Messina Mural progress...

Mosaic panels with name tags © Eve Lynch

Well, about half of the mosaic panels have name tags.
 I was only there an hour when dark clouds rolled in and interrupted the install.

I put tags on for a few of the mosaics but I decided that it wasn't the best weather for installing Lynn's mosaic fish so I will have to postpone the remaining few until next week. I didn't want to take a chance of her pieces not adhering to the wall.

The rain came pouring down leaving me soaking wet and I drove home in one of those "can't see a foot in front of me" rainstorms. 30 minutes later it was completely sunny.

You gotta love Florida!

Just wanted to mention again that the custom made ceramic name tags are from Mosaic Monkey and they install like a dream. The surface is perfectly smooth, almost like a hard resin and the lettering is just wonderful.

The director of the children's center loved the font and mentioned that she was going to call the local paper to do a story on the installation once everything gets finished up. I'll keep you all posted...

Oh...and I've been kicking around adding to the project in the future so if you think you might be interested in donating a piece of art, please email me your contact info and I'll put you on the list to keep you informed.

Creativity abound...

Inner Souls shoe sculpture © 2011 Eve Lynch

My polymer clay shoe "experiment" has officially made it to its unveiling stage.

All the little "souls" are painted up and the heel is covered with sparkly black sequins.

All in all, the project was a success. I learned quite a few things in the process and will be crossing some materials off my list of favorite things to work with.

Drying this in the oven was challenging and I'm not sure I will do it again in the same way, but every mistake along the way helped me to figure out what NOT to do next time...so it's been a success all around.

Inner Souls is currently available in my Etsy shop until I find an exhibit that is well suited to it's unusual nature. Shouldn't be too hard!

* * *

Ruby, dichroic pendant © 2011 Eve Lynch

I found some jewelry bezels locally (to my surprise!) and whipped up a fantastic dichroic glass mosaic pendant this afternoon.

Dichroic glass is made from very, very thin layers of metals and metal oxides layered onto the glass, giving it crazy color changing properties.

Most people just use it for glass fusing but I love using it in mosaic work. It's a bit thin but works really well if you don't pair it with regular stained glass which is much thicker.

* * *

And finally, I'll be back at the Messina Center on Friday to install the artist name plates and 3 fish mosaics from Lynn Dubnicka. Hopefully, I'll be able to take photos of my work there and get some shots of the play-scape so everyone can see how amazing the place looks and how much fun it must be to be a kid attending school or day care there!

Skulls + peep toe = sugar shoe!

sugar shoe WIP ©2011 Eve Lynch

My polymer clay experiment paid off and my sugar skull shoe is well on its way to stepping out in style!

Things really came to life when I painted the eye sockets black and added some paint to the nose & mouths.

I gave a few of the skulls some Frida brows and flushed cheeks just to add some detail in there. I'll be injecting a good bit of glitter on the inside of the shoe and interspersed throughout the faces.

sugar shoe WIP ©2011 Eve Lynch

I'm still not certain what I am going to do on the heel portion but I'm sticking with black.

Maybe sequins...

There might be very little progress on this baby for a bit. I have to finish up a trade I'm doing with a Flickr contact and I have to complete the installation over at the Messina Center in Fort Myers over spring break.

Have a sugary Easter - if you celebrate.

Mad scientist arts - sugar shoe work in progress!

sugar shoe work in progress © Eve Lynch

Well, the sugar shoe experiment went off without a hitch! In my previous post, I was worried that it wouldn't make it through the oven curing phase.

The polymer clay adhesive worked fantastically and stuck to the Rigid Wrap as it was intended to. Seems like the skulls are one with the shoe. Success!

The sole of the shoe remained intact and had no damage at all. I think that the low oven temperature helped. I would imagine that there are scores of things that I can bake in there that would remain unscathed. That is totally awesome because I've had way weirder ideas than this but have been afraid to try them for fear of melting objects onto my most used kitchen appliance.

You can't really tell from the photo here but I've painted each and every one of the skull faces with a few coats of white paint and one wash of glow in the dark paint.

It was very time consuming and tedious...albeit necessary. I guess I could have used white clay to skip this step but that's not how I roll. I like the idea of customizing every step of the way!

Off to paint the eye sockets and age the mouth/nose parts.

The Messina Mural Project progress...

