(Vicenza, Italy)........In 1578 the Venetian artist Paolo Veronese painted The Annunciation with a delicate hand blown glass vase sitting precariously on the balustrade. The sun lit vessel celebrated the remarkable Renaissance glassblowers who discovered how to create transparent glass (called "cristallo") on the island of Murano in Venice. The vase was recreated in its original 16th century form by Giacomo Cappellin and Paolo Venini in 1921 and dubbed the "Veronese." Design impresario, Cleto …
Alfonso Architects Receives AIA Award of Design Excellence
Tampa, Florida........Alfonso Architects receives the AIA Award of Design Excellence from the Florida chapter of the organization for the Tampa Covenant Church located in Tampa, Florida. This modernist project is a combination of new construction and renovation. The project includes a 25,000 sq. ft. building that provides a sanctuary, administrative offices and classrooms for the congregation of four hundred-fifty. In addition, two existing single level buildings were renovated and the exterior …
Tileista: Karen Thompson’s Flora and Fauna
It all started with a DIY project for fashion designer, Karen Thompson. In this article, Tileista, JoAnn Locktov, presents the fashion designer's story that begins like this: "Be very careful if you decide to embark on a DIY project. It could change your life forever. In 1987, fashion designer Karen Thompson was restoring her home and taught herself the ancient craft of mosaics. It became her career, replacing fabric and buttons with ceramic and glass. "Working with a vast range of materials …
Tileista: Ilana Shafir’s Spontaneous Mosaics
In this piece on the American Craft Council site, the Tileista looks at the work of artist, Ilana Shafir, to give us a peek on how intimate mosaic art can be. Here's how the article begins: "Born in the city of Sarajevo in 1924, now the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ilana Shafir knew from an early age she was an artist, though her parents were less than enthusiastic. As Shafir remembers, "In those days to be an artist was not a proper career choice for a woman." Her studies at the High …
New Ravenna Mosaics: The IKAT Collection Hand Crafted in Jewel Glass
The IKAT Collection in Jewel Glass (Exmore, Virginia)......New Ravenna Mosaics introduces the Ikat Collection in jewel glass. Designer Sara Baldwin has interpreted the ancient textile in her signature style, combining brilliant color and refined texture in jewel glass mosaics. Inspired by her travels along the Silk Road and her personal collection of Ikat textiles, Baldwin has integrated the classic patterns of Central Asian Ikat textiles with the glitter of reflective glass and mirror. The …