Community Mosaic Mural

Kyle and I with the installed mural!

At the end of June 2017 we installed the first Kasia Mosaics community mural project in Alamosa, Colorado.  I created the design and the color scheme for the pattern while my partner Kyle did the engineering drawings for the installation as well as the steal frame.  We had 36 volunteers come to our studio to learn how to use basic tools to shape glass and how to arrange it into a pattern at no cost to them.  I precut all the glass for the volunteers to work with and they each got to build a section of the mural with my help and guidance.  In total there were 93 sections that made up the finished design.  In addition to the volunteers, Kyle and I got to create many of the sections of the project.  Once all the pieces were ready, Kyle and I glued them on the the custom substrate Kyle built.  Then we grouted and installed it into the steal frame and finally onto the building.  Take a look our project photo album here: Community Mural Project

We also organized a successful Indiegogo Campaign to help us raise funds for the material cost for the mural.  Check it out here: Help Us Beautify Our Town With a Community Mural  To cover the remainder cost of materials, a grant from the Colorado Creative Industries was given to us by Jeff Owsley from Alamosa Small Business Development.

We installed the mural only 3 blocks from our studio so transporting it was easy!

Me with the mural before our team put it up on the building.

Iwona, Jurek and Kyle - our amazing installation crew.

Below you can see a few photos of our volunteers diligently working in our studio.  

Clockwise from top right: Marcia, Nickie, Luke, Liz and Matt.  

From the Left: Emily, Jeff, Me giving a demo and Kelsey.

Clockwise from the top: Kyle, Eva, Sam, Bryce and Emily.

Jeff and Hollie adding their sections to the layout - almost ready for gluing!

Gluing the mural, one section at a time.

Creating a map of who created which section so the volunteers can easily locate their pieces. 

Peeling the tape after the adhesive dried.

Cleaning the glass prior to grouting. 

Grouting the mosaic.

Close up.  Grouting with epoxy grout is a little bit more work than the standard grout but its perfect for the outdoors!

Polishing the grouted mosaic.

Close up of the signature plaque for the mural.

We even made the paper!

To read the full article, click Community Comes Together to Construct a Mural

A New Kasia Mosaics Classes Template

This is the latest mandala design I created as a template for the Kasia Mosaics Classes Website. This design is available as a download via the Templates Section of the site which offers mandala, flower, owl and geometric patterns for glass enthusiasts, hobbyists and Kasia Mosaics Students.     

Seen above, the pre-gluing and grouting this new design measures 14.5" in diameter and then 15" in diameter once glued and grouted.  This particular patter is meant for intermediate glass students as it contains very small, harder to cut shapes in the center. 

If you've never worked with glass but would like to build up to being able to create one of the Kasia Mosaics Mandala Designs at home, take a look at the all-level, beginner friendly Kasia Mosaics Online Flower Class.  This class will teach you how to use the tools I use to create all of my mosaic work, it comes with 12 flower project templates, shows the entire process from start to finish with added tips and additional tutorials as well as access to a private Facebook learning group. 

Johona Mai Sculpture Installation

On June 2, 2017 my collaborative sculpture, Johona Mai, created with artist Kyle Cunniff was installed on Main Street in Alamosa, Colorado.  Below area  few photos from the installation day.  Our sculpture was chosen to be among 17 pieces in total, all part of Alamos's First Artscape Program.  To see all the other sculptures, visit the City of Alamosa website here: http://cityofalamosa.org/public-art/  This is also where you can vote for the People's Choice Award for your favorite piece.  

Read the article about Alamos's first Artscape here: https://www.alamosanews.com/article/alamosa-launches-first-artscape  Kyle and I were speakers at the event.

Easy transportation from our studio to the install site, 3 blocks down.

She was in good hands - the Alamosa Public Works Crew did a great job.

The sculpture was welded onto a 34" tall base.

Just doing my rounds and making sure that she is positioned onto the pedestal just right =)

John Mai, all set to spend her first evening away from home! 

Kyle and I with our sculpture at the day of the official unveiling of all the sculptures in the program.

New Landscape Portfolio Website

This week I published a new website for my Landscape Portfolio: https://www.kasiapolkowska.com  That will be my primary website for my fine art work.  The Kasia Mosaics Website will still be up as it contains a greater variety of projects from different time periods and functions more as a blog.

A Limited Edition Art Print

Later this Spring 2017, we will be releasing a Limited Edition Archival Art Print of one of my recent landscapes. The chosen mosaic will be professionally photographed for high resolution, crisp image (see details below).

This will be a signed and numbered, archival art print with a frame option. We have not yet decided on the paper but will most likely go with an archival water color paper on which we printed our last print.  Size of the printed image is yet to be determined but it will be medium in size.  Here are the numbers we are considering: A 12"x20", B 12"x24" and C 16"x20".

