uneven sizes. And because I love natural stone, I wanted to incorporate larger tiles with the small tesserae to make a work that is less busy to the eye. I liked it. It was an experiment I made a long time ago and I still work that way, going around the swirl of different grout lines that I love to make. Every day I discover something new in materials, technique, etc. I enjoyed working in both techniques, direct and Byzantine indirect. (The indirect technique is when you work your mosaic in reverse, then pour concrete to cast it, and flip it over.) And lately I’ve been creating bas-relief pieces that add more to the shapes, lights and volume
And as artists, we’re always looking for new ways to explore our mediums. I am now working on my first installation that will be exhibited in the new House of Lebanon Centre, here in Los Angeles. This particular piece is all about my life, from Lebanon to LA. It will be titled: “Turning Pages.” I used mosaics, watercolours, wood, metal and many other materials all in one work. It will be exhibited for the first time in the Beyond Borders 2013 Art Exhibition, “New Beginnings,” from October 7th of this year to January 2014. The Opening Reception is on October 19th, 2013. The exhibition will feature fine artworks by American Lebanese, Middle Eastern & American Artists. For anyone who would like to see it, the address is:
House of Lebanon 4800 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010
What are some of the materials you use in making a mosaic, and how do they shape the impact of the finished piece? I love smalti. It is a handmade opaque glass that has a wonderful range of colours. They are made as plates and then cut into small pieces. It is the first glass I look for when I start a project. This is not a definite choice, as every project requires its own materials, but I like smalti because it has a big range of colour palettes that I can choose from. I also use a lot of natural stones like marble, granite, onyx, Orchis Coriophora – image revealed etc. I also like to incorporate some semiprecious stones like pearls, jade, jasper, etc…