About Rick Marvello

Rick Marvello Shelley is a maker of mosaics.

Textured Mosaics, Mosaics in Three Dimensions, and Sectional Mosaics

I designed these mosiacs with pieces of varying thicknesses to create surface texture. Several mosaics are formed over three dimensional objects. Some show how the placement of pieces creates movement. Others show the use of large shaped sections.
  • Vines and Flowers
    Vines and Flowers
    Shaped glass tiles and melted glass on sculpted cement panel. 16" x 20"
  • Ionic Niche
    Ionic Niche
    Gold mosaic on ceramic architectural form. 14" x 8" x 6"
  • Blue Spirals
    Blue Spirals
    River stones, blue mirror smalti, and broken window glass embedded into cement. 18" x 24" x 2"
  • Ship Eye
    Ship Eye
    Detail of the three dimensional Eye Ship showing eye made of iridiscent glass sections. Eye image 6" x 2"
  • Eye  Ship
    Eye Ship
    Glass, pearls, beads, and twisted copper wire over cement. 38" long on a 3' marblized column.
  • Heavenly City
    Heavenly City
    Iridescent glass and clear glass sections stenciled with gold and silver leaf on wood panel. 30" x 14"
  • Hovering
    Hovering
    Melted glass, glass strips, and chunks of turquoise on wood panel. 12" x 16"
  • Egghead
    Egghead
    Glass tiles, copper cut-outs, and wire over egg shaped form. 22" x 10' x 10"
  • Sumo
    Sumo
    Shaped glass sections on wood panel. 12" x 12"

Rick Shelley's Mosaic Students

Student projects in progress
  • Student
    Student
    Carol overlooks her treasure pile of glass tesserae and starts another mosaic project.
  • Student
    Student
    Eve and "Three Cherries".
  • Students
    Students
    Students arranging glass tesserae at the Creative Alliance.
  • Students
    Students
    Mosaic students, at the Mt. Royal Studio, sorting and then gluing glass to plywood.
  • Students
    Students
    Students at the American Visionary Art Museum grouting mosaic projects with gloved hands and sponges.
  • Student
    Student
    Connie puts the final touches on a spiral garden sculpture made from cut glass and river stones.
  • Student
    Student
    Cora's butterfly.
  • Student
    Student
    Betsy's "Chili Peppers".
  • Student
    Student
    Mike prepares a border design to surround a black and white maze made from strips of glass.
  • Student
    Student
    Andrea and her first mosaic project, "Sailboat and Shining Sun".

Uncertain Games

These "Uncertain Games" have uncertain rules. The game boards and markers are mainly visual and players are encouraged to improvise the moves.
  • Maliki
    Maliki
    "All moves are possible, but none are permitted." Glass on wood, metal, glass beads. Game board approx. 24" x 16"
  • Game Markers
    Game Markers
    Tree forms as markers for a game titled Maliki. Glass, wire, and solder. 6" to 10" tall
  • Naziopoly
    Naziopoly
    "Win the world and lose everything." Glass on wood, ceramic, metallic paper. Game board 24" x 24"
  • Black Pearl
    Black Pearl
    Move the shell to claim the black pearl in the center. Glass on wood, shell, silver, pearl. Game board 18"x 18"
  • Beetle Craps
    Beetle Craps
    Detail of glass dice for Beetle Craps.
  • Beetle Craps
    Beetle Craps
    "One beetle, two beetle, three beetle four. Roll the dice and capture more." Glass on wood, metal. Game board 12" x 12"
  • Sommnnus
    Sommnnus
    "A game to be played between sleep and wakefulness." Cast glass, sheet glass over wood, glass tiles, metallic paper. Game board 12" x 16"
  • Omphalos
    Omphalos
    "To make the spheres sing, rub your navel to the ring." Glassover cement, metal, paper. Game disk 16" in diameter.
  • Flytomecca
    Flytomecca
    "First to finish, wins a Meccamillion." Glass on wood, metallic paper, metal, shell. Game board 30" x 12"
  •  Uncertain Games
    Uncertain Games
    Gameboards and Markers

