Mosaic Monday: Obsessions, Studies, Production?

ATC Mosaic Trading Cards
© rebecca collins

Pink Octopus
© rebecca collins

Last weekend I took part in a local ATC mosaic card trade and the theme was the beach. It gave me a great excuse to revisit Squid and Octopus. I made a pink octopus and a red tentacle that I traded, but I had one pink Jelly fish looking guy that I could not let go of because I loved him too much. I really liked his composition and it sort of inspired an entire "series" of ATC sized Octopuses, or Octopi. So this last weekend I started working on a full dozen ACEO cards.

Red Tentacle
© rebecca collins

Doing so many of these in different colors I started thinking about the terms artists use when working in multiples on the same subject. I could call this a "study" because I am having fun seeing how the different glasses combine and cut. I could call it a "series, or I could say that it is "production" work since I do intend to sell them eventually. I will for now avoid the "production word", because for me that implies it is no longer fun and I am actually have a great time doing these little cards. Each one is very different even though they have the same basic layout. I do intend to choose my favorite color combo and create a larger project based off of these little experiments so I suppose they are study in a sense.

And then there is the whole concept of "obsessions". My very first mosaic was an octopus, and then my next 6 projects were Cephalopods of some sort and here I am returning to the subject again.  We recently saw the Chagall show here in Dallas and boy did that man have his iconography down. Half way through the show you started looking for a goat, rooster, or violin in every single painting he did. Don't get me wrong, I loved his work and the show. Where was I, oh yes, artists do tend to get stuck on subjects and themes and I do not know when it borders on obsession and when it is just knowing what you like. I like squid, I like bugs, I like birds, I like robots, and yes of course I like dogs and cats. I like technology and I like glass.  I think I will always return to the same themes over and over again. When it comes to my personal mosaic work it is never really about the subject when you get right down to it and it is much more about the process and the simple love of making things.