Summer at Slate River Mosaic

Summer at Slate River,framed stained glass mosaic, 24″ x 24″, 2020 ~SOLD

This is the view from one of my most frequented and favorite dispersed campsites in Crested Butte along the beautiful Slate River Road. Below is one of the photos I took while camping out there in July of one of the recent years. Crested Butte is regarded as Colorado's wildflower capital and it does not disappoint. Each year's super bloom happens in early/mid this time and I'm usually there to take in some of the magic.

This spot is in the Gunnison National Forest and has the prettiest view of the mountains, framed in green hills covered in lush vegetation. You can walk down one of the gentle slopes straight down to the chilly, perfectly clear river where the views are even more stunning.

This is my original, hand made stained glass mosaic inspired by one of my favorite views. It is opaque in nature and created to hang on a wall just like a painting. 

I've hand picked all the glass in this mosaic. Some of the glass has been in my little collection for years, until the right inspiration came. For example, look below, the blue sheet of glass was so fantastic as a whole. In some ways, you think to yourself, why cut it? So when you do decide to start cutting, you want to feel confident.

For me part of the fun is to use the beauty and unique quality of the glass in my work but also to combine that with something unique that I bring to the table as an artist. I meditated on this for a long time. Which orientation is best? Which side has the most attractive pattern and colors but also what will work best with the rest of my glass and design. Also what would be the most interesting way to cut and arrange the glass for it to be reborn as something new.

 

Here I am looking down on my arrangement and cut patterns. Because none of my glass mosaic is glued until the entire composition feels whole, I usually will have to climb a ladder to get a proper look at the feel of it in its entirety prior to the gluing process. Because this mosaic is medium in size, I was able to move it down onto the floor while I meditated on it. 

 

 

This type of gluing and mosaic technique is covered in my Online Mosaic Art Classes: https://www.kasiamosaicsclasses.com/ Visit the Kasia Mosaics Classes website if you are interested in learning my stained glass mosaic technique that can be applied to a vast theme of mosaic works beyond the class curriculum.

 

Here is my older son Ethan helping mommy display her work. I could not ask for a better model.

 

 

 

Here is Ethan again, at a younger age, exploring the incredible flaura and fauna of this lush landscape on his way down to the river.  

 

I thought it would be fun to add a photo of me when I was pregnant with Ethan here at the banks of Slate River. It is a wild place. Its beauty may look peaceful and tamed in my mosaic and the few photos that I've included here. But it is a very cold, snowy place with harsh, unpredictable mountain weather. That is also where its beauty comes from. The summers are short here but more beautiful than many places I've been.

 

 

 

And this is that incredible campsite I mentioned. I look forward to camping there again this summer, this time with boy my little boys. I hope that we can visit every summer till they are all grown up!

 

Summer at Slate River,framed stained glass mosaic, 24″ x 24″, 2020 ~SOLD

 

As you can see, there is a lot of work and a lot of stories behind this mosaic landscape. The inspiration behind it was strong and I worked to convey my love and admiration for this incredibly beautiful and special scenery.