Original artwork description:

From the Golden Bird Sunset series. A little mosaic made using precious Venetian smalti and gold leaf glass. I am very lucky to live on a hill where I can watch the sun going down every evening. It is a constant inspiration and a constant challenge to capture it and to find the right colours. Working in smalti is a bit like working in oil paint; intense and glossy colours and the material is more expensive! Smalti was first used in Byzantine mosaics for basilicas around the Mediterranean. It was used especially for it's light giving qualities and intense colours.
In this piece I have attempted to capture some of the energy and constant change in the evening sky. The mosaic is made direct so there is a a bit of surface texture as the smalti tesserae are different depths. Even so I still carefully cut some of the deepest pieces down to ensure there is not too much difference in depth as this can spoil the overall composition.
This one is unframed as I love to see the edge of the smalti against the painted black wood, it also lets you have a chance to choose a frame you like. Alternatively I can get it framed for you if you prefer.

Materials used:

Venetian smalti glass, Venetian gold leaf glass, plywood

Tags: