"Underwater Library", mosaic mural, y. 2018

 Size: 8'4"x16', or 2.54m x 4.88m

Designed and created by Yulia Hanansen for Elkridge Public Library, Howard County Library System.

A diver is exploring an underwater world and in a process discovers a treasure chest full of books and maps. This playful, unique design was made for a part of library facing kids and teenage reader section, it is a part of an underwater theme featured throughout the building. 
Mosaic was constructed at the studio and transported in 66 separate sections to the site. It was further assembled on site and installed by a team of experts.

"Genesis: First Light"

Materials: smalti, marble, sandstone, stained glass. year: 2018

Size: 30"x30".

This work is part of my Evolution series that takes the viewer from the fist moments of Big Bang to formation of stars and planets, to establishment of human society, to invention of a cat and theories of multiple dimension and multiverse. This piece depicts the First Light that came to be before the formation of first stars, between 240,000 and 300,000 after the Big Bang. It was at this particular moment when the Universe became "transparent" and all the composing elements became visible. A primordial rainbow that came into existence billions of years ago still mesmerizes us reverberating through the spacetime continuum.  

"Jupiter: Great Red Spot", c. 2010.
Materials: Layered stained glass.
Size: 36" x 56"

Jupiter has always fascinated me as unrealized star- a planetary body that is too small for a nuclear fusion action. It is a giant planet that we can never land on. And it is in charge of one of the greatest hurricanes that we can observe- the Great Red Spot.
Because of a layered layout, this mosaic required some research on structure of the GRS. I had to contact a NASA scientist who was very generous and sent me a couple of papers that she has written on cloud deck observations of Great Red Spot.

"Displaced Hurricane" is part of “Forces of Nature” mosaic series and it speaks about water and its distribution in the world. At the time of global warming new weather patterns are emerging resulting in major shifts in the water supplies. While the ocean coasts are experiencing an onslaught of forceful hurricanes, the desert areas are running out of ground water. Irrigation circles sometimes are the only means for desert economies to feed their populations.

A hurricane is pictured making a landfall over the Eastern Coast of US. Although most of the scenery is obscured by the cloud cover, one can only imagine the level of destruction a hurricane can cause. Materials: Layered stained glass, smalti, stone. Size: 32" x 32"

Forest fires are devastating and compellingly attractive at the same time. It is unlikely that someone will be taking a leisurely walk through the burning woods, but if they did dare, they would be confronting the chaotic movement of fire, shadows, underlaying ground, trees, and smoke. Dalle de Verre, an ultra-thick glass shaped by hand was used to imitate the charred trees in this composition.

This is a visual impression of a forest fire that is 100% un-contained. Most of the forest is engulfed in spontaneous flames resulting in charred trees and rising smoke. Whether caused by the human negligence or the forces of nature, forest fires are dual in their character- they are treacherous and spectacular at the same time.A spiral emphasizes this duality of a forest fire- everything inescapably funnels into its center, and at the same time there is a dramatic movement spiraling out of the picture plane. This artwork is part of “Forces of Nature” mosaic series.
Stained glass and stone was used to create this non-traditional mosaic. All the pieces of glass were individually cut and layered on top of each other to produce the desired visual effects.