Flying, falling or both

Your rise could induce a fall.
And your fall could be the cause of a rise.

You might be flying but you could also be falling or both.

You are wondering if this confusion is because your dreams are being dissolved into thin air before they can get the chance to become true.

But don't think about that.

Wait till the winds are not that brutal.

Or until you stop minding the winds.

You will re-emerge.

Tomorrow.

Words by Magda of Mosaicology
#Mosaic Art by Olga Goulandris (Volcan di Pacaya 2012)

A presto!
Magda

Mosaicology Blog

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Snowflake tile art (and some thoughts about getting a new blog)

At this time of year I always seem to be attracted to snowflake art so I wanted to share this impressive tile design from Bisazza. 

Seems that I'm still attracted to Mosaicology. My first (blog) love. And I see that people want this blog to continue.

I think there's a way to combine everything. Stay tuned.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

You know how much I love the change

Dear friends,

How's your summer? Hope you are all cool, happy and creative.

I am dropping a few words to say a few important stuff about the blog.

1. Mosaicology has a new look - I know, again - but this time it's perfect. I absolutely love it!!!! Please let me know what you think.

2. There's a GUEST POST coming up very soon which I am sure you will find very beautiful, informative and above all INSPIRING! (Thank you Jane).

3. No more Mosaicology shop. I can't keep up with it at the moment. I am going to let it aside for a while, see how things work for me and hopefully I will either go back to it or I will be doing something else that I will have the time for.

That's it for now! See you soon.

MGDP

Thank you

A short post to say THANK YOU to those that visit my blog and leave comments. You are all wonderful!

I am working on new posts that will appear on the blog mid next week unless I get more translation projects and need to postpone blogging for a couple days more. That is the reason why I am not blogging as I used to. I guess that hard work DOES PAY OFF after all!

I am sorry that I do not have the time to comment on your blogs ad I did before. But I do visit blogs often and I tweet stuff I like so PLEASE continue being inspiring!!!

Lots of love and a presto with new posts and if all goes all a little surprise...

M.

Riding the panther (musings inspired by a mosaic from Delos)

The epoch we have found ourselves to live in requires that we have the power to manage each second of our life as if we were machines. We have to "know" but not learn, to take it easy but not muse over, to share with others what lies between our conscious and imposed "is this me-this has to be me" self. An "epoch" (need inverted commas now) which is getting old and consumed before it´s new.

We constantly need to prove we can juggle riding the panther, holding the spear and playing the drum. I am offering no reccomendations here but only a hint of what I feel is right. Learn to be diplomatic and think again. Are you riding in your race or someone else´s? Make sure it´s yours.

mosaic from Delos, Greek island near Santorini, famous for its mosaics, featuring Dionysos

Meeting Eric aka Bored Neoclassical Guy

Sorry about the dark photo. I was undercover. I had to meet Eric in order to pass on a message about something amazing that was going to happen in the world of mosaic art. My cover was blown when my daughter started waving the bottle in front of the camera.

Eric aka Bored Neoclassical Guy is into mosaics and precious stones and blogs about all sorts of things with a humorous edge and wit. Eric has also received a customised Follower Award from me time ago and once made a sweater inspired by one of my posts. Check it out here.

We met on a very humid and terribly hot day. We spoke about many things, shared views on mosaic art and blogging and history etc. I feel privileged to know Eric. And I also feel privileged to see he truly appreciates my work and way of thinking.

Last but not least, there is a possibility of doing some mosaic work together.

Read what Eric has to say about the meeting here.

Seeing yourself (in fab mosaic mirrors)

via

via

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Seeing yourself for who you are at a given moment or a certain phase in your life is the first step towards any kind of change or improvement or simply appreciation for the gift of life and creativity.