Mosaic Map at The Walters Art Museum

The Map of the Ancient and Medieval World was completed for the renovation of the new wing at The Walters Art Museum in 2001 and is on permanant display in the second floor lobby. It is made out of three wooden panels seamlessly joined and mosaiced with over 150,000 glass tesserae. It measures 9' x 12'
The map centers on the Mediteranean Sea and the Middle East. From there it extends to the British Isles, Central Africa, India, and Siberia. 33 cities are marked with a small red disk. The land masses are borderless--no countries are indicated.
From the upper corners, wind gods blow sparkling breezes across Europe and Asia. From southern Africa, the Nile snakes its way up through the ancient cities of Egypt. A gold tile marks Venice. A sea dragon patrols the Atlantic waters and leaves swirls of glittering glass in its wake.
  • Map of the Ancient and Medieval World
    Map of the Ancient and Medieval World
    Visitors at the Walters Art Museum use the mosaic map to orient themselves to the collections.
  • Mediterranian
    Mediterranian
    Map detail: Mosaic patterns swirl around Sardinia, Sicily, and North Africa.
  • Tributaries and Desert
    Tributaries and Desert
    Map detail: The source of the Nile and surrounding deserts.
  • Ancient  African Cities
    Ancient African Cities
    Map detail: The River Nile snakes along the ancient cities of Meroe and Napata. Aksum sits between the mountains and the Red Sea.
  • Ocean
    Ocean
    Map detail: Spiraling wave patterns in the Indian Ocean.
  • Islands
    Islands
    Map detail: Canary Islands off the West African coast.
  • Hormuz
    Hormuz
    Map detail: A finger of land seperates the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Sea.
  • Peeks and Valleys
    Peeks and Valleys
  • Serpent and Wave Border
    Serpent and Wave Border
    Map detail: A sea serpent patrols the coastal waters.
  • Mosaic Map 0f the Ancient and Medival World
    Mosaic Map 0f the Ancient and Medival World
    Map with wave border

Making the Mosiac Map of the Ancient and Medieval World

I made the Mosaic Map of the Ancient and Medieval World on three panels of marine plywood. A paper cartoon was laid over each panel and outines of land masses, oceans,etc. were traced through. I used P.V.A. glue to adhere glass to the wood. After the outlines were mosiaced with lines of tiny pieces, I filled in the surrounding areas with larger pieces. No two pieces are the same.
The pieces are made from molten glass which is poured onto tables and then rolled into thin sheets of various colors and textures. The sheets are purchased by mosaic artists. With glass cutters and special pliers the sheets are reduced to strips which are cut again into squares, rectangles, and other small shapes. These pieces, called tesserae, are then sorted by size and color. The main colors in the map are green for land, blue for water, and cream for deserts.
At the Walters Art Museum, the three panels and a wave border were joined and then secured permanently to the wall. The Map measures 9' x 12' and contains over 150,000 glass tesserae.
  • Artist and mosaic in progress
    Artist and mosaic in progress
    Rick Shelley and one panel of the Mosaic Map showing unfinished mountains.
  • Panels in studio
    Panels in studio
    Working on a panel of the Mosaic Map in the Mt. Royal Studio.
  • Mosaic Map in progress
    Mosaic Map in progress
    Gluing blue glass and green glass onto marine plywood panels.
  • Paper cartoon, atlas, and guide maps
    Paper cartoon, atlas, and guide maps
    Sketching in land masses, rivers, and European cities.
  • Ship in progress
    Ship in progress
    Mainsail and topsail with artist's name. Sketch of cabin and ship below.
  • Ship in the Indian Ocean
    Ship in the Indian Ocean
    The artist's name is written in the ship's sails and the date of completion appears on the ship's cabin. Rick Shelley and his assistant peer out of the round windows.
  • Paper outline of India and Sri Lanka
    Paper outline of India and Sri Lanka
    Tracing the paper cartoon to transfer outlines onto the wood panel underneath.
  • India, Sri Lanka
    India, Sri Lanka
    Filling in the Indian sub-continent with green glass and beginning the blue glass outlines in the Indian Ocean.
  • Ship, India, Middle East
    Ship, India, Middle East
    Section of the finished map showing land masses, oceans, rivers, mountains, and ship.
  • Mosaic Map of the Ancient and Medieval World
    Mosaic Map of the Ancient and Medieval World
    Completed map with wave border. 9' x 12' in the second floor lobby of the Walters Art Museum.

