For the Love of Making

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Hello Steemit, I’m Ruth Frances Greenberg, a ceramic artist and am most known for my intricate and expressive mosaics. I’m mid-career having 25 years behind me and working with clay is still very alive for me. These days my professional life is consumed with making the most beautiful mosaics I can muster and defining more clearly what that means, reaching for mastery and more honest expression, and exploring whether I can make something just as beautiful for a lower price.

A special and uber talented friend Hive account@fairytalelife introduced me to Steemit and although I have so much to learn about this new framework, when I get these little glimpses of what’s possible, my mind takes a quantum leap….it is truly a NEW world.

Thank you and I look forward to discovering my place here!
I thought I’d begin with a mosaic I made this spring, a project I call:

IMMORTALIZING A FRENCHIE: The Making of the "Mighty Louis" Pool Mosaic
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Households adore pets and naturally we want to immortalize our furry friends in art and décor. I have a special love for creating animals in clay, and last fall I had the chance to indulge this passion when my brother in law asked me to help surprise my sister with a mosaic pool medallion of their beloved French Bulldog, Louis.

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The center of the family