|
Functional handcrafted
gifts featuring animal designs
in stained glass and
mosaic, including pavers, hearths, and wall hangings
Hearth Mosaic, Koi Pond, $750, 60"
by 19½" NFS
Mosaic is uniquely functional and decorative
at the same time. It is an ancient art form that has survived and evolved
to modern times. Many ancient cultures, widely dispersed among different
continents, developed mosaic art using natural items to create geometric
designs as well as pictorials. Symbolic mosaics made from pebbles adorned
walkways and floors in ancient China long before the advent of
Christianity. Over time, to make the mosaics more detailed, artists began
painting the pebbles to increase the range of colors. They also began to
cut stone into small geometric shapes called tesserae, which allowed
them to fit tiles together more closely, rendering their images more
lifelike. As this art evolved, glass tesserae were developed further and
used in mosaics, adding color as well as a new effect as light hit the
glass. During its evolution mosaic art has been used to depict natural as
well as sacred images in widely varying shapes and sizes from small panels
to include entire floors and walls. The Minoan culture on the island of
Crete produced beautiful examples of the art, which not only appeal to the
aesthetic sense but also provide much of our knowledge of the Minoan
civilization. Mosaic art is quite popular today, allowing any person to
adorn a house or garden with the simplest of materials and tools.
A large mosaic for nearly any
application can be created to your taste.
Stained glass originated in Egypt with the
invention of glass. The ancient Egyptians were able to transform by use of
fire the simple natural material of sand into a jewel-like substance that
captured light. However, stained glass was not used in Europe until it
appeared in religious panels around the eleventh century A.D. At this time
colored stains were applied to the glass, which were arranged to depict
sacred images. Eventually, color was incorporated by adding minerals and
metals to the molten glass, resulting in what is known today as “Cathedral
Glass.” The glass, although tinted, remained transparent. This glass began
to be used in secular windows during the Victorian and Edwardian periods of
the 1800s. In the late 1800s and early 1900s American glass makers expanded
on “Cathedral Glass” with the development of a translucent milky glass known
as opalescent glass. The availability of opalescent glass extended
the range of stained glass as an art form. The most noted opalescent glass
artist was Louis Tiffany (1848-1933), who used this medium to adorn such
common household items as lamps, clocks, and fireplace screens. Also,
Tiffany’s development of the copper-foil method of stained glass
construction freed artists from the constraints of using heavy lead to join
glass pieces, allowing them to create more detail in their glass depictions.
Mosaic artists have begun to use stained glass in their work, enabling them
to bring together the beauty and versatility of cut stained glass with the simple
construction method of mosaics.
Stained glass is another medium the
artist uses in custom designs
for her clients. These include favorite animals, landscapes, and
composites.
For additional information on mosaics
and stained glass pieces, please contact
Joan Hewitt. |
|
Click on a photo to see an
enlarged view; click "Back" on your browser to return to the current page.
Each piece is custom crafted to meet the wishes of the customer. To find out what is
possible for you, and for any other information, please contact
Joan Hewitt |
Hearth Mosaic Detail |
|
Mosaic pavers are available in a wide
variety of animal themes, shapes, and sizes.
Stained glass pieces are created in different sizes, ready for framing.
All are custom-designed to incorporate virtually any element of nature or a
favorite pet.
Prices depend on your individual requirements;
please contact
Joan Hewitt for information.
Top of Page
Hand-painted Children's Furniture
|
Stained Glass and Mosaics
|
Pet Portraits
|
Seasonal Gifts
children's furniture
• hand-painted
children's furniture • high chairs • children's rockers • children's
tables and chairs • hand-painted high chairs
pet portraits • mosaics • animal art • scratchboard pet portraits •
mosaic pavers • custom pet portraits • mosaic animal pieces •
stained glass |
