I'll post details as we get closer.)

More of us, for fun:

In Boston

Scott Fitzwater, Joanne Daschel, Jennifer Kuhns, Lynn Adamo, Mark Brody: the seeds of a collective were planted on this night.

St. Patty's Day, Boston

Lincoln City, secret trail

Joanne held open studios and generated 101 hearts for the first Diversity Mural!

Introducing Reham Aarti - Idaho Mosaic Artist

I am lucky to know so many amazing people! I'm going to start finding time to write a little bit about each of them here. Most of them are doing interesting, wonderful projects, and I want to help spread the word.

Today, let me introduce you to Reham Aarti:

In 2016, I was attending the annual American Mosaic Summit in San Diego, and a friend who works for the Washington State Arts Commission sent me a facebook message saying to keep an eye out for Reham. She thought we would hit it off. The only information I had was that she has blue hair. I mentioned it to my roommate, Krystie Rose.

Later that evening, when I returned to the room, Krystie Rose said, "Look who I found." And there was this adorable woman with blue hair sitting on the bed! A group of us were planning to head out for dinner. Reham had her own plans, to meet a family friend for a Mediterranean dinner. Reham was born and raised in Kuwait, and is an American citizen (no trace of an accent, even) living in Boise. The group was going to join forces with Reham and her friend, and we were all on our way to a Lebanese restaurant in two cars, when something came up for the other group and they turned back. I found myself out with two people I had only just met, and I felt a bit like a third wheel.

For about 10 minutes.

Reham and her friend spent the car ride talking about their experiences living through the Gulf War, and I learned that Reham had been active in the resistance, against her father's wishes. Conversationally, I had absolutely nothing to contribute, but it was fascinating to listen and learn. And by the time we were eating a humongous dinner (Reham's friend knew the owner, and we were served a lavish meal) I felt completely welcome. Reham is outgoing, warm, and hilarious. I felt extreme gratitude that I had gotten into her car so that I had a reason to get to know her better.

Wonder Wall, public art mosaic by Reham Aarti

As we shared pictures of our work, there was an immediate kinship. Our approaches are similar. We both love folk-arty aesthetics with bright, dynamic colors. We work in similar arenas, mixing private commissions with public art, and are just doing our best to keep finding and making mosaic to support our families, doing something we love. However, I have a partner who supports me. Reham is flying solo, raising two boys on an artist's income.

Reham has started using the Patreon platform to help fund more public art projects for Boise schools. Her particular focus is creating "buddy benches." Read more and consider contributing here: Reham Aarti on Patreon

If you love mosaic and/or public art and art for kids, keep an eye out for future projects by Reham!