Custom made ceramic name tags © Mosaic Monkey

Quick update: The custom made artist name tags arrived yesterday from Mosaic Monkey.

All of the original participating artists will have them installed under their artwork to identify the panels. I'm hoping to get them up next week.

The tiles are a bit larger than a domino and have a really cool feel to them. It would be awesome to have a few dozen of these to create an interactive art experience. Something like magnetic poetry.

You can order custom tiles similar to these directly from the seller. They'll run you anywhere between $2 - $4 depending on the customization you select.

A big thanks to Joe & Lorane for donating them!

Sugar shoe - work in progress

My newest work in progress is a bit of an experiment. At this point I'm not even sure if the project will work out but I'm crossing my fingers that things won't (literally) go up in smoke.

I'm attempting to cover a high heel with polymer clay skulls. The same type of skulls that are on my Day of the Dead frames.

Did I mention that I *love* skulls?

My theory is that I can attach the raw clay to the shoe using Studio by Sculpey Bake & Bond. The adhesive only works when baked so I'm hopeful that it will attach the clay skulls to the Rigid Wrap covered shoe and everything won't end up as a big poof of smoke in my oven.

I'm really dreading the baking part!

The photo is a snapshot of the toe of the shoe covered with the little clay skulls. The whole shoe is covered with plastic wrap to keep the clay moist. There is some millefiori thrown in there for a punch of color.

My biggest fear is that the shoe's red velvety sole will curl up in the curing process, ruining the whole thing. My other fear is that painting each and every one of those sugar skulls will drive me batty. This might be the last skull covered item that you ever see from me!

I'm pretty thrilled that the shoe is only a size 6. I have much less ground to cover than a whopping size 10!

Wish me luck!

This post runs the gamut...

There are all kinds of things swirling around in the creative vortex in my brain. Social networking, mosaic jewelry, octopuses...you name it, it's tumbling around in there.

First off, I have an art swap planned with Flickr artist NyanzaLee. She just finished the most incredible blue octopus mosaic and after inquiring about it, we agreed that a trade was in order. 

Blue Octopus © NyanzaLee 2011

I'll receive something similar to the artwork pictured in the photo and she will receive a new rendition of Zombie Love.

I can't wait!

* * *

Next up - I've been making a lot of mosaic pendants and after spending way too much time photographing for Etsy, trying to get the colors right, I discovered a photography tip that is worth its weight in gold!

In order to showcase your artwork's true colors, place a bit of black and white into the shot...right at the edges. (You'll crop this part out in the editing process.)

A small piece of white paper or even two small black and white tiles will work. Once you open the photo in your editing software, the program will be able to accurately color correct your photo.

Sounds like witchcraft but I swear it works! I used this method in Picasa and had good results. I may do a tutorial post showing a how-to later in the week. Stay tuned!

* * *

Finally, I've been giving a second thought to using Facebook as part of my social media marketing plan. Flickr has worked wonders for me and I'd love to have another niche like that out there in cyberspace (is that word passé yet?)

Even though Facebook still feels like Flickr's ugly step-child to me, they've made some serious changes since I last had a fan page and I've taken notice.

I recently learned, thanks to On the Dot Creations, that you can now interact as your brand on Facebook. Something that I was disappointed to learn that you couldn't do when I had a page way back when.

I have very little interest in maintaining a personal account so being able to "like" pages as Kraken Mosaics has completely sold me. I love that I can have my Etsy storefront right there on Facebook and I'm going to be looking into a virtual storefront that operates right from my Fan Page.

As much as I hate to admit it, Facebook looks like it might be the web's new frontier. More info on my foray into FB coming soon!

Swimming in social media options...

I've been thinking about social media a lot lately. I'm starting to feel like the list of places where my artwork can be marketed is growing...and growing.

Media is bombarding artists with options for getting their brand out there and I want to be sure that I utilize my time on the web wisely. I don't want to get sucked into the social black hole, never to be heard from again.

You know, stuck out in the abyss playing Farmville or taking 7th grade quizzes about my "friends".


In the last 3 years, I've tried many social outlets destined to be helpful to artists. Some I have stuck with long term (Flickr & Blogger) and some I didn't put too much effort into (Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon) mainly because I didn't have time thoroughly get involved. Now I'm starting to rethink things...

