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A Fairy Tale Landscape for Kathy and Billy

October 2, 2012, 11:22 am
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Untitled, stained glass mosaic, 12" x 24", 2012   NFS
I created this mosaic as a wedding present for my best friend and her husband. It is a snowy mountain scene at the beginning of Spring with an abundance of violets shooting up in the valley of a mountain village. She loves fairy tales and mountains, especially snowy high peaks; I used that as the basis for my composition. She is also a collector of my work, so I knew that this would be a perfect present for her. For further inspiration I've used another mosaic that she already owns, I wanted this new piece to be a counter part of for it.  See the mosaic below.  In the above mosaic all the white circles, the palace, the blue windows in the left mountain and the blue circles in the sky are created with iridescent glass so they shimmer and change color in the light while in the mosaic below the sky is iridescent and has a similar effect.
Daydream, stained glass mosaic, 3 panels (24" x 12", 24" x 18", 24" x 12"), 2009   sold




the under sketch for the mosaic
a few process shots
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October 11, 2012, 7:30 pm
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Shenandoah Sunset, stained glass mosaic on board, 12" x 24", 2012 NFS
I created this landscape as a wedding present for two of my very special friends.  A few years back, a group of our friends and us spent a lovely weekend at Shenandoah National Park.  In the evening the mountains began to turn purple and we enjoyed a really beautiful sunset.  When I decided to create a mosaic as my gift, I knew that it had to be inspired by that moment.  For further inspiration I used another one of my mosaic which the bride really seemed to like when she visited my studio a while ago.  Below is a photo of that piece which actually expresses my impression of the first time I witnessed a sunset in the mountains.


Watching the Sunset, stained glass mosaic on board, 15" x 40", 2009  sold
a rough sketch around which I based my composition
the glued mosaic before grouting and framing
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Wedding Goblet Mosaic

November 11, 2012, 1:01 pm
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Untitled, stained glass mosaic and broken glass goblet, 9.5" x 12", 2012

Above is the front view of one of my recent commissions.  This project revolved around incorporating the broken glass from the Jewish wedding ritual of breaking the glass into a mosaic that would be a work of art in itself.  The central element of the piece had to be the broken glass from the wedding day.   I thought of this as a symbol of the beginning of married life for the young couple. From the broken stem, a new life unravels the way that a Koru fern (spiral in shape) unravels slowly and symbolizes new life, growth, strength, and peace.  I think all these symbols are good wishes for the young couple.  The wedding goblet was specifically green because it is the bride's favorite - that is one reason that the mosaic is dictated by the color green.  In addition green stands for: healthy relationships, life, fertility, balance, growth, learning and harmony which all apply to a happy marriage.
 
 Angele View of "Untitled, stained glass mosaic and broken glass goblet, 9.5" x 12", 2012"
concept sketches showing possible patterns and ways of incorporating the broken glass into the mosaic design
color palette to match the wedding goblet and the almost finished mosaic in the grouting process
 
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Forest Owl

November 27, 2012, 6:35 pm
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Forest Owl, stained glass mosaic, 12" x 24", 2012   available for purchase
Above is my second mosaic version of the magnificent bird - the owl.  She (this owl is a lady) is sitting amongst the trees on a foggy night, waiting for a tasty treat =)  This new owl is a lot more playful and shaggy in comparison to the first one I created earlier this year.  Her predecessor has a very clean and polished look and the design of his feathers is very pattern oriented. The night sky behind my shaggy lady is made of mostly iridescent and mirror glass so it has a nice shimmer to the moving eye.

the mosaic process
the progress of the pattern of the night sky
grouting in charcoal black
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Holiday Sale!!!

December 8, 2012, 10:18 am
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Holiday Sale!!!

December 4th to January 7th

Email All Inquiries to: kpokowska@gmail.com

All work in the store is available on a flexible and custom monthly payment plan where after the first payment is received the artist ships the artwork to the customer who pays off the balance in monthly instalments (ex. $100/month) while having the mosaic or drawing in their possession. 
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Happy New Year

December 31, 2012, 10:32 am
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2012 has been a great year filled with really fun and exciting projects.  I think that my biggest accomplishment has been diving into large scale landscapes which has really opened up the doors of creativity.  I've worked on a few commissions and personal gifts for good friends and family, each unique and each teaching me something new.  And then there are my owls - I've completed two this year - both receiving really great reviews from my peers.  I hope that in 2013 I can extend my landscape portfolio, grow my owl family and work on a few more commissions to diversify my body of work.  I wish a happy and creative year to you all and thank you for tuning into my blog!
Please Visit my Facebook Page "Kasia Mosaics" for more posts and process photos =)
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Vermont Autumn

January 28, 2013, 1:22 pm
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Vermont Autumn, stained glass mosaic, 36" x 36", 2013

available for purchase: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/
As you can see from the title above, my first landscape of 2013 has been inspired by Vermont's legendary and magical fall foliage. This past September when Kyle and I were driving up to our friends' farm, the reds stood out to me as particularly vibrant and shiny (the green conifers and half the red trees are created with iridescent glass which you can't see in this photo but I will post more pictures which show the shimmering glass). On our drive, there is a particular spot where you can catch a quick but a very expansive view of the mountains disappearing in all directions into the distant sky or clouds - depending on what kind of a day it is. On this particular occasion it was the latter, the sky was covered in semi dark clouds but there was still enough light to illuminate the the brilliant carpet of trees covering the mountains below. That particular view which I've never been able to photograph because there is nowhere to stop on the highway is what inspired this latest composition.

Below are a few process shots I've taken over the 2 months that I've pondered over this piece and created it one small piece at a time.  I hope you enjoy!

Here is a shot of my my studio.  You can see one of the color sketches I've created prior to starting.  Besides working out my composition in the sketch, I've also used it as a basis for creating my color palette.


In this photo you can see the progress on the first layer of the forest in the foreground.  Even though I've had a color sketch for reference - it was just that - a reference.  The whole process was very spontaneous.  It took me a long time to look at what I've created thus far and to decide what my next move was, to figure what kind of tree and what color was needed to create a balanced composition.   


Here you can see me shaping a conifer tree with my very good friend the flat tip nippers =)  Each tree was carefully cut, shaped by hand and fitted into its appropriate space as the forest grew upward and into the distance. Each new tree inspired the next. 


While creating this landscape I've also creating an unbelievable amount of trash aka glass shards.  Here is a snap shot of maybe 1/100 of the shards that flew all across my studio as I snipped away at each tree.  I would often look down at the floor and think to myself 'Those little shards down there are pretty fun to look at ... so many different shapes and textures in the chaotic composition' =)

After completing cutting out all of the glass, arranging it into my composition and taping it all together, I cut the whole thing into smaller section for a more manageable gluing process.  Here you can see me holding up of my mosaic puzzle pieces up to the mountains in my front yard which can be seen from my studio window. Here you can also see all of the little spaces I left between the trees, those spaces will be filled with a black grout-line which will create a nice contrast throughout the whole mosaic.

 This is a glimpse into my gluing process.  I glue the mosaic onto a custom built, lightweight, structurally supported and sealed plywood substrate.  The mosaic is glued with Weldbond and left to dry for a few days before I peal of the tape from the surface.


I grouted the mosaic in a sanded, charcoal black which is my choice for most of my compositions.  It creates a wonderful contrast in the colorful glass which has a more dramatic effect.  Looking back at the creation of each of my pieces, this is always my favorite part.  It ties the whole composition together and reveals all of the carefully considered and planned negative spaces between each piece of glass.  The grout takes a couple days to set and is then sealed.  At that point the mosaic is almost complete ... it is yet to be custom framed by Kyle and me.  Pictures coming soon!
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Tuff Guy Commission

February 6, 2013, 10:50 am
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Tuff Guy, stained glass mosaic, 16" x 11", 2013
Above you can see my latest commission. A collage friend of mine commissioned me to create a portrait of her and her husband's Hahns Macow as a present for his birthday. The mosaic is inset in a black, floating frame.

