Over Water
Ocean City, Maryland

The large mosaic piece, Over Water, was created throughout the spring and summer of 2005 in my Broom Factory studio, and was installed by Tim Goss at the Capri Condominium in Ocean City Maryland in March of 2006.  Measuring 5 feet by 2 feet, Over Water is the largest piece to date of a body of work focusing on abstracted birds. 
 
Birds have held a fascination for me since my early childhood on a farm in Wisconsin.  I grew up with binoculars in my hand, and our birdfeeder was filled every morning.  I still have a cherished photograph of a chickadee eating seeds out of my hand at age 4 or 5.  Gulls in particular have been long familiar, as the farm is located very near Lake Michigan, my first “ocean”.  

This piece captures the stillness of one of those privileged moments:  it is the witness of a bird’s silent grace skimming the water’s surface, seemingly drawing the horizon line behind it with its tail feathers.  I love the two sides to gulls:  their awkward gawky land selves, clumsily tottering on the sand turn to a poetry of motion in the air, a brilliant white confetti in the sun, and jet black silhouettes at sunset.” 
 
Mosaics with irregularly smashed and hand-nipped pieces of ceramic tile work well to portray the suggestion of a bird; they leave much for your eye to fill in, as well as your imagination.   This piece is now in the great room or community room at the Capris leading from the beach to the lobby.  Guests will see the mosaic on the far wall from quite a distance away.  The image will grow and change as people approach it and as the eye receives more information about the image.