For the second year now, I am working for Park Ridge Hospital Foundation as Database Administrator.  Each year, we host a Gala in the spring or summer.  At this Gala, we have a silent auction to which local businesses and artists alike donate items and services to benefit the Foundation.  This year, I am donatine a 19 inch iron table with a vibrant butterfly motiff.  If I am successful, this will be what I think is my best mosaic to date.
Last year, I donated a table of the same size and design.  The subject was a dragon fly, slightly off center.  Up until this point, my mosics were very modern, with basic shapes as their subject.  I was terrified to draw these wings, and actually ended up purchasing a french curve to pull it off.  This was a major personal accomplishment, as I've never really had any success as a sketch artist.  The table was made using the direct method.  In 2008, the table was purchased at our Gala for slightly above the minimum bid by Kay and Mark Biberdorf of Fletcher, NC.  This sale gave me the courage to continue to pursue mosaics, and I am thankful for that.
	So this year, the subject is again an insect.  My boss asked me today if I have a thing for insects, and I don't really.  I am attracted to them as subjects mainly because of the segmentation and coloration.  These lend themselves to the mosaic form.  The cutout here is an enlargement of the first picture in this blog entry.  I felt like I needed to see it table-sized to make this work.  And, as it turns out, the placement is going to be similar to the dragonfly mosaic from last year.
So tonight, I finished what is the most difficult part of this process for me--the sketch.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out!!!!! I traced the general outline of the butterfly, but then filled in the detail free-hand.  I pulled my trusty french curve out, but didn't have to use it.  I feel like this is a major achievement, altough seemingly small.  I just cannot wait to fill this in!!!!!
	Our little insect buddy up close.  I think I'll name him Frank.
Once the butterfly was drawn, I added leaf detail to the back.  As you can see in the photograph above, there is quite a bit of gradient and curve to the leaves.  Instead of a mottled background, I'm going to attempt these leaves with a variety of green tile.  Tomorrow, the tiling will begin.  I have decided that when I attempt to do another butterfly table (which will be immediate for the gallery in which I show my work www.atelier24lexington.com), I am going to attempt to use the indirect method to create a monarch butterfly.
	Bella has requested that this table be called "Butterfly on the Leaf."  It's under consideration.  I have an alarming number of shades of blue, so it's often difficult to pick the right ones.  After some deliberation, I chose to use seven shades of Opio and one shade of Trend Lux.  I'm using nearly all my greens for the background for maximum contrast, and black for some of the outter regions.  Using bown for parts of the butterfly and leaf veining.  I found several appropriate Trend Lux browns for these.  The next step will be to consider the adamento, or movement of the tile.  I'm thinking following the veining and then fill in to create a gradient affect.  More about this tomorrow.  Hard to believe this is going to be sold on Tuesday of next week.  Perhaps I should blog about procrastination...
To be finished on Tuesday, and I'm feeling like I'm starting to make progress.  I'm realizing that this is going to take twice as long as dragonfly because of the added level of detail in the background.  Instead of cutting tiles in quarters, I'm cutting them in sixths and eights.  Pretty happy with the top of the wing, and the way the greens are starting to contrast off one another.  I LOVE the smooth texture of the Trend tile, and I wish I had it in the bank account to buy the full palate...
	Sunday evening at 10PM, everything but the butterfly is completed!

ASHEVILLE ARTIST JENNY ROBERTS TO EXHIBIT IN MOSAIC ARTS INTERNATIONAL SHOW AT BAKEHOUSE ART COMPLEX MIAMI APRIL 3 - 30, 2008 

Asheville native and resident Jenny Roberts will exhibit art at Bakehouse Art Complex in Miami, FL from April 3 through April 30, 2008.  Toil & Trouble, a modern, 2-dimensional wall hanging spanning over 4 square feet, is composed of glittering 22 karat gold smalti and every shade of pink smalti manufactured by the Orsoni family in Venice.  This brand of smalti is used around the world in modern art installations as well as the classical mosaic workshops of the Vatican.

2008 jurors are Val Carroll, professor of mosaics and accomplished mosaic artist from Miami; Sheila Menzies, co-founder of the Tile Heritage Foundation,  mixed-media artist and expert in historic tile installations; and Luciana Notturni, of Ravenna, Italy, founder of Ravenna's Mosaic Art School, master mosaicist and mosaic conservator. 

"This exhibition showcases the incredible diversity of artists working in traditional and contemporary materials," says Karen Ami, SAMA president. "Our members continue to push the envelope with textures, colors and forms, conveying the mastery that is rising in our international community of mosaic artists. This exhibition will inspire gallery-goers as they discover the tactile innovation of contemporary mosaic art," Ami adds.

The Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the promotion of mosaic art and the advancement of mosaic artists through research, education, and networking. A vibrant and growing organization, SAMA includes over 900 mosaic artists, enthusiasts, suppliers, and educators from around the world. To learn more about contemporary mosaic art and SAMA, please visit http://www.americanmosaics.org.  

The Bakehouse Art Complex is located at 561 NW 32nd Street, Miami, FL. For hours and directions, see www.bakehouseartcomplex.org or call 305-576-2828.