Mosaic Art Source - Mosaic Interview - Julie Richey - Mosaic Artist

MAI 2007 - Members' Choice

Julie Richey won the Members' Choice Award at the Mosaic Arts International Exhibit this year. L'Ambasciatrice (photo below) was the most refreshing piece in the show & definitely had that WOW! factor.

L'Ambasciatrice
27" x 16" x 13"
Stained glass and millefiori beads on mixed media base

I was so enamoured with this exquisite piece, when I saw Julie in Mesa, I pretty much grabbed her. I just had to let her know how much I loved L'Ambasciatrice & (of course) started bubbling over with questions... how did she come up with the concept... what kind of base did she use??? Julie (sweetheart that she is) generously shared her whole process...

Julie    L'Ambasciatrice (The Ambassadress) began with the idea of a delicate child's dress encrusted with millefiori. I had been wanting to create a mosaic dress for some time. While chaperoning my daughter's choir field trip, I came upon a children's clothing store that was going out of business and selling their store fixtures. I quickly snapped up two infant mannequins complete with the original metal caster bases.



About the same time, I was invited to submit a piece to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Gala in Austin, TX. I researched native Texas wildflowers and began sketching them on the dress form I'd constructed out of rigid wrap, muslin and fabric stiffener (diluted Weldbond). The Gala committee had given me almost no advance notice, so though I worked many hours up to the deadline, the piece wasn't going to be finished in time.



Over the next nine months, I worked on the dress during classes I taught at the Creative Arts Center. I brought the sculpture to the Dallas Arboretum during an art in the garden event, and even to a church where the pastor was giving sermons on "brokenness." Each time, I demonstrated how to cut stained glass and apply the mille with a tweezer. People are always fascinated by the mosaic process, though some are more gifted than others at vocalizing their reactions. "Wow," and "Beautiful" were common; but so were "You must have a lot of patience," (understatement of the year) and "Hmm, looks tedious." Yup, thanks. Go away now.

Photo by Stacy Bratton - www.stacybratton.com

To grout, or not to grout? I bounced back and forth on this one. At first I assumed I'd have to grout it. But what color? Blue would take away from the background andamento. White? I just couldn't. Not to mention the yes, "tedious" nature of cramming grout in between all the millefiori. In the end, I decided I liked the contrast between the innocence of size and form with its pastoral imagery against the dangerous nature of cut glass and sharp edges. A comment about nature's beauty and its subterranean dangers.

Photo by Stacy Bratton - www.stacybratton.com

I was honored to have L'Ambasciatrice selected as the Members' Choice at Mosaic Arts International 2007. I hope the recognition can help further SAMA's goals of informing the general public about the versatility, beauty and cutting-edge qualities of contemporary mosaics as a fine art.
m.a.s. Julie, it always amazes me how freely mosaic artists share their knowledge, and you are among the most giving. Hope to see you at next years SAMA conference & thanks again for allowing us to feature your mosaic art in our gallery!