“New Hope – New York” Juror’s Choice Exhibition

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Norine

Come out of hibernation! Join us on Saturday evening, February 7, from 6-8, for the opening reception of the “New Hope-New York Juror’s Choice Exhibition.”

For the month of February, New Hope Arts is showcasing the work of the ten artists who were selected by Ellen Bradshaw of Pleiades Gallery NY, during the Members’ Show of 2014. My bamboo mosaic, The Dream Keeper, was one of the works selected. This, and five more of my natural mosaics will be included in the presentation at New Hope Arts.

Read my NEWSLETTER for more about the inspiration behind these works.

NHArts is located at 2 Stockton Ave., 2nd floor; click link for more info, or call 215-862-9606. Our show runs until February 22. Get out of the house – take a scenic ride to one of your favorite river towns!

The Dream Keeper

Gateway to Dreams

Crossroads

“Offerings”

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Norine

“Offerings”
Bamboo Mosaic, 25″ x 25″

This is my latest work in bamboo. A lot is going on here: The “moon” motif shows the inside of a section of bamboo that I worked into mosaic tesserae, to which I applied a pale blue paint glaze. The space around the moon is bamboo that I’ve tooled on the bandsaw and added paint to, which gives the effect of tree bark. These pieces together evoke a forest. I created a “moon glow” patina by wiping and sanding off some paint and letting other rest in the saw kerfs.

The “offerings” are elegant pieces of bamboo that I tooled and attached to the long arcing strands; these are movable elements. These strands and all of the pieces are made from a few poles of bamboo – this is what keeps me enthralled with this natural, extremely versatile medium! Read more about the inspiration behind these works in my NEWSLETTER.

“New Hope to New York”

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Norine

“The Dream Keeper”
Bamboo Mosaic
25″ x 25″ natural and painted bamboo

“New Hope to New York” is the name of this year’s New Hope Arts Members’ Show. Ellen Bradshaw, president of the Pleiades Gallery in New York, was the juror for this show. I’m honored to be among 10 artists whose work was selected to go to the Pleiades Gallery in New York for their group show in December and January. Thank you, Ellen!

My mosaic was inspired by a poem of the same name, by Langston Hughes. I love this:

The Dream Keeper by Langston Hughes
Bring me all of your dreams, you dreamer,
Bring me all your heart melodies,
That I may wrap them in a blue cloud-cloth,
Away from the too-rough fingers of the world.

Bamboo mosaic detail photos

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Norine

Here are a few more detail photos of my latest bamboo mosaic. You can see the umber paint-glaze I applied to the bamboo strips of the background. By scratching through the glaze I’m able to control the tonal areas, making an area lighter by degrees. I’ll post the finished work soon.

Detail of bamboo mosaic in progress

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Norine

This is a detail of the bamboo mosaic I’m finishing up. These small movable bamboo rings slide along flexible bamboo strands. You could see the fine angle I cut into the edges of the strands, and get a glimpse of why these mosaics are labor-of-love-intensive. Its as much about the details as anything. The background is a series of bamboo strips, over which I painted a glaze of burnt umber paint. This laid the groundwork for a texture I wanted to create, by scratching and cutting into the paint with a sharp blade.

Your questions and comments are always welcome!

“Crossroads”

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Norine

“Crossroads”
Bamboo and Wood Mosaic
16.5″ x 16.5″ / bamboo and stained poplar

I created this piece after a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, a place where various spiritual paths blend amid the sacred sites, missions, and pueblo villages. Symbolism and spirituality abound there in Santa Fe (“Holy Faith”), and my mosaic signifies these diverse paths sharing a common center.

This work is part of the Sculpture 2014 Exhibition at New Hope Arts, New Hope, PA until May 18. Hours are 12-5 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Your comments and questions are always welcome!

Silverpoint Drawings of Twisted Vines

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Norine

Silverpoint Drawing on prepared paper
3.5″ x 5.5″

I love coming across these natural works of art while walking through the woods. The more twisted, viney, or misshapen, the better a subject! While drawing, it helps to imagine being the vine or branch, winding ’round and ’round a core.

Here’s another:

Silverpoint Drawing on prepared paper
4.5″ x 6.5″

Sculpture New Hope – exhibiting artists

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Norine

Sculpture New Hope!

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Norine

Sculpture New Hope 2014!

See the newest creations from 50 original artists who are working in Bronze, Wood, Ceramic, Found Object, Steel, Glass, Bamboo, and…well, let’s find out what else on Saturday, April 12 from 6-8 p.m. at New Hope Arts Center, 2 Stockton Avenue!

I have two Bamboo Mosaics in this show, here’s a photo of “Passing Through”.

If you can’t make it to Saturday’s Opening Reception to join the artists and art lovers, don’t worry, you have until May 18 to enjoy the show. Hope to see you there!
Please check gallery hours at:
New Hope Arts
215-862-9606

Works in Progress….

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Norine

These photos show a few of the steps I take while working out compositions and techniques in bamboo. The first photo shows the bamboo strands that I rough cut for the main section of the panel. These strands are removed in sequence, then inserted into a piece of cardboard for the next step…

The second photo shows a refinement step, where I use a knife to cut a fine bevel into the sides of each of the strands. When cutting bamboo, the edges can become extremely sharp, which is another reason that I take great care to finish them. The background panel (in first photo) will be repainted before I include additional mosaic details, and re-insert the bamboo strands.

There is a lot of experimentation involved in getting to a composition, but it needs to be worked out beforehand. This last photo shows another variation of the “strand” theme that I’m immersed in right now. More to come, as the works evolve….