On the left you can see my color concept sketch for the Tuff Guy mosaic.  On the right you can see the beginning stage of my mosaic in progress. The eye and the feathers around it were created with very small pieces of glass, which were impossible to move around with my stubby fingers so I maneuvered them with a thin razor blade.

 On the left you can see me holding out of the stained glass flowers I've cut out for the jungle floor. Since Tuff Guy is a girl, I thought that she would like to be surrounded by flowers, I created four of these and fitted them around her tail. The flower petals are created with considerably larger pieces of glass - these larger shapes show of some of the color neat color transitions that often occur in stained glass.  On the right you can see that I've veered away from some of the original composition in my sketch. Sometimes the glass just takes over ... after I created the first set of flowers, it seemed that there should be more flowers than I originally imagined.

 On the left you can see me spreading the charcoal grout into all the crevices and on the right you can see the grout setting after the first layer of film has been wiped away.

 On the left you can see the grout starts to set and I begin to slowly wipe away the excess.  On the right I am wiping away another later of hazy grout as it keeps on drying.
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Kasia Mosaics on Facebook

February 17, 2013, 12:08 pm
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A couple years ago, I noticed that many artists were utilizing public facebook fan pages to share and to promote their work.  I decided to give it a go, not knowing what to expect.  In February 2011 I launched Kasia Mosaics on Facebook. To my surprise, my page has turned into something wonderful that keeps growing and evolving. Today I really enjoy keeping up with my page by posting photos of my projects, inspirations, travel photos and current work in progress photos as well as sharing other mosaic art I discover through other facebook pages I follow. Through my page, I've connected with wonderful people from all over the world, I've sold a lot of my artwork and have even connected with other artists!

You can visit my page here: Kasia Mosaics Thank You for stopping my blog - I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into my creative journey!  
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Impressions of a Colorado Fall

March 1, 2013, 12:13 am
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Impression of a Colorado Fall, stained glass mosaic, 36" x 36", 2013  available for purchase


This landscape has been inspired by my impression of the changing, vibrant aspen trees in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where I live. Aspens live in large colonies and many share one root system so they change colors within their group and that's one of the reasons the fall foliage is so incredible in the mountainous Colorado landscape. While the colors transition from green to yellow, the barren rocky peaks begin getting snow peaked which creates a wonderful accent to the golden landscape.
  
Here is my rough concept sketch for the mosaic.  It is done in charcoal and colored pencil and is 11" x 11".
 
Yummy ingredients for the green aspens turning yellow and for the the sunny Colorado Mountains =)
Here I am arranging my hand cut circles into a little hill. In my mosaic this hill is in the foreground and will represent a sunlit slope covered in dried grass and plants. In the photo on the left I am making sure that my pieces are positioned as I want them before putting a little piece of tape over them. On the right you can already see a taped section and I am just dropping one of my circles into its proper spot before reevaluating the composition and colors and figuring out what my next circle should be =)
In this photo sequence, I am cutting out one of the trees for the tree covered mountains in my mosaic. When I create a deciduous trees, I first draw an outline of the crown with a sharpie. If there is already a tree next two it, I also trace the shape underneath it. Then I score my lines with my glass scoring tool. Then I break the glass along the scored lines with my running pliers. If there are any irregular edges left, I clean them up with my nippers. Then I fit my tree into its desired place. If its a good fit, then I tape it to its neighbor. If its not a good fit, then I shape it some more until it fits into place. The trees in this photo are in the foreground so they are pretty large and will gradually get smaller in size as they go back in space and up the mountain. I repeat this process for every single tree, some of them are a lot more complicated with more concave cuts which require a lot more scoring, breaking, nipping and shaping.
Late night in the studio ... I was making good progress on the project with the help of a local brew - this Colorado Ale could not have been a better color match for this Colorado inspired landscape =) I often subconsciously match my work clothes to the projects on my work bench ... but matching my beverage choice is a first :-)
progress shot from the studio
glass shards taking over the studio floor - its fun to watch the little glass mountain grow at my feet =)
Here I am ready for gluing! This is one of my mosaic puzzle pieces I cut up for my gluing process. I've held it up to the view out my studio window though I went outside to have Kyle take the picture.