I intend to stick with my main squeezes, Flickr and Blogger, long term...but I'm interested in adding another social network to broaden my reach. It has dawned on me that not everyone reads blogs religiously and some people have opted to use Facebook as their all encompassing social outlet, thereby foregoing photo sites like Flickr.

So I ask you, if there was one site that you would recommend as an addition to my current web footprint, what would it be and why?

The Messina Mural Project progress...

DAY 5

I spent another 4 hours at the center today finishing up the grouting on the remaining pieces. Everything is installed and the outdoor art gallery looks awesome.

I only have a small amount of clean up to do on my next visit. I'm waiting for the custom made artist name tags from Mosaic Monkey to finish things up. I also have to install and grout three fish from Lynn Dubnicka that arrived yesterday.

Here are some photos of the newly grouted mosaics...(artwork credits listed beneath each photo.)

Cranes © Patricia Rockwood

Fishes © Sharon Haddock (mosaic work) & Lisa Stevens (ceramic fish)

I managed to get some better photos of Chrisse Hartley & Linda Biggers' artwork. The wall that the pieces are installed on gets a decent amount of sun and every time I tried to get a good photograph, the sun was casting shadows of the large palms on top of the artwork.

Halfway through the afternoon I realized that a giant cloud was right over top of me and I raced to get my camera so that I could snap a shot without the shadows.

Sea Creatures © Chrisse Hartley

Two fish © Linda Biggers

(top) Linda Biggers (bottom) Chrisse Hartley

This wall was looking a little bit barer than the others so I will probably install Lynn Dubnicka's three stained glass fish right around these two panels. The pieces are perfect for this niche and the iridescent glass that she used for the fish scales will dance in all of the sunlight here.

© Lynn Dubnicka

And last but not least...

Sailboats © Linda Smith

All of the employees were raving about the mosaics, commenting about how beautiful they all are.

It really is amazing how 20 or so small mosaics can make such a difference in this small space. They really brighten things up.

The artwork adds a colorful, whimsical attitude to "Linda Lane" and it's all thanks to the mosaic artists that donated their time and artwork to make it a reality.

* * *

As I worked through this installation, I was struck by the idea that art should be accessible to everyone. A simple coat of brightly colored paint, some green foliage and flowers and a little bit of glass and glazed ceramic can all turn a simple space into a place of wonder.

Isn't that what mosaic art is all about?

The Messina Mural Project progress...

DAY 4

I spent a little over 4 hours at the center today grouting the mosaics that were installed last week. Grouting is one of my all time least favorite parts about mosaic work and I have been known to go out of my way to design artwork that does not need to be grouted.

I am a firm believer in breaking rules but outdoor mosaics fall into the category of artworks that have to be grouted to keep them firmly on the wall. Many of the donated mosaic panels were made from a variety of materials and weren't completely flat so the task of grouting each one went pretty slow.

I would have been completely sunk today if it were not for my trusty Kemper rubber finishing tool.

Kemper rubber finishing tool

This little tool is not much more than 3 inches long but it saved my life! There was no way that my giant grout float would have worked the grout into all the uneven crevices of these mosaic panels. It pushed the grout into every tiny little crevice and made sealing the edges of each piece less of a chore. Besides, my fingers aren't shredded to ribbons and that always makes the day a success!

My only complaint about today's progress was that I am unable to grout with gloves on. I've tried every type I can find...nitrile gloves, latex gloves and the thick household gloves. I just can't manage to keep the thinner ones intact and the thick ones make me feel like I'm wearing armor. My grouting hand was so dry and irritated after 4 hours in the grout and water that I couldn't wait to get home to wash it in vinegar. I'll be adding a small bottle of the stuff to my mosaic tool kit.

I ran out of light gray grout halfway through the day so I'll be finishing up the rest this week after I restock.

Here are some photos of a few of the grouted works...(Artwork credits listed beneath each photo)

Bald Eagle © Marita Schauerte

My Hand © Lola Davis & Carol Shelkin

Bunny © Pat Mitchell, Red Squirrel © Ilona Bryan

Sun © Rita Schelin

More progress photos to come...

* * *

The director of the children's center expressed an interest in having the kids become pen pals with the artists from the project.

She was very interested in seeing the mosaics properly labeled with each artist's name so that the kids could make the connection between the art and the fact that someone actually created each piece individually.

More on that later...

Size is everything

Ever since I started work on the Messina Center mural project, I've been thinking about the scale of my artwork. When I started making mosaics several years ago, my pieces were giant compared to what they are now.

One of my very first installations was an 11 foot long octopus installed in my kitchen! After the last piece of tile was laid on the very last tentacle, I went on to install 3 other very large mosaics in my house. I was furiously covering white drywall as if was I was trying to rid myself of every last drop of contractor grade boring.

I still have quite a bit of blank wall space left but I stopped when the idea popped into my head to install a gigantic red Humboldt squid in my foyer area. Maybe I should have taken a cue from Isaiah Zagar and kept right on going until every last square inch of my living space was covered with mirror and reclaimed ceramic. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) I didn't.

For the last two years I've been working on a much smaller scale. Almost all of my work has been under 8x10 inches and recently I've managed to shrink it down to miniscule proportions with the addition of my mosaic jewelry line. Generally speaking, most of my pendants are only 1 inch square.

I like working with these proportions mainly because my artwork is more accessible at this size but I have to admit, after doing the public installation over at the children's center, I really have a hankering to get back to working a little bit bigger. Hell, a lot bigger!

I'd like to start at the beginning of one city block and continually add to it for years until every last piece of concrete is covered. Just keep adding and adding, allowing the mosaic work to blossom into a living, breathing piece of the landscape.

The Messina Mural project progress...

DAY 3

Yesterday's bad weather & tornado warnings were a bust. Not a drop of rain fell until almost 11:00 pm! That's pretty much how the last few weeks of weather forecasts have been around here so I guess I should learn to tune them out...until the beginning of hurricane season in 2 months. I just didn't want to take any chances with everyone's artwork so I was erring on the side of caution.

* * *

I finished installing the remainder of the donated mosaics this morning. Here I am pressing Rita Schelin's colorful sun mosaic onto the wall with a grout float.

Eve Lynch installing Rita Schelin's mosaic © 2011

This empty wall was calling for out for this piece and it is positioned so that the kids and teachers can see it from the classroom window.

Rita Schelin's sun mosaic © 2011

To follow are some shots of the remaining five mosaics that were installed today. (Artwork credits are listed below each photo.)

I have to apologize for the less than desirable photographs but my son was holding the camera here and most of the images that he took are unusable. It seems that when you hold the camera sideways and upside down, the photos actually come out sideways or upside down. Who knew?

Eve Lynch © 2011

Artwork credit: (top right) Fort Myers kitty cat: Silva Hayes, (middle right) Peacock: Debs McLaughlin, (bottom right) My Hand: Lola Davis & Carol Shelkin


Here's a closeup shot of Lola Davis' hand print mosaic. It is so bright and colorful! Her grandmother, artist Carol Shelkin, helped her with it.

Lola Davis © 2011

The artwork in the photo below is located just between two very full palm bushes, as you can tell by the giant shadow, and the morning sun was not cooperating.

Linda Biggers' fish mosaic is at the very top and Chrisse Hartley's handmade ceramic mosaic is on the bottom. I will reshoot photos of these soon but I just wanted to reassure everyone that donated artwork that the mosaics are all installed.

Artwork credit: (top) two fish: Linda Biggers, (bottom) ceramic sea creatures: Chrisse Hartley

Lastly, I installed my remaining two invader mosaics...

This one is peeking into the classroom window and is complimented by the kids' hand painted pots filled with colorful flowers. Pam, the VPK teacher, lets the kids come out here and water the plants during the day so I hope they'll be surprised by my little space character.

And this one is located all the way at the end of the corridor, just behind the playground's chain link fence. If you look closely, you can see some of the kids out playing.

Eve Lynch © 2011

The weather should hold up for the next few days allowing just enough sunshine and wind to cure the mortar thoroughly and I hope to begin grouting next week.

Originally, I planned to grout almost everything with a light gray colored grout but some of the mosaics will get charcoal (essentially black) grout and a few will get a very light grout color. Using a white mortar allowed me to see which mosaics needed color and which would be fine with a lighter grout.

* * *

Just an FYI, I still have some mosaic work trickling in so if you mailed your artwork recently, it will be included and progress posted in the coming weeks.

Once everything is grouted and all the work is installed, I will reshoot photographs of all of the pieces in a less helter skelter manner. The key to that is probably not allowing my 14 year old to be behind the lens.

Until then...