VISITING ARTIST SERIES: LAUREL SKYE
Garden of 1,000 Flowers (Millefiori Workshop)

Instructor: Laurel Skye
Sessions:2
Times:Saturday 10am - 4pm and Sunday 10am - 1pm
Level: Beginner or Intermediate
Cost: $195
Materials:$75, payable to Instructor on first day of class, includes Gold Smalti from Orsoni, Millefiori and colorati

Institute of Mosaic Art is proud to welcome mosaic artist, Laurel Skye. Laurel is a featured artist in Mosaic Art and Style— Designs for Living Environments by JoAnn Loctov, 2005 as well as featured on HGTV's Offbeat America in 2006.

Millefiori literally translates to mean 1,000 flowers. Each glass rod is processed with a continuous pattern, much like a flower, running throughout the cane. Then sliced cross sections are used as tesserae. There are hundreds of patterns and just as many color combinations. Internationally acclaimed instructor Laurel Skye will show students the techniques she practiced in Italy and now uses in her own distinctive work.

In this workshop students will use the age-old technique of setting tesserae into a mortar bed to create their very own 'Italian Mirror".

Laurel will demonstrate how to work with the cane and sliced Millefiori to create exciting patterns and intricate design. Students will use a variety of materials including smalti, stained glass, vitreous and van gogh glass, 24 K Orsoni gold , gold colorati smalti, Asian gold, and of course, cane and sliced Millefiori. This will all be set into a mortar bed, which will be created using Mapei and concentrated colored pigments.

Instructor will talk about design and demonstrate the use of wheeled glass cutters , as well as pistol grip glass cutters and running pliers to use on the sheets of stained glass and van gogh glass, which will be provided. A myriad of cutting patterns and laying designs will be explored as well as cutting techniques that Laurel implements in much of her work, such as the "Pencil Cut" will be demontrated. Instructor will also demonstrate how to wrap copper rods with wire to embed along with other tesserae to create additional textural design.

Brackets will be provided for finishing and hanging your one of a kind mirror that you can take home and cherish for years to come.

The embedding process offers an excellent base for all kinds of found objects to be added in as embellishments. Please feel free to bring any pieces from home, such as buttons, charms, old jewelry (broken or not), small photos or images about 2" to use under glass and other findings to help personalize your mirror.

Fee includes all materials and tools, although students may wish to bring their own glass cutters.

No scheduled sessions

For photos of this and other classes check out our photo gallery



Institute of Mosaic Art  |  Oakland, California  |  info@instituteofmosaicart.com  |  510.437.9899  |  Copyright © 2010 Institute of Mosaic Art. All rights reserved.
Masthead: Left and Right: Mosaic Detail by Laurel True, Middle: Mosaic by Amy Neiman