Mosaic Madness
A few years ago, I came across Ariel Finelt Shoemaker’s mosaics at the DeCordova’s Art In The Park. I was drawn to her work because of her color sense, her use of dichroic glass, and her incorporation of non-traditional materials such as abalone. Ariel recently told me she is now making her own fused glass tiles to use in some of her pieces.
Not only does Ariel create beautiful home decor items, such as the mirror shown at left, she also designs custom backsplashes for kitchens and baths.
If you’re interested in mosaics, there’s a great show, The Art of Mosaic , at the Somerville Museum. (Who knew? This is the first time I had heard of a museum in Somerville. But it makes sense with all of the creative folks who live there!)
I was truly agog at the variety of mosaic pieces on display. Not only are the subjects varied, but the techniques and materials are wide-ranging. To quote the press release from Mosaics New England, “Mosaic artists push the medium in new directions manipulating traditional and modern materials to make statements that engage, provoke, and delight the eye…”.
I’d say there are about 100 pieces in the show, one of which is Ariel’s. The show runs through October 31, but the museum is only open on Thursdays through Sundays in the afternoon. Check the website for more info.