A shop owner once told me that people are more likely to buy a piece of art if it has another function, such as a mirror or a plate. I don't mind creating useful art - sometimes creating useful things makes it possible to have the time to create art that is just art - art for art's sake. It would be ideal if all art was considered useful; one could argue that good art is always useful because it makes people think, or feel, something new - even if it's just a new feeling of delightful surprise. Goodness knows, we could all use a bit more delight in life.
I just completed this mosaic, called "Summer School," to enter in a competition sponsored by the online mosaic community Contemporary Mosaic Art (CMA). The assigned theme is "camouflage." I used all scraps in my green and blue boxes cut into squares for this piece. The tiny eyes are purple millefiori. It was really fun to do, and I could easily see this design in a backsplash or filling a wall niche. The finished size is 24" x 24".
CMA is a wonderful community that always inspires me. It includes forums to share projects or get help with mosaic questions, and they create a new "slide show" every few weeks to showcase members' artwork.