Due to the large size of this mosaic (3ft by 3ft), I cut up my finished and fully taped mosaic into smaller more manageable sections for easier gluing - its like a very simple puzzle. After cutting out each piece, I carefully lift up the edges before fully lifting it up to see that all the glass is still adhering to the tape, if there are some loose pieces then I place the edges back down pat down the piece in the trouble sections. Then I transfer each puzzle piece, one by one onto my free side table. After each puzzle piece is lifted off, I trace it with a pencil to make sure it goes back into its proper spot so the mosaic won't overlap the board - that would be a bit of a boo boo =) I glue each section one by one onto its corresponding shape on my sealed substrate. (Currently I am using Weldbond as my glue and as my sealer - diluted 5 to 1 water to Weldbond)

Here I am gluing my mosaic puzzle pieces one by one onto my custom lightweight plywood substrates reinforced with structural frames on the back. The substrate is sealed with a 5 to 1 part water to Weldbond. I spread a thin layer of Weldbond onto both the board and the back of the mosaic, wait a couple minutes for the glue to get a bit tacky, carefully position a mosaic section onto its corresponding section on the board, shift it around a bit and gently but firmly I pat down all the glass pieces to make sure they all make good contact with the glue and board.
Here is another gluing process collage. Sometimes I try to squeeze the glue out in nice and even lines but this only happens when Kyle is looking over my shoulder. When he is not around I frantically squeeze the glue bottle and make abstract paintings with my Weldbond =) I apply the glue in thin layers to the back of the mosaic as well as to the board. I wait a couple minutes for the glue to get a bit tacky and join the two sections, press down on every piece of glass to make sure they make good contact and then leave it to dry before pulling off the tape.
Here is one last shot of the gluing process of this latest mosaic ... we took a bunch of pics this time around so it was hard to choose just one to share =) I like this little sequence of photos because the bottom right shows most of the mosaic glued but without the black grout lines (yet) which will really make the whole composition pop and look a lot more contrasty! Again you can see how I apply the glue to both the sealed substrate as well as the back of the mosaic. Then I carefully place the mosaic section onto the glued substrate section and then press down on each individual glass circle with my hand and a little cloth.
Here I am starting to peel of some of the tape from the sections that appeared mostly dried.  I pulled of the tape from the sky first as you can see in this photo.
Here are some shots from the grouting process. I used my favorite charcoal black sanded grout. (the perspective of the photo in the upper left makes the mosaic look smaller than it really is which is 3ft by 3ft)




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Nautic Spiral

March 11, 2013, 11:56 am
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Nautic Spiral, stained glass mosaic, 18" x 18", 2013   available for purchase
Here is a shot of me figuring out my color palette alongside of the sketch I build the mosaic on.  Initially I was going to use the purple for accents but as I began to work I decided that I wanted a purely aquatic feeling. 
some of the process ... here you can also see the tools I use to create all my mosaics with
Here is a fun screen shot from Kyle editing the latest video of me creating the spiral mosaic The video is going to start with me cutting the first piece of glass up to the grouting so it should be pretty fun =)  I'll post a link once its completed.
a detail of the taped mosaics almost ready for gluing
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Wilderness Volunteers Auction

