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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.
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Vines and FlowersShaped glass tiles and melted glass on sculpted cement panel. 16" x 20"
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Ionic NicheGold mosaic on ceramic architectural form. 14" x 8" x 6"
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Blue SpiralsRiver stones, blue mirror smalti, and broken window glass embedded into cement. 18" x 24" x 2"
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Ship EyeDetail of the three dimensional Eye Ship showing eye made of iridiscent glass sections. Eye image 6" x 2"
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Eye ShipGlass, pearls, beads, and twisted copper wire over cement. 38" long on a 3' marblized column.
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Heavenly CityIridescent glass and clear glass sections stenciled with gold and silver leaf on wood panel. 30" x 14"
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HoveringMelted glass, glass strips, and chunks of turquoise on wood panel. 12" x 16"
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EggheadGlass tiles, copper cut-outs, and wire over egg shaped form. 22" x 10' x 10"
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SumoShaped glass sections on wood panel. 12" x 12"
Rick Shelley's Mosaic Students
Student projects in progress
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StudentCarol overlooks her treasure pile of glass tesserae and starts another mosaic project.
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StudentEve and "Three Cherries".
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StudentsStudents arranging glass tesserae at the Creative Alliance.
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StudentsMosaic students, at the Mt. Royal Studio, sorting and then gluing glass to plywood.
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StudentsStudents at the American Visionary Art Museum grouting mosaic projects with gloved hands and sponges.
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StudentConnie puts the final touches on a spiral garden sculpture made from cut glass and river stones.
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StudentCora's butterfly.
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StudentBetsy's "Chili Peppers".
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StudentMike prepares a border design to surround a black and white maze made from strips of glass.
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StudentAndrea 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.
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Maliki"All moves are possible, but none are permitted." Glass on wood, metal, glass beads. Game board approx. 24" x 16"
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Game MarkersTree forms as markers for a game titled Maliki. Glass, wire, and solder. 6" to 10" tall
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Naziopoly"Win the world and lose everything." Glass on wood, ceramic, metallic paper. Game board 24" x 24"
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Black PearlMove the shell to claim the black pearl in the center. Glass on wood, shell, silver, pearl. Game board 18"x 18"
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Beetle CrapsDetail of glass dice for Beetle Craps.
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Beetle Craps"One beetle, two beetle, three beetle four. Roll the dice and capture more." Glass on wood, metal. Game board 12" x 12"
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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"
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Omphalos"To make the spheres sing, rub your navel to the ring." Glassover cement, metal, paper. Game disk 16" in diameter.
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Flytomecca"First to finish, wins a Meccamillion." Glass on wood, metallic paper, metal, shell. Game board 30" x 12"
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Uncertain GamesGameboards 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.
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.
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Map of the Ancient and Medieval WorldVisitors at the Walters Art Museum use the mosaic map to orient themselves to the collections.
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MediterranianMap detail: Mosaic patterns swirl around Sardinia, Sicily, and North Africa.
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Tributaries and DesertMap detail: The source of the Nile and surrounding deserts.
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Ancient African CitiesMap detail: The River Nile snakes along the ancient cities of Meroe and Napata. Aksum sits between the mountains and the Red Sea.
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OceanMap detail: Spiraling wave patterns in the Indian Ocean.
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IslandsMap detail: Canary Islands off the West African coast.
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HormuzMap detail: A finger of land seperates the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Sea.
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Peeks and Valleys
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Serpent and Wave BorderMap detail: A sea serpent patrols the coastal waters.
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Mosaic Map 0f the Ancient and Medival WorldMap 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.
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.
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Artist and mosaic in progressRick Shelley and one panel of the Mosaic Map showing unfinished mountains.
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Panels in studioWorking on a panel of the Mosaic Map in the Mt. Royal Studio.
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Mosaic Map in progressGluing blue glass and green glass onto marine plywood panels.
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Paper cartoon, atlas, and guide mapsSketching in land masses, rivers, and European cities.
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Ship in progressMainsail and topsail with artist's name. Sketch of cabin and ship below.
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Ship in the Indian OceanThe 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.
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Paper outline of India and Sri LankaTracing the paper cartoon to transfer outlines onto the wood panel underneath.
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India, Sri LankaFilling in the Indian sub-continent with green glass and beginning the blue glass outlines in the Indian Ocean.
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Ship, India, Middle EastSection of the finished map showing land masses, oceans, rivers, mountains, and ship.
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Mosaic Map of the Ancient and Medieval WorldCompleted 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.
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ButterflyGlass mosaic on plexi-glass. 22' x 18"
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Byzantine EagleGlass mosaic on wood panel. 24" x 18"
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Lion HeadDetail of Winged Lion. Glass mosaic on wood panel. 5' x 3'
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Winged LionGlass mosaic on wood panel. 3' x 5'
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Grape ClustersGlass mosaic on wood panel 27" x 38"
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Octopus HexigonGlass mosaic on wood panel. 24' in diameer.
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Scholar and SkullsGlass mosaic on round wood panel. 36' in diameter.
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Eye of the ScholarCentral detail of a roundel. Glass mosaic on wood panel 36" in diameter.
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Adam and EveGlass mosaic on framed wooden panel. 3' x 5'
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Adam and EveDetail 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.
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Flower MandalaGlass mosaic on wood panel. 12" x 12"
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Whip MazeGold and iridescent glass on wood panel. 12" x 12"
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Cruciform DiskGold glass mosaic set into ceramic relief.
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Mirror RondelMirror glass over cement. 16" in diameter.
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LabyrinthGlass mosaic on wood panel. 24" x 24"
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Square MazeIridescent glass, beads, and mother of pearl on wood panel. 12" x12"
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Octagon MazeGold glass, iridescent glass, and mother of pearl on wood panel. 26" in diameter.
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Cosmati DiskGold glass, iridescent glass, and marble set into cement. 24" x 24"
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Stone SpiralStone, bronze coins, glass. 9" x 9"
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Red SpiralGlass 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.
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MaskDetail of a mosaic. Glass, shell pearls, and coral on wood panel.
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Inca Pattern 3Detain of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
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Inca Pattern 2Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
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Fire DemonsGlass mosaic on wood panel. 15" x 9"
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FrogDetail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
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Inca MaskDetail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
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Bird with Flower EyesDetail of a mosaic. Glass and pearls on wood panel.
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Funerary MaskDetail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
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Inca Pattern 1Detail of a mosaic. Glass on wood panel.
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Maya MaskDetail of a mosaic. Glass. shell, coral, and pearls on wood panel.