We'd like to get your opinion on which image is your favorite. We'd also like to see how many people would be interested in the non-framed vs the framed option. A, B or C? You can leave a comment here or vote on facebook where the majority of the voting is taking place or instagram where people are also leaving us input. Thank You All for your input!

Yellowstone - Chromatic Spring Mosaic

Chromatic Spring - Yellowstone National Park, a framed stained glass mosaic on board, 36" x 48", 2017 

Available for Sale: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/ 

  

In 2012, I first visited Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. I visited many of the geysers and was completely captivated. Seeing them in person was pure magic. Each one was more unique and beautiful than the previous one. Above is a photo I took of Chromatic Spring - one of my favorites.  That is the photo I used as inspiration for this new mosaic.

The beginning stages of the mosaic.  All the glass shapes are hand cut with basic hand tools seen in this photo.  I was working to create an abstract interpretation of the geyser created of a variety of funky, organic shapes that would come together to create an impression of the colorful spring.

The geyser is arranged and taped.  Here I am moving on to working on the tree covered hill in the distance. 

Every single piece of glass in this mosaic is hand cut and shaped by me.  Here you can see one of the many trees I've created to line the hillside behind the geyser.

The clouds are coming along.

Finally the building phase of the project is complete.

Here the mosaic is being sectioned off for gluing.

All glued and ready for grouting!

The unframed mosaic is being grouted.  It will be professionally framed once the process is complete.

The grand reveal!

Close up detail of the glass while the grout is still wet.

Polishing the mosaic, wiping away the remaining grout film.

Chromatic Spring - Yellowstone National Park, a framed stained glass mosaic on board, 36" x 48", 2017
Available for Sale: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/ 

Online Mosaic Flower Class

I've designed the Kasia Mosaics Online Flower Class for people who would like to learn a new craft while creating something beautiful that can be displayed at home as an attractive art piece or be gifted to a loved one as a special present.

This Online Class is a unique opportunity for students to learn from a working artist but in the comfort of one's home and at one's own pace.  The class covers the entire mosaic process needed to create one of the 12 flower designs included in the class.  Additionally, each flower comes with an option of 2 background designs. Creating even one of the dozen flowers will teach the student the basics needed to jump into their own mosaic projects.  Some students choose to make all 12 flowers, treating the online course as more of a an intensive workshop where they strive to master the basics of glass cutting, including curves and circles.  

This is a full curriculum that can be utilized at its minimum during a quick week where a student creates just one flower or as long as 3 or even 6 months while the student carefully analyzes each lesson and learns via repetitive practice, creating all 12 designs.  Each design has its own special lessons that will help the student develop essential glass cutting and shaping skills.

Students in the online mosaic class gain full instant, lifetime access to the course immediately after registration.  This means you can start learning right away and come back to the course material as often and as many times as needed.  Additionally all student have access to a private Facebook group where they can ask questions and post photos of their progress and their completed class work as well as post class projects.

To register and to read more about the class, visit the Kasia Mosaics Online Class Website  This class is available worldwide with students from across the globe signing up each month!

Johona Mai - A Glass Mosaic Matryoshka

Johona Mai, stained glass mosaic sculpture, 4ft tall by 22"wide/deep, 2017  by Kasia Polkowska and Kyle Cunniff  

 

Johona-Mai, Navajo for Sunny Bright Flower was named to honor the Navajo Nation who's ancestral land we inhabit.  She was created in Alamosa, Colorado - the land of 'Cool Sunshine'.  To reflect our region, we incorporated Southwestern colors, focusing on the bright blue of our big, clear sky and the warm yellow of the ever present sunshine in the San Luis Valley.  Johona-Mai was sculpted by hand and is adorned in a modern, colorful, hand cut stained glass mosaic pattern. Her form originates from Russia, where the first Matryoshka Doll was made and has since become a symbol in Eastern European Culture where Kasia was born.  Today the doll has a place in contemporary pop culture around the world. The form of our doll was kept traditional to inspire the nostalgia one often feels when laying eyes on a nesting doll.  The decorative motif highlights the purity of the form with color, pattern and the innocence of a flower often present on traditional dolls but with a contemporary flair.

Johona Mai set up in Alamosa, among the sagebrush, surrounded by the Sangre De Cristo Mountains

Johona Mai waiting for the sunset.  The photoshoot was set up to highlight Mt Blanca (14,351feet tall) in the background.

The artists, Kasia and Kyle, with the completed collaborative sculpture.  Kyle sculpted the form.  Kasia adorned the form with a hand cut stained glass mosaic.  The artist duo worked on the concept, design and colors together.

Johona Mai set against Mt Blanca watching the sunset over the San Juan Mountains to the West.

Kasia and Johona Mai.  Ever since starting to the concept design for the sculpture in December of 2016, Kasia envisioned taking the doll out to the vast sagebrush fields in the San Luis Valley.