ps> smitten by the last mirror

bad girl

via

I chose this mosaic here to write about a young girl I know. Age cannot be an excuse for bad manners and manipulative character so here it goes. She has been with this guy for 6 or 7 years (she is now 27 I think) and last year they had a big fight because he tried to break up with her after falling in love with another (sweeter, as he described her) girl. When things calmed down and they sort of decided to be together (I guess it was more his desire than hers) she was always saying that they would remain friends, she loved him blabla. (She has confessed to me not exactly in these words but it was very easy to deduce it, that she basically has no one to hang out with). Another parenthesis. She has such bad manners with everybody that it is not a surprise people do not befriend her. She is kind of "stuck" with this poor (he is in fact quite handsome and kind and girls want him) young guy who all he does is be her taxi driver and occasionally, I assume, he accommodates other needs, including his or basically it's his needs that are accommodated and it's her solitude that is fixed. She has talked so badly of him and his entire family to me and to others that it is peculiarly disturbing to see her with him all the time and to know she goes wherever he goes (drinks with his friends, shopping, you name it). On top of that, she misbehaves, she is very meager, she would put her feet up on the chair in peoples houses as if it was her house, she would open up the kitchen cupboards to make herself coffee, she doesn't respect timing, anyway the list is endless. Nobody wants her. His mother, his father, his sisters, his friends. And ...finally me. I was the last to understand what was happening. Why? She tried very hard to make me like her especially after they had the fight so I could speak "well" of her to her boyfriend and basically she needed an ally. Now she doesn't "disturb" me anymore on MSN Messenger and she doesn't call. Now she has solved the problem. Yes. She is "not together" with him but hangs out with him. He provides her company and security. I am happy not to have a burden on me because I cannot have "false" friendships but I will have to put up with her when he brings her along. What I don't like in this whole situation is that this guy will NOT understand that this girl just does not love him and she is using him. But I am a firm believer that revenge is a dish best eaten cold and one day she will truly be alone. However I am concerned that this guy will want to marry her, because the brain washing she has been doing on him is irreversible and she will just say yes (she had told me once that she would never marry him and that his wife will be a miserable woman) or because he will get her pregnant or because she will have no other options with men and will get herself pregnant with him. Unless the lucky "father" will be another....Her English is not good enough to understand this and I don't thing she bothers to read my blog even if she has always "expressed enthusiasm" for it.

Conclusion: some people "fake" they are celebrating today


ps: I hope that was funny to read. Do not mean to offend anybody, even her. I am just thinking out loud.

Savvy and successful (except in love) single ladies

Piazza Armerina, Sicily

via

It was not very difficult to find the right image for this post. This superb mosaic from Piazza Armerina evokes that sophisticated-insightful tone of an article called Are New York’s Savviest Single Women In Crisis? by Jenna Goudreau on Forbes. I am sharing this with you and I think the subject is terribly interesting regardless where you live, city or country. Whatever your situation is, single or non single, I recommend you read this article.

Cable knit and the mosaic guilloche pattern

I love the cable stitch. I think most people love it. Intricate, gives a wonderful texture on your knitwear, adding a polished and sophisticated note. Difficult to make of course.

As for the guilloche pattern you will see it everywhere in ancient mosaics. It acts as a border to emblemas and other figurative work and it highlights the entire mosaic because it is a powerful pattern considering not just the design but the blend and contrast of the colours used.

I have to confess I love knitting. Not more than mosaic of course. My heart beats for mosaic art more than ever at the moment but it is all a matter of SPACE and TIME. Until I figure these two aspects out, I am knitting some stuff. The great thing about knitting is that it does not require a workshop and special space-working conditions and the time scale is a whole different scenario. I knitted a scarf in 4 days. A mosaic needs a lot more time to be produced. Space-wise? The perfect place is the couch. With mosaic that is out of the question.

If you want to learn how to knit I suggest you go and see the video tutorials by Wool and the Gang and by Judy on Youtube. Also the dummies crafts guide is really good. I have links of everything on the right column of this blog.

The mosaics illustrated here are via the joy of shards where you can learn how to design the guilloche pattern as well as discovering more on mosaics and techinques. Go and see for yourself. They also have a fabulous gallery on ancient mosaics.

Crystals, a quiz, Marilyn and Jackie...

 
The idea for this post comes from a post appearing on the simply luxurious life blog - featuring a book by Pamela Keogh - addressing the personalities of Marilyn M and Jackie O and how we women relate to them and find ourselves to associate with them in part or to a greater extent. The blog post is interesting and the author writes all her blog posts with a lot of insight, thoroughness and meticulousness.

She gives a link to a quiz on whether you are more Marilyn or rather Jackie or both. Here's the quiz here.

I could not help but publish a mosaic with Marilyn, exactly the type that embodies sumptuousness and lavishness that best describe her roles. Mosaic made with precious stones, in the specific case they are Swarovski crystals. Made by Gemstone Creative.

Go the their website and watch the introduction video. In the beginning it features wonderful ancient mosaics.

My comment is very simple and straightforward. Mosaic as we know it is precious on its own even without the precious stones. Marble, stones, pebbles, broken china, seeds are all we need to construct "luxurious enough" artworks. Mosaics are costly because of the patience, the skill and a long list of traits that the mosaicist has to possess. In fact making a mosaic with crystal does not even require cutting (I think!!) at least not with the hammer or the nippers. I would not enter into the merits of a work that I know nothing of. Just random thoughts.

Lessons in technology

Gareth Pugh S/S 2011 Collection - Director: Ruth Hogben from SHOWstudio on Vimeo.


Though this post is not related to mosaic art it refers to art in our age. I recommend you go and read the full (short) article on BOF that reads at the end: ".............how a designer can leverage abstract, visually-centered storytelling to perfectly communicate a collection and articulate a broader brand vision in one powerful communication..."