Byzantine Style Mosaics

I created this collection of mosaics using traditional methods of laying tesserae. Patterns on the glass surface create movement and halo effects in the backgrounds.
  • Butterfly
    Butterfly
    Glass mosaic on plexi-glass. 22' x 18"
  • Byzantine Eagle
    Byzantine Eagle
    Glass mosaic on wood panel. 24" x 18"
  • Lion Head
    Lion Head
    Detail of Winged Lion. Glass mosaic on wood panel. 5' x 3'
  • Winged  Lion
    Winged Lion
    Glass mosaic on wood panel. 3' x 5'
  • Grape Clusters
    Grape Clusters
    Glass mosaic on wood panel 27" x 38"
  •  Octopus Hexigon
    Octopus Hexigon
    Glass mosaic on wood panel. 24' in diameer.
  • Scholar and Skulls
    Scholar and Skulls
    Glass mosaic on round wood panel. 36' in diameter.
  • Eye of the Scholar
    Eye of the Scholar
    Central detail of a roundel. Glass mosaic on wood panel 36" in diameter.
  • Adam and Eve
    Adam and Eve
    Glass mosaic on framed wooden panel. 3' x 5'
  • Adam and Eve
    Adam and Eve
    Detail of hands and fruit. Glass mosaic on wood panel 3' x 5'

Spirals, Mandalas, Mazes, and Labyrinths

I created a series of mosaics that lead to a center or radiate from a center point.
  • Flower Mandala
    Flower Mandala
    Glass mosaic on wood panel. 12" x 12"
  • Whip Maze
    Whip Maze
    Gold and iridescent glass on wood panel. 12" x 12"
  • Cruciform Disk
    Cruciform Disk
    Gold glass mosaic set into ceramic relief.
  • Mirror Rondel
    Mirror Rondel
    Mirror glass over cement. 16" in diameter.
  • Labyrinth
    Labyrinth
    Glass mosaic on wood panel. 24" x 24"
  • Square Maze
    Square Maze
    Iridescent glass, beads, and mother of pearl on wood panel. 12" x12"
  • Octagon Maze
    Octagon Maze
    Gold glass, iridescent glass, and mother of pearl on wood panel. 26" in diameter.
  • Cosmati Disk
    Cosmati Disk
    Gold glass, iridescent glass, and marble set into cement. 24" x 24"
  • Stone Spiral
    Stone Spiral
    Stone, bronze coins, glass. 9" x 9"
  • Red Spiral
    Red Spiral
    Glass mosaic over cement. 36" in diameter.

Mosaics by Rick Marvello Shelley

These mosaics are the result of my travels to see artifacts from the ancient cultures of Central and South America. Mayan carvings and Inca textiles inspired the designs.
  • Mask
    Mask
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass, shell pearls, and coral on wood panel.
  • Inca Pattern 3
    Inca Pattern 3
    Detain of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
  • Inca Pattern 2
    Inca Pattern 2
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
  • Fire Demons
    Fire Demons
    Glass mosaic on wood panel. 15" x 9"
  • Frog
    Frog
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
  • Inca Mask
    Inca Mask
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
  • Bird with Flower Eyes
    Bird with Flower Eyes
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass and pearls on wood panel.
  • Funerary Mask
    Funerary Mask
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
  • Inca Pattern 1
    Inca Pattern 1
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
  • Maya Mask
    Maya Mask
    Detail of a mosaic. Glass. shell, coral, and pearls on wood panel.