Stained glass is a painter’s medium, colored and translucent. The glass plays with the light from dawn to dusk. It is always changing, responding to different conditions, from bright sunshine to rain clouds. It is a natural painter’s medium, a dance of light, glass and color.
Vintage, silver plated trays are not fashionable. They sit discarded in second hand stores. However, I find them to be wonderful items that can be converted into colorful, luminous abstract art pieces, decorative and functional.
The Newport Abstract began with a vintage, silver plated tray made by Gorham Manufacturing; the mark, Newport Gorham, is stamped on the back. The image, below, shows the initial look of the tray, used and tarnished.
With work, the tray is converted into the Newport Abstract . It was essential that the surface of the tray to be highly polished to reflect light as it passes through the glass. This gives the piece a deep, luminous feel. The tray’s rim and handles frame the stained glass mosaic, adding a sculptural element.
Many times, in creating the mosaics, I incorporate older, used objects into my art. Although the trays, plates and bowels have a certain beauty and character, the rim is the most important feature. The rim frames the mosaic and adds a sculptural element. It is an essential part of the art.
Below are a few images of my mosaic art where the rim is a key element.