Pondering on setting mosaic art into this fast-forward, digital technological age context could be baffling and intimidating.

Enjoy the video and ....watch out for the chequeboard cape floating on your screen. Also notice the silvery and grey shades of the film on the clothes and the whole production.

As mosaic artists or artists or craftsmen, I think we do need to find ways to leverage our products and their presentation. Could it be the destiny of small businesses and of the not so commercial art to remain fixated on the more traditional channels and means of communication? (by traditional I also mean having a website, selling online etc).

Some thoughts.

Who needs memory tools?

So far I haven't mentioned that I am also into translations and work freelance from home. Yesterday as I was looking for something - a mosaic of the goddess of justice to be precise, as I was translating legal material and wanted to post a little something about it - I came across a mosaic of goddess Mnimosini - Μνημοσύνη or Μνήμη (Memory or Remembrance) and the association between mosaic and translation was spontaneous as most translators use what we call CAT tools - computer assisted translation tools or Translation Memory tools. I am 99% convinced that this association is very crazy. But it's ok.

I came to realise (besides having a part of my brain malfunctioning seen the weird associations between things and pictures) that:

1. How seriously traditional I am
2. What a good memory I have (only when it comes to translating....!)
3. Why am I doing something else and not what I really love to do? (I know the answer and it's quite valid I am afraid).
4. Is it sane to do what finds you or to find what you want?
5. How ageless some concepts or principles are ! (the ancients had a goddess for memory - today isn't memory a precious brain function? ooops is that food burning ?)

As a result of the accidental encounter with Mnimosini mosaic and on the spur of the moment I decided that perhaps it's time that I learned some basic CAT tools...maybe

Beads and Mosaic

Sometimes I wonder if there is another art form which could resemble to mosaic and I always end up thinking about beads and not painting nor ceramics. Beads have this feature in common with mosaic = pieces (small objects) that form and cover space with the intention to create a specific and pre-determined design. Now, with beads no cutting is involved whereas mosaic demands an extreme patience.

I have a confession to make.

I have thought of doing beadwork and let mosaic rest for a while considering that my current obligations do not favour much mosaic making..which saddens me. This of course does not mean I can't try some beadwork but when I tried it on a little jeans bag I had made, it didn't give me the satisfaction that mosaic does. But there's more. When you try deviate from your route something happens. You are not happy: 1. you don't do what you are supposed to do, 2. what you do..well you know nothing about, you are trying and experimenting but this is not what you want - substitutes? who wants substitutes? who wants to work with beads when it's mosaics you want to do? I will not provide any answer. I am too tired - mentally and physically - but it's good to put down the questions..at least!

Here's some of the beadwork by Valdes I love most. I think it's older work.

your comments will be very welcome on the subject.

Space is the soul of mosaic

The mosaic artist has to consider the many facets of mosaic art which differentiate it from painting.

If I was to split mosaic making into phases I would say that the 1st phase is the designing and defining process on what to make, how, which materials to use, the amount of mosaic tiles you will approximately need, what type of surface you will use, what technique best suits and accommodates your design-hope I have not left anything).

The 2nd phase is cutting your material. It can be stone, glass, marble. What I wanted to discuss today was SPACE which would belong to the 3rd phase, the making process.

Space is the soul of mosaic. The materials used for mosaic making are cut, and therefore, what you construct is in a way made with fragments and your end result is fragmentary. If you want to make mosaic portraits or objects or murals you may not want to ignore and defy this feature, whereas if you are covering a floor, a table, a wall, surfaces that need to be even, the space between the pieces is usually kept to a minimum for specific practical reasons. The main concern when making mosaic to cover surfaces is practicality and durability. Aesthetics are vital but co-exist with the practicality with the work.  

The fragmentary character of mosaic lifts the work into another level. The one I call metaphysical, immaterial. How can we have materials that are immaterial? Art made with materials (versus art made with words, like literature) that invites you into a non material context? The interstice (space) acts as an "opponent" to the real world which has no spaces. To understand this, compare the landscape, nature, the world: it has continuity. Mosaic "breaks" continuity because it does not "copy" landscapes, nature, images of the world the way they are. 

Mosaic represents reality using a "fragmentary" technique. No misleading here. I do not make a picture and then break it into pieces. I create a picture with pieces. I create another reality, a new reality which 1) resembles reality 2) reproduces reality 3) breaks reality.

Enough with philosophy now. Let me post some pictures where you can see the function of SPACE.

In the first picture you see a portrait from Pompei. Wonderful right? A masterpiece. Notice that the interstices have been kept to a minimum. However, you can still tell it's a mosaic. In the 2nd picture the spaces between the mosaics are a bit more evident. The mosaic here is from a floor. Let's see now a mosaic with large spaces between the pieces.

