Sunday, June 5, 2011

Cubist Cardinals

Something I've been thinking about for awhile is how to move away from realism in mosaics. I thought it would be fun to experiment with Cubism, and picked the bright shapes of a cardinal to start with. These are two panels about 7 1/2 inches square (I still have several of these pieces, made from old shelving, to use up.) While glass can't duplicate the subtle shadings of Picasso or Braque, I think it is perfect for portraying angular dimensions and varying points of view. I found it freeing not to worry about exact representations but to try to capture the "essence" of cardinal attitude. Has anyone else tried this? What do you think?