"Exquisite" Mosaic Exhibit Opening in San Francisco July 20

We will happily go to any event, anywhere, anytime that contemporary mosaic aficionado/advocate/author JoAnn Locktov is behind. The woman has exquisite taste and a talent for making mosaic magic happen wherever she goes. That is why we are so excited about "Contemporary Mosaic Art: An Exquisite Collection", an exhibit she is co-curating with artist Kate Kerrigan that will open in San Francisco July 20th.

Six of the seven artists included in the upcoming SF exhibit have been featured in the pages of MAN; one of them took Best in Show in the 2010 Exhibition in Print (EIP). All of them have had works in the Society of American Mosaic Artists' Mosaic Arts International (MAI) -- some multiple times. These artists have garnered international recognition as well. Richey and Kerrigan were 2009 Orsoni Prize winners with Ms. Richey taking the Grand Prize. Ms. King recently was awarded a special recognition in the 2010 International Prize for Mosaic Art and Architecture by the Exhibition Commission in Italy.

Did we say the woman had taste? What follows is a press release generated by Ms. Locktov and her communications firm, Bella Figura. We highly recommend that if you are even close to the San Francisco Bay Area, you plan a trip to see this show. The photos below are just a sample of what will be available to be seen up close and personal.

Enjoy -- Nancie

Perspective Golden Gate Bridge by Kate Kerrigan Smalti.

San Francisco, CA..........Contemporary Mosaic Art: An Exquisite Collection opens July 20 and runs through October 1, 2010, daily from 9 AM to 6 PM, at the Concourse Gallery, 555 California Street, San Francisco, CA. The exhibit features the work of six renowned mosaic artists: Ellen Blakeley, Kate Kerrigan, Sonia King, Julie Richey, Lillian Sizemore and Laurel True. Curated by mosaic book author JoAnn Locktov and artist Kate Kerrigan in association with Casey & Associates. The exhibit includes 14 works of mixed media mosaic art in 2D and sculpture. For more information please contact Jan Casey at (415) 834-2394.

Each award winning artist has been working in mosaic for over a decade, crafting their art from materials as diverse as asphalt, 24k gold leaf tile, marble, tempered glass, shells and semi precious stones.

Ellen Blakeley uses fallen Live Oak tree branches as the base for her new Bark Series. The recycled tempered glass sculptures, utilize a technique she developed in 1993, layering transparent glass over pigments and metallic powders.

Meredith Live Oak bark, recycled tempered glass, paint, metallic powders.
Winner Exhibition in Print 2010

Kate Kerrigan employs the traditional methods and materials of the Byzantine masters to interpret her own photographic images into intuitive landscapes.

February Morning, Paris Italian stone, gold
Selected for MAI 2010

Sonia King's mosaics provide intricate maps to the textured cartography of her imagination.

Permafrost Glass, ceramic, coral, white gold, smalti, quartz, silver, marble, rock crystal, seashell, pearls, aluminum, selenite, abalone, pebbles.
Selected for MAI 2010

Julie Richey juxtaposes the sensuous draping of fabric with unyielding glass mosaic, creating an alluring contradiction.

Nightshirt Smalti, 24k gold smalti, dichroic glass, stained glass, smalti, filati, millefiori
Winner Grand Prize Orsoni International 2009
Lillian Sizemore references mandalas to guide the placement of her rare and often vintage materials.

VOX Marble, granite, new and vintage golds, pyrite, blue calcite, mother of pearl, vintage crystals, smalti, copper, mica

Laurel True celebrates urban grit with the found detritus of her city streets, elevating asphalt and concrete to a cultivated status.

Crack Asphalt, concrete, gold smalti

In addition to their fine art mosaics, the artists produce custom private and public mosaic installations throughout the world. More examples of their work and teaching schedules can be seen on their respective web sites.