Doesn't it feel more "mosaic" than the portrait from Pompeii?

Doesn't it "represent" a figure instead of illustrating, demostrating it?

Isn't the St.Ambrose mosaic more mesmerising and more intriguing? (Mosaic art has allowed the flourishing of religious mosaics due to this fragmentary/symbolical/metaphysical character).

Why imitate painting if mosaic can be so rich and complete in its own right?

Fragmentary yet complete.

I hope you enjoyed the post.

Back soon.

Copying or distributing the above content should include mentioning the source. Thank you.

versatile blogger award

Thank you so much Amoronia for the award, I was not expecting to receive one. You are one of my favourite bloggers, I think you are special, you know that right?

Here's Amoronia's post back in August oh oh it's been so long but I had been so busy and away and everything it's a miracle I am keeping up with this blog........

Now, there are some rules that come with this award:
1. Thank the person who gave it to you
2. Tell seven things about yourself
3. Pass the award on to five bloggers whom you think are fantastic.

Now, I am supposed to say 7 things about myself.

I don't like to talk about myself so this is very hard but here it goes.

1. I am trying to lose weight ..just 5 kilos basically but I am having a hard time cause I love sweets.

2. I like laziness but I can't afford it

3. I like vodka with liquorish

4. I appreciate goodness in people

5. I am a bit of a loner, trying to keep a balance

6. I have many clothes I don't wear and I would like to recycle them

7. I am learning how to knit

I am passing the award to:

Catherine Hopkins from the shiny pebble 

Karla M. Davis from the classy woman 

Nice from i like nice life 

Lorena Martinez from gemagenta 

Jezebel from jezebel stationery

Ok that's it, happy blogging everybody!

ps: I have edited the post next day after posting to add the RULES which I forgot!

Housework

 

image from here


The mosaic above is a detail of the Nativity of the Virgin in which a young woman is shown arranging the child's cradle, 1315-1320, Chora Monastery, Constantinople (Istanbul).
Saturday is the day when I usually do the housework. I am lucky that I have a helping hand from family these days.
Do you do your chores on a daily basis according to what's needed to be done or do you have a particular day that you dedicate to cleaning, doing the laundry etc ?

random and old

 

 

I am going through an entirely new phase as far as design is concerned.
I am working on some new ideas and themes for a series of mosaics and this post is merely to share with you some old designs and drawings. Most of these were not developed into mosaics and their finalised appearance as mosaics is not clear at all (not even to me) but there are still things that I did.

Hope that wasn't a boring post...

The museum experience

It wasn't my intention to write today although I am gathering my thoughts on various subjects I would love to draw your attention to. The above picture from Thessaloniki was posted on this blog here. Notice the superb mosaic fragments on the floor and panels.

Thessaloniki in Greece holds a similar position for mosaic heritage just as Ravenna in Italy. I remember when I visited the Byzantine museum and when I used to search for every single mosaic to look at in Thessaloniki.

The museum or archealogical-site experience is naturally much more rewarding than browsing pictures on the internet or even books. Each experience is unique.

Pictures from the internet, you see them, you love them, you store them but they don't become "yours", you don't "bind" with them like with the books you went out and bought perhaps on a very hot and humid day.

The museum experience is what brings you even closer to the artwork and the context (historical and artistic) in which it was made. It's a living experience that I have been lucky to enjoy. Namely and randomly, Olynthos, Delos, Fishbourne, Bath, Ravenna, Torcello, Dafni-Athens, Florence, Naples, Pella, Acquileia, Spilimbergo, Rome, Palea Paphos-Cyprus, Kourion-Cyprus. The list is not complete because there are places of which I don't recall their names but these are the main sites that have left their mark on me. I still need to go to Constantinople (Istanbul) if I want my mosaic tour to be perfect.

Zeimbekiko (within the context of the creative process)

I know it may sound and seem irrelevant but Zeimbekiko (the type of music featured here) is a Greek dance that is danced alone. Alone is the artist too. (I never actually dare call myself artist but everybody says I should). It's impossible to improvise or elaborate ideas that are in your mind unless you are completely alone. I "steal" time but it's not enough. Today (which is the day after I wrote the post, I had an "eureka" time while trying to take a nap at midday. I never fell asleep, as there was too much noise. Later I will sit down and make some drawings. Who knows. Some projects' "destiny" is to remain on paper (or on a web page). Hey! But I am not pessimistic. Mosaic takes time and time is luxury. I have made the most dramatic changes (but not sad at all) in my life this last year that I think that this will be reflected in my new mosaics. The ones that are now in my mind. The ones that this music and similar music or other motivation sources may trigger to become reality.

Thank you blogger buddy Nerzack for the original post.