Cheek to Cheek

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not 

born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a 

new world is born." 

— Anaïs Nin

This entry continues from the last where I showed the indomitable Martin Cheek's and my installation of his mosaic "Danny the Dragon" at a charter school in Ann Arbor, MI.

He recently spent the weekend at A Work of Art Studio teaching a mosaic workshop.

 We started by getting reacquainted at dinner. Here is Martin settling in to our wonderful state (the state of graciousness & hospitality).  

On Friday, April 11 the weekend started with a "Meet & Greet" where Martin gave a very informative slide show introducing his town of Broadstairs, England and sharing his development of the use of fusions in his mosaics over 30 years.

One of Martin's beautiful mosaic creations "Jessie's Dream" and the making of it can be seen here: http://martincheek.net/my-working-method/

The catered food for the weekend by Kadren Grawburg was amazing!

Martin talking about his mosaic methods.

Thank you to everyone who came to support and learn from the "Mosaic Maestro".
 Here are some of Martin's handmade glass fusions, like being at a candy shop for a mosaic artist.

King Martin enjoys his second eve at a local pub in Lakeview.

Martin works tirelessly on new mosaic proposals and answering emails and keeping connected with his class patrons and students.

Martin showing the proper techniques for cutting smalti with a wheeled nipper and how to turn corners with cut glass.

 Martin is an exceptional teacher with years of experience in the many methods of mosaicing and creating fusions. He is most likely the first major mosaic artist to start using the fusion method in his mosaics.

 Here are the beginnings of a mosaic using Martin's wonderful glass fusions. I shall add an updated post when we are all finished.

The Martin Cheek Mosaic Workshop Crew of April 2014 at A Work of Art Studio in Lakeview, MI.

Martin celebrated a successful weekend with us by going to one of our favorite eateries in Howard City, MI. where I have a mixed media/mosaic sign hanging in the dining room.

Martin shall be found wherever there is a hefty internet connection which just happened to be my house, where he is always a welcome guest. Thank you, Martin, for visiting our humble abode and for an excellent weekend.
If you want to know more about Martin Cheek and read about his techniques and musings check out his blog:
http://martincheek.net/welcome-to-my-blog/ or his website: http://www.martincheek.co.uk

"There’s a morning when presence comes

over your soul. You sing like a rooster

in your earth-colored shape. Your heart

hears and, no longer frantic, begins

to dance." 

— Rumi

Here is my latest mosaic commission. The client requested a rooster. I took a picture of their barn and duplicated it here to make it a bit more personalized. It still needs grout. I will post another picture after that.

Mosaic of Experiences

"Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are 

only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage.

 Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest 

essence, something helpless that wants our love." 

— Rainer Maria Rilke

Well, for the love of mosaic I went to Ann Arbor last week and helped one of my long time mentors with his commissioned artwork at the Summers Knoll School. Martin Cheek spent many weeks creating his mosaic called Danny the Dragon which was a compilation of drawings from the kids at the school. Here is the Facebook link to Martin Cheek's Latest Commission.

Martin is coming to A Work of Art Studio in April to teach a weekend mosaic workshop, there is still space if you are interested.

Now, a little background: Somehow Martin and I became friends on Facebook. I got an email from a glass factory that was hosting him for a mosaic workshop. I asked him about it and he not only sent me his 2014 USA tour schedule, he told me that he had a weekend free. That began my planning of his mosaic workshop at A Work of Art Studio. While chatting about our workshop I noticed that he was busy with this commission and asked if he needed help, which he replied, "It won't be fun, it is hard work." He didn't know me very well. Without further ado, here is the installation process of Martin's dragon:

 Laying out the meshed mosaic pattern and deciding where the starting point on the wall is located.

#Laticrete wonderfully donated the adhesive and grout for the project. It has great hold and tack.

 

 

Cleaning excess adhesive from the mosaic surface with vinegar and a scrubby sponge and eventually with a paper clip to leave room for grout.

 Dragon Selfie

"Our lives are unique stones in the mosaic of human existence -- priceless and irreplaceable." 

— Henri J.M. Nouwen

Martin and I smearing the grout into all the crevices between tiles and glass fusions. Because the glass fusions are so textured and bumpy we ended up using our gloved hands. The grout was a lovely chocolate color.

 

Because the glass fusions were so rounded and wonderfully textured, we scraped around most of them to allow them to stand out and give the dragon more depth.

 Martin Cheek and Molly Moblo Perusse after a long day's work. What a handsome devil; and Martin isn't bad, either.

If you like this mosaic you should check out Martin's other amazing artworks at his website:

http://www.martincheek.co.uk 

 And call or email today to book your spot at his mosaic weekend workshop at A Work of Art Studio! www.aworkofartstudio.com, A Work of Art Studio: 989-352-8222

Who Do You Love?

"Late in August the lure of the mountains becomes 

irresistible. Seared by the everlasting sun fire, I want to see 

running water again, embrace a pine tree, cut my initials in

 the bark of an aspen, get bit by a mosquito, see a mountain 

bluebird, find a big blue columbine, get lost in the firs, hike 

above timberline, sunbathe on snow and eat some ice, climb

 the rocks and stand in the wind at the top of the world on

 the peak of Tukuhnikivats." 

— Edward Abbey

I don't know where the Tukuhnikivats are located, but who doesn't love the romantic idea of your lover carving sweet nothings into a tree in your honor? Here is 
my latest custom mosaic creation for a wonderful client in Florida for behind her stove. It will be framed in to look like a window. She wanted me to recreate vacation memories from her family's trip to Wyoming. She sent me several pictures of the trip and this is my interpretation. She and her husband just celebrated 50 years of marriage, so I couldn't resist carving their initials and wedding date into the aspen trees. 
The mosaic is made with stained glass and directly applied to a board and will travel south in a few weeks to be installed.

My next post will most likely have something to do with my trip to Ann Arbor, MI. where I will be helping one of my greatest mosaic mentors, Martin Cheek, install one of his amazing mosaic creations, Danny the Dinosaur, at a client's home there. Do you ever pinch yourself to make sure you're not dreaming? I will do this repeatedly while I am with him. (It might be reminiscent of, say, a budding physicist helping Einstein with a few of his theories). Yeah, that impressive. Check out his work http://www.martincheek.co.uk.

UPDATE: Here are a few pictures of my mosaic client picking up her mosaic in Florida.

Thank you, Jean, for this wonderful commission and for allowing my creativity to run amok.