March 18, 2013, 1:10 am
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For the second year I am participating in the Wilderness Volunteers Action.  "Wilderness Volunteers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created in 1997 to organize and promote volunteer service to America's wild lands. We work with public land agencies including the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service"  You can learn more about this organization by visiting their website: http://wildernessvolunteers.auctionanything.com/Home.taf

This year I am donating the above mosaic titled "Mountain View III". The mosaic depicts an abstract mountain scene in neutral colors with subtle purple accents. It is inset in a custom floating frame made with raw pine with a satin finish.  With the frame the mosaic is 12" high, 9" wide and 1.5" deep. The mosaic is singed b on the back where it also has a hook for hanging.

 The auction ends on the 24th of March at 8pm.  Click the link to see the listing for my mosaic where you can place you bid: http://wildernessvolunteers.auctionanything.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&Auction_uid1=2878120
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Adriana's Red Rose

March 18, 2013, 10:14 am
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Red Rose, stained glass mosaic, 12" x 12", 2013   NFS
I created this mosaic as an Easter Egg Hunt present for my niece who's middle name is Rose.  Easter is early on the calendar this year so this may be one of the few flowers hidden in the grass for her to discover while we play.  Below are a few process shot.


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March 22, 2013, 4:20 pm
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Pink Lotus, stained glass mosaic, 12" x 12", 2013   NFS
I created this mosaic as a present for my niece's best buddy.  For my niece I created the rose below as her middle name is "Rose".  As long as its dry out on Easter Sunday I will hide each flower in the grass so the girls can find them, hopefully each girl will find her own flower and I hope that they will each like the one I made for them and not vice/verse =)

I have previously used the lotus flower as a design element as well as a symbol of purity and divine life on the bellies of both the Matryoshka Dolls I've created. 

On the Left: Matryoshka Doll (front view), mosaic by Kasia Polkowska, sculpture by Kyle Cunniff, 24" high, 2011   available for purchase: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/:
 
On the Right: Matryoshka ,stained glass mosaic on plywood, 30" x 23", 2011 ~ SOLD
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Mosaic Flashback

March 26, 2013, 12:18 pm
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Demon Alcohol, stained glass mosaic, 30" x 24", 2009  Available for Purchase
Recently a fan asked me for a more detailed explanation of one of my mosaics "Demon Alcohol" - it is actually one of my most special pieces so I created a special diagram with a basic explanation of the symbolism behind the imagery. 

Here you can see the mosaic next to the original painting I created when I was a kid =)
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Currently on the Work Bench

April 24, 2013, 12:33 pm
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As a size comparison here I am holding up my fully assembled poster/sketch on top of which I am currently assembling my new mosaic landscape depicting Wyoming's Teton Mountains.  This mosaic will be 24" x 48" in size (2ft x 4ft) and it will be the 6th mosaic of my new landscape series.  You can follow the full process on my facebook art page "Kasia Mosaics" https://www.facebook.com/KasiaMosaics

This is a photo I took on a back packing trip last summer.  It shows the incredible view from our secluded back country campsite on a 20 mile hike through the Teton Mountains in Wyoming. When we arrived at this magical spot, my mosaic mind began racing and I knew that I would eventually plan a composition inspired by our trip =)

Below are some of the other mosaics from my new, growing landscape series which will soon include more spectacular scenery from the Rocky Mountain Region.

"Impression of a Colorado Fall", stained glass mosaic, 36" x 36" (3ft by 3ft), 2013 by Kasia Polkowska  
Available for Purchase: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/		       
 
"Vermont Autumn", stained glass mosaic, 36" x 36" (3ft by 3ft), 2013 by Kasia Polkowska  
Available for Purchase: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/		       

"Mountain Spring", stained glass mosaic, 36" x 36" (3ft by 3ft), 2012 by Kasia Polkowska  
Sold		       
"Green Mountains", stained glass mosaic, 36" x 36" (3ft by 3ft), 2012 by Kasia Polkowska  
Available for Purchase: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/		       
"Vermont Spring", stained glass mosaic, 18" x 36" (1.5ft by 3ft), 2012 by Kasia Polkowska  
Available for Purchase: http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/		       
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Cascade Canyon Mosaic

July 12, 2013, 8:54 am
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Cascade Canyon, stained glass mosaic, 24" x 48",  2013 (available for purchase via The Rembrandt Yard Gallery in Boulder, CO)
This mosaic is inspired by my trip to the Teton Mountains last July. Kyle and I hiked the Canyon/Paintbrush Loop where the mountain views were spectacular, especially from our backcountry campsite in the Northern section of Cascade Canyon near Lake Solitude. Everything was so lush and green, the wild flowers were blossoming everywhere - the blue and yellow ones stood out to me the most but the reds and pinks were equally impressive.  A thunderstorm was brewing as we arrived at our campsite so we held our breath as it roared.  Following the storm a thick fog rose from the ground to fully cover the tall peaks and decrease visibility of the scenery.  Just as we watched it rise, we watched the fog fall back to the ground and reveal the spectacular scenery back to us.  The fog kept coming and going until it fully dispersed at sunset and we got to enjoy watching the mountains be bathed in the bright light.  We observed the marmots and the picas and even saw an antelope run across the meadow.  We fished in the lake, listened to the creek run past our camp as we enjoyed our supper and we slept under the stars. This was one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited and used a variety of views and aspects that I've photographed to design a scene which I hoped would convey all that I loved about it.

Above is one of the photos I took in the morning, still catching some of the morning fog.   The composition in my mosaic landscape is not based on any particular photo I took, but rather a compilation of various impressions of the landscape.

Here is a color pencil concept sketch I created as the preliminary planning for the mosaic.

 Because the sketch was small14" x 30", we printed it out in sections and here you can see Kyle piecing it together for me. The print out was 24" x 48" and I worked directly on top of it (the mosaic was later transferred onto my plywood substrate).

As a size comparison here I am holding up my fully assembled poster/sketch on top of which I am currently assembling my new mosaic landscape depicting Wyoming's Teton Mountains. 

A work-in-progress view in the studio.


Lots of detail in this mosaic.  Look how tiny some of the trees are! 


Here is one of my tiny hand carved glass circles.  Watch a video of me cutting a few stained glass circles by clicking this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqi9H959BRQ


Here is a shot of the taped mosaic before the gluing and grouting process. 


Here I am grouting the glued mosaic with sanded charcoal grout.


Here is a detail of the mosaic while I'm still cleaning of the excess grout.


Here is another shot our secluded back country campsite on a 20 mile hike through the Teton Mountains in Wyoming which has inspired my current work in progress. This photo shows some of the rock piles and shrubbery which I have incorporated into my composition. Here the Grand Teton is illuminated during sunset - I liked this and am working to also show this aspect in my mosaic
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Art Reception July 26, 2013

July 12, 2013, 1:41 pm
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I'm heading to Montana for two weeks and will be back in Boulder in time for the opening of an art exhibit I'm participating in at the Rembrandt Yard Gallery right here in downtown. The reception for the show will be taking place on Friday the 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Hope to see some of you there and please spread the word if you know anyone who might enjoy seeing my work in person. I will have mosaics as well as drawings on display so it will show a wide array of my work.


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Summer Art Show Opening @ Rembrandt Yard Gallery in Boulder

July 28, 2013, 8:42 am
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Blue Lotus Mosaic

August 1, 2013, 10:06 am
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Blue Lotus, stained glass mosaic, 22" x 22", 2013 available for purchase:http://kasiamosaicsstore.blogspot.com/

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The beginning ...


Here is a shot of the completed flower before I began working on the background. 


Here you can see the mosaic glued still with the tape on the face, drying for the grouting process.

Here you can the mosaic in the grouting process - my favorite part!
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