Collaborative Matryoshka Sculpture - A K+K Project

The Matryoshka Doll sculpture was a collaborative effort between me (Kasia) a mosaic artist and Kyle a designer.  We have collaborated in the past, but this is by far our most fruitful project to date.  For a couple of years we've been toying with the idea of creating a mosaic sculpture.  Finally when the doll came up, we knew that it was the perfect subject.  The curves are pleasing to the eye and the form is suitable for applying a mosaic to it.  Creating the form alone was a huge undertaking.  Kyle spent weeks researching, sculpting and prepping the form for me to mosaic over.  I've also spent weeks researching the doll, designing our concept, theme and colors, and fabricating the mosaic.  Our doll is a youthful, curvy and joyful.  She is a symbol of fertility as other Matryoshka dolls are.  She is pure and vailed in white.  Her eyes and the pin that holds her scarf in place are green like the jade stone which symbolized life and growth.  Her belly, which will swell with life and protect her growing children, is covered with a lotus flower which signifies purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration and rebirth. 

Mosaic Matryoshka Sculpture (front view), mosaic by Kasia Polkowska, sculpture by Kyle Cunniff, 24" high, 2011

Side and Rear View of the Matryoshka Doll

Below are some photos of the process of  the constructing and the sculpting of the doll form as well as of the fabrication and the application of the mosaic onto the form.  These are only a few of the many steps we took to bring our doll to life.  If you'd like to see more photos of our journey, visit Kasia Mosaics on Facebook.

Kyle creating the form of the doll

To the Left: The geometric plan for the Lotus Flower  To the Right: Detail of working on the face

To the Left: Ungrouted Top View  To the Right: Gluing piece by piece

Staying up late, working in in parts, hoping to finish in time for the exhibit

Matryoshka (Matrioszka) Doll

Matryoshka Doll, stained glass mosaic on plywood, 30" x 23", 2011

This is the first part of the Matryoshka Project.  Last year Kyle and I collaborated on a 3D Matryoshka Doll sculpture. We worked on the concept together.  He designed and fabricated the 3D form and I designed and fabricated the mosaic pattern.  This 2D doll was created by me to work out the design for the 3D doll.  Though she took on a life of her own and became her own piece.  

I love the fresh and lively feeling of the combination of blue and green.  I wanted her to look youthful, modern and full of good energy.  Her belly is imprinted with the lotus flower - a symbol for purity and divine life.  For me she is the symbol of a youthful woman, full of life and energy.  As a nesting doll she is curvy and symbolizes the fertility of a youthful beauty.

Below is some of the process of how she came to life.

Left: Color Concept Sketch   Right: Black and White Mosaic Sketch

Mosaic Fabrication Over the Color Sketch

Left: Detail of the Cheek   Right: Detail of Lotus Flower

Left: Progress of the Face   Right: Laying the Tesserae

Left: Mosaic Taped and Ready for Gluing   Right: Grouting

Night Owl

Night Owl, stained glass mosaic on wood, 26" x 16", 2012  (available)

A few weeks ago I  decided that this year I will finally start sketching out my ideas for a large series of work I've been planning in my head for the last couple of years.  I won't get into explaining what it is just yet but it involves a bird - to be more specific a hawk.  This bird will be a recurring character though out most of the pieces in the series (12 - 20 large drawings with mosaic counter parts).  Because the project will be so large and intricate, I've decided to begin a study of the hawk to understand its physical structure so that I will be able to portray him (actually a her) as best as possible. 

During my research, I kept getting distracted by photos of owls.  After a few hours, I couldn't get the owl out of my head so I decided that the only way to be able to focus on my hawk was to first make an owl ... a couple of weeks later my 'Night Owl' is finished and I am so happy that I decided to go on a whim and make this playful piece. Rather than creating a full mosaic, I glued my owl to a panel of wood I stained to look like a forest at dusk.  I was a little bit nervous about it but I think it turned out well.

Mt Elmore

Kicking of 2012 with a new Vermont inspired landscape! I began working on this piece a few weeks back in December. It allowed me to time travel to a sunny spring day at Mt Elmore =)

Spring in Vermont is amazing to watch. Living in the Northeast Kingdom was filled with so many beautiful things but one of the luckiest things was witnessing the changing flower fields. Every week the grassy fields would be covered by a new color and a new flower. Each week I was surprised to see patches of yellow, white, pink, purple or orange. I watched in awe!

Mt Elmore, stained glass mosaic on board, 8.25" x 18", 2012 contact for price

Driving in Vermont is another phenomena.  There are no billboards and everything is picturesque.  While gazing out the passenger's window, I caught a glimpse of an extremely pink field.  We were on the way somewhere and couldn't turn back to take a closer look or a picture but it has stuck with me because it looked so unique.

Then last spring, driving here in the Midwest, I've spotted pink flowers on the highway and was reminded that I wanted to recreate this in a mosaic.  I looked through my glass and one green piece stood out to me as Mt Elmore so I decided to combine the pink flower field with one of my favorite scenic mountains.  I got to watch Mt Elmore from my porch for half a year but my favorite view of it was also caught while driving.  I liked seeing it standing alone, apart from the other mountains and I dressed it up with my own field of pink flowers. 

Process shot of Mt Elmore.  All the circles have been shaped and its onto the trees!

Messy process shot.  The aftermath of shaping the little pink circles that are my flower field.

Matryoszka Collaboration with Kyle Cunniff

Kyle and I have recently collaborated on a Matryoszka Doll Sculpture. Kyle sculpted the shape, we worked on the design together and I mosaiced the sculpture. In addition I created a mixed media 2D mosaic Matryoszka.. Here is a glimpse into our process. Go to Kasia Mosaics on Facebook to view the full album (you don't need a Facebook account for this).  I'll try to post photos of the finished mosaics soon!  Meanwhile if you are in the Chicago stop by Design Cloud Studios where you can see both pieces till January 7, 2012.

Design Cloud

Its been a very busy month. Between planing a long distance move and finishing up a couple ambitious projects, I haven't found the time to post an important update about the latest exhibit I took part in. The opening was on November 17th. It was actually the grand opening event for Design Cloud in Chicago. It was a great party with live art and great energy. The show will be up till January 7,2012 so if you're in the Chicago area its worth a look! I have a brand new mosaic sculpture on display (collaboration with designer/artist Kyle Cunniff). In addition I have two 2D mosaics along with three charcoal drawing in the show.

Art For Heart

Here is a little change of pace from mosaics, a glimpse at some of my drawings. This upcoming weekend I will be exhibiting 10 landscape and architectural drawings. One of the drawings will be auctioned of to benefit the Gift From The Heart Foundation as well as the Polish Museum of America.

Location: Polish Museum of America

984 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago

When: Fri 7-11pm, Sat 12-7pm, Sun 12-6pm

Opening Reception: Friday September 30 7-11pm

Below is the flier with the event information.  

Imagining Winter

More Snow Is Coming, stained glass mosaic on board, 7 1/4" x 28", 2011

Here is my latest Vermont landscape. A couple years back while driving through VT in the winter I was completely mesmerized by the snowy, yet brownish mountain-scape all around me. Right away I wanted to capture it in a mosaic.  This particular landscape also happens to be part of a series of mosaics of my favorite view of the green mountains as seen from the porch of the yurt I lived in while staying in Vermont.

Here are the triplets from my Bonnieview Farm Landcape Series all framed and ready! 

Pink Floyd's Echos

Last month, a friend asked me to listen to Pink Floyd's Echos; that was his one specification for a project he commissioned me to make.  The rest was up to me.  Here is a youtube video of the first part of Pink Floyd's Echos live performance at Pompeii (that was the main inspiration for the image).

Below are two photos of my mosaic interpretation of "Echos".  Its a dynamic piece that changes with the light (special effects in glass ... fitting to interpret a song with such incredible special effects).  Most of it is created with iridescent glass so I included 2 images to show how it can change with just a slight change of light or the shift of the viewer's head.  

Echos, stained glass mosaic on board, 8 5/8" x 16 5/8", 2011

Echos, stained glass mosaic on board, 8 5/8" x 16 5/8", 2011

Some of the lyrics I choose to base my image on:

... And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of coral caves, The echo of a distant tide ...

... But something stirs and something tries, And starts to climb towards the light ...

... Strangers passing in the street, By chance two separate glances meet, And I am you and what I see is me ...

... And no-one flies around the sun ...

... And so I throw the windows wide, And call to you across the sky ...

Click to read full lyrics

Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival

Coming up during the last weekend of July, I will be participating in a very exciting group show at the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival. The exhibit will display "the works of contemporary artists of Polish descend who upon moving to United States became extensively “open” or “perceptive” to the ideas of their new culture and its existing art trends."  

"Once a year, Logan Square's commercial corridor transforms into a full-blown arts district". 

"This year's Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival features dozens of independently curated visual art galleries, interactive arts activities for the whole family, a spectacle of performance arts, and an electrifying music line-up on multiple stages."

"While the arts and music feed your senses, also enjoy craft beers by Revolution Brewing, gourmet mobile food trucks, an open-air market of local artisans and more!"

When: July 29 - 31, 2011 Friday 4 - 11pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon - 11pm

Where: Along N. Milwaukee Avenue between California and Kimball in Logan Square, Chicago 

My work will be displayed at Unzipped II at the following address 2314 N. Milwaukee. 

Cannonsville Reservoir

Cannonsville Reservoir, stained glass mosaic on board, 10" x 13", 2011

A couple years ago - while spending a weekend in the Catskills in New York - I stumbled upon this beautiful place.  

While admiring the beautiful scenery from the passenger's seat, I spotted a small clearing in the woods and asked Kyle to turn around.  We follow the little path down to the reservoir and were greeted with this magnificent view!  It was an accidental find but the image has stayed with me since.  The shore made of stones and the hazy, old mountains in the distances were imbedded in my little artist register in my head.  I knew then that one day I would recreate this view in a mosaic.

 

Above on the left is a in progress shot.  You can see some of the little sketches I've made, trying to figure out how I'd like to cut the glass to get the desired effect.  I used the nippers quiet a lot to shape the stones and the little ripples in the water - which is what created all the little glass shards in the photo to the right.  I try to sweep often while I work, to avoid tracking the glass all over my apartment, where my studio is located.  Sometimes I sweep the shards into a little mountain and only discard it after I complete the mosaic.  Its a trophy of sorts.  This one was particularly interesting.

To the right, is my mosaic with a different sky I first created.  Despite making preliminary sketches, I had some issues when it came to the sky.  After completing it and having lived with it for a couple weeks, I decided that the sky had to go!  I knocked it of, and started fresh to get a much better effect.

Match Girl

 

Match Girl, stained glass mosaic on plywood, 40" x 30", 2011

I just completed this mosaic for an upcoming show "Match Girl: a Body of Work by Kasia Polkowska" The exhibit is at the CMS Gallery @ the Chicago Mosaic School running from May 31st till July 27th.

The mosaic is based on an image I painted a few years back while studying at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. My original painting depicted the imaginary spaces I thought up while reading Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Match Girl" - one of the most memorable fairy tales from my childhood.

In the upper left hand corner (inside a room, among the apartment buildings) my mother is reading the story to me and my two sisters. As she approaches the sad ending - an ending I've heard before - I leap out of the room landing in the story. Though I am too late; all that is left of the little girl is a shadow surrounded by light, as her soul ascends to heaven.

"The Match Girl: A Body of Work by Kasia Polkowska"

Yesterday, with the wonderful help of Kyle, Gavin and Mia, we installed the works for my upcoming solo show at the CMS Gallery at the Chicago Mosaic School. Please come out and join us for the opening reception this Friday June 3rd 6pm - 9pm.

Here is an excerpt from the press release by Gavin from the Chicago Mosaic School:

"This summer the Chicago Mosaic School Gallery is proud to exhibit fine contemporary mosaic work by artist Kasia Polkowska. The CMS Gallery seeks to exhibit the finest in mosaics, as well as supporting work in other media of creative expression. This show presents a range of Polkowska’s work in varying media including oil on canvas, ceramics, and contemporary stained glass mosaic. Born in Poland, Polkowska has lived in Brooklyn and Chicago where she now continues working in and deepening her mastery of the mosaic form. On her online blog,* she comments on her process, “I draw my inspiration from [… ] the endless magic, mystery, and magnificence of Mother Nature. I am particularly fascinated by mountainous landscapes, rock formations and natural patterns.” New work for this exhibit includes interpretations of Uxmal in Mexico in addition to a series of landscapes. The exhibit will be open May 31 – July 27, 2011. ..."

Located one the second floor of the building one block north of Irving Park Road, west of the Metra track at Ravenswood, just off the Brown line Irving Park “L” stop. Parking is available in front of the building on a limited basis, but there is parking on Cuyler and Ravenswood on both sides of the tracks.

CMS Gallery Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 12:00PM - 2:30PM
Wednesday 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Thursday 11:00AM - 2:30PM
Friday 10:00AM - 3:00PM
Saturday 10:00AM - 12:30PM
Sunday 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Also by appointment.

Reliving Vermont

Autumn Foggy Morning, stained glass mosaic on plywood, 7" x 28", 2011

While living in Vermont last year, this landscape became imbedded in my memory and in my heart. The first time I set my eyes on these mountains, I knew that I would never forget them. I first sketched this composition last year and shortly after made a mosaic based on it. Currently living in Chicago far away from the mountains, my mind lingers back to Vermont, to the porch from which I admired this very view. Working on a new version of this landscape allowed me to go back to this special place, a place I think of often.

Foggy Morning, stained glass mosaic on plywood, 7" x 28", 2010

The above, "Foggy Morning", is the first version which I built with the mountains right in front of me. On my porch where I saw the most beautiful scenery, heard the cayotes sing, the lambs cry. I felt the fresh rain drops on my skin, a hawk zoomed by my head only a few feet away, a humming bird hovered inches away above me while I snipped away at orange and yellow glass. This image brings back so many memories - it takes me back to a magical time.

Upcoming Group Show at the Black Cloud Gallery

Come out this Friday to the opening of a group show I am participating in. The show is titled "She" and is taking place at the Black Cloud Gallery . My new landscapes will be on display along with the work of three other artists: Deva Suckerman, Chandrika Marla and Jane Michalski.

I dropped of my work today and was happy to see the work of the other artists so colorful, textured and so different from one another but at the same time complementing one another. It should be a great show!

There is plenty of opportunities to catch the show. The gallery is located at 1909 South Halsted Street in East Pilsen, Chicago. The regular gallery hours are 10am-2pm Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun.

Opening Reception: Friday, May 6th at 7-10pm
2nd Friday Art Walk: Friday, May 13th, 6-10pm

Fun With Iridescent Glass

Untitled, stained glass mosaic on board, 5"x11", 2011

Lately I've been having fun making lots of small landscapes. I think this is one is going to be one of the last ones for a while, as I am getting ready to start a new series of work.

I thought this would be fun to post because of the iridescent quality of this mosaic. It starts out as a sketch, which I build upon. Though that's always a rough idea. I never actually cut the glass as drawn in the sketch - you can see that with the sky which I decided to change after I built the mountains. In the bottom two photos, the changing color of the glass is apparent. Most of the glass is iridescent gray and blue but it shimmers in the light as you look at it from different angles!

Autumn in Vermont

View from Stowe Pinnacle, stained glass mosaic on board, 8"x18", 2011

Here is a photograph of my friend Sami and my boyfriend Kyle. They are sitting at Stowe Pinnacle, the top of a very nice hike in the Green Mountains of Vermont. It was a beautiful autumn day and this particular view made a lasting impression on me.

View From My Porch, stained glass mosaic on board, 8"x18", 2011

In this photo is a view of the sunset from my porch in Vermont. While living up there for six months, I've gotten to see so many incredible landscapes. This is one that I've captured with a photo and today recreated into another pleasant memory that has a physical form as one of my mosaic landscapes.

Here is a little glimpse into my studio. You can see one of my landscapes in process and all of my essential tools. I thought it would be fun to show my piles of glass, one for the mountains and the other for the sky. And finally the little shards of glass that are created while I trim and shape all the glass. While working, I kept sweeping them into a little glass mountain of its own. Its fun to watch it grow because it makes me realize just how many times I snip my tools go create all the little balls!

Wilderness Volunteers Online Auction 2011

"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."

I love and appreciate America's incredible National Parks.   Since the American landscape plays such a huge part in my work and it is so dear to my hear, donating one of my landscape mosaics to the cause seemed only natural,  To the left is "Landscape V" the mosaic available on Wilderness Volunteers Online Auction.  A lot of neat outdoor related items and vacation spot and retreats are listed on the page - it is worth checking out and it supports a great cause!

The mosaic is created in stained glass and measures 3" x 6".  It has an inner and an outerframe double to protect the glass from damage.  The outer frame is made in oak, stained walnut and finished in a semi-gloss polyurethane.  (For reference - All of the work on this website is framed similarly either in oak or in pine, stained in various earthy tones.)  With the frame the piece measures 4"x7".

Here you can see the back of the art work.  It is signed, dated and ready to hang!  The starting bid is very minimal -  this is a great opportunity to acquire a handmade item and to support the effort to maintain the beauty and order of our National Parks.  Click Here for the actual listing.  The auction begins February 28th at 12 noon and runs till March 15th 2011.

Launching a Facebook Page

The last couple of weeks I've been debating whether or not to create a Facebook Fan page for my mosaic work.  The social network won and I am launching Kasia Mosaics on Facebook!  If you enjoy my work here, please visit the new page and show your support by clicking "Like" and if you leave a comment that would be even more appreciated!

I will still be updating this blog as I did before with new mosaics, process and inspiration photos, background stories behind the work and news about exhibits.  Currently I am working on a lot of new work, which I hope to start uploading in the coming weeks.  Pictures coming soon!

Vermont Autumn

View from Killington, stained glass mosaic on board, 5.5" x 11", 2011 (available, contact for price)

The above mosaic is based of a photograph I took at Killington Mountain in Vermont this past September.  It was a beautiful day and the cloudy but sunny atmosphere created a retro feeling - at least for me.  The rolling mountains were dressed in oranges, ochers, and yellows with occasional green pines that concentrated on the highest peaks.  Every time I work on a mosaic inspired by Vermont - a place very dear to my heart, I feel that I give back some of what Vermont has given me, which I cannot put into words.

No Particular Place

Untitled, stained glass mosaic on wood, 7" x 13.5", 2011 (contact for price)

This is no particular place though it can be many different places.  I often think off all the mountains that are out there scattered through out the world.  Discovering new places and experiencing them first hand, gives us the opportunity to to be there in a very particular moment when the weather, the time of day and year creates a very special visual effect.  Spring is coming but the air still feels like winter. The snow is beginning to melt to expose the natural patterns on the faces of the mountains that can only be seen as a whole from far away.  That's one way of looking at it ...

Gray Scale

 

 Untitled, stained glass mosaic on wood, 7.75"x11", 2011

This above piece was inspired by a combination of places.  The shapes of the rock formations and mountains come from the Grand Canyon of Arizona.  Though the colors, the lakes and the atmosphere comes from a really magical place in Poland "Morskie Oko". 

The above photo was taken in autumn on a gloomy, foggy day in the Tatra Mountains .  Usually on those days, hikers are often disappointed because the magnificent views through out the hike are veiled in white fog.  But on that day the surrounding views appeared in gray scale and were softly wrapped in white - the atmosphere was very unusual and we felt like we were on the moon. Out of the clearing we could see hints of the mountains coming into view and disappearing into nowhere.   It was a truly magical day!

Currently I am designing  a few other landscapes that will pay tribute to this incredible scenery.  New landscape mosaics and photos from the trip coming soon!