Rejuvenate – to give new energy or vigour to; revitalize. A labyrinth can be a metaphor for life's journey. A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It also combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. Restoration can sometimes be achieved by contemplating and reflecting on the colour that is life and allowing the path to guide us to our destination.
Rejuvenation in this case means turning another artists rubbish into a piece of art. I was recently given stone core drillings from a local stone carver and immediately thought - treasure. Some have also been rejuvenated with gold leaf. Even the old frame has been given a new life. Stone core drillings, china fish, gold leaf.
When I thought of rejuvenation I immediately thought of home. I have lived in beautiful Ōtautahi for 25 years now, however my home is Te Matau-a-Māui. I go home to Hawkes Bay to rejuvenate, to ground myself and re-establish a sense of balance and belonging. This mosaic is a beach scene; waves, stones (from one of our local beaches) and a simple cairn representing balance. It is made from glass, smalti, shimmer, vintage china and millefiori. The frame is made by The Silvan using wood lovingly saved and upcycled from the Christchurch earthquake.
My interpretation of Rejuvenation is ‘Perspective’. One can see ‘Life/situations/things” through a negative dark force or choose a positive, bright ,golden force. I tried to show the thought contrasts in this mosaic. Rejuvenation to me means start again. One could think dark thoughts hence the black tiles and black grout or change that showing the transition with the grey tiles and grey grout. Finally to positive thoughts with the white and gold. Materials used beads, old glasses frame, earing’s, tiles and 3 colours of grout.
The green is American Slate which was used in slate roof tiles in Auckland in the 1930/1940's. Note the nail hole in one of the pieces. Also contains reused cup handles, stone, fresh water pearls, paua shell, red glass and lampwork beads.
At the end of a busy and stressful day in the city I drive home to my beautiful, wild west coast beach. I rarely miss a chance to see the sunset, with its iconic rock in shadow at the south end of the beach. This is my ‘Rejuvenation’, where I can wash away the city stresses and watch the sun go down, ready for a fresh start the next day. Medium: Vitreous tiles, iridescent stained glass, ceramics. Substrate: Plywood.
Red Smalti, bullets, millefiori, gold mirror and glass tiles. Rejuvenated bullets have never looked so lovely.
Italian smalti, seed, bugle and other beads. There is no great story behind this piece, I simply discovered a very white, very plain and boring resin skull while out shopping one day and decided it needed to become a mosaic. I enjoy finding unexciting substrates and giving them new life. Jádí is the Navajo word for antelope and I used to live and work in New Mexico, which is part of their tribal lands so the name seemed appropriate.
Had a little giggle with this one and took the rejuvenation theme a tad literally. I happened to find a piece of an old Numol ‘body building’ tonic jar and so I figured ….. I will ‘build a body’ (!) This is the new Molly (Nu mol) – 3D - 200 mm tall - Broken ginger beer bottle, and broken shards.
Italian smalti, stained glass, glass gems, millefiori, seed, bugle and jet beads, alphabet letters. Apoxie sculpt eyes, nose, mouth and nails. This is one of a pair of plaster dogs that my mother received as a 21st birthday present, so they are about 75 years old. I always loved them as a child and often used to ask if I could have them when she died (charming child). This one had a bit of a hard life and needed a leg and half his muzzle rebuilt with apoxie sculpt before I could begin mosaicing (you should see the before pics!). My mother was known as ‘Dot’ so I have incorporated her name into the piece.
And the winner is: Labyrinth by Jenny Cooper!
Congratulations to Jenny, who has already received the good news and our $100 prize money.
A big thank you to all of you who submitted work for this exhibition and for all NZMA-members who took the time to vote!
The theme for our third online competition was rejuvenation, interpreted in whichever way the mosaic makers decided to.
Works are original and were created especially for this competition. The winner receives $100. All exhibitors are members of the NZMA.
Entries:
1) Stoned Fish by Anne Bowden
2) Home by Jennie Cooper
3) Thoughts by Elwyn Scott
4) Go with the Flow by Pat George
5) Labyrinth by Jenny Cooper (FIRST PRIZE)
6) Te Henga Sunset by Lynx
7) Shot Through by Pat George
8) Jádí by Sharon Pine
9) Molly by Joanne Luker
10) 21 and Counting by Sharon Pine
Previous
December 2020 Next
November 2021 – No Theme
December 2020 Next
November 2021 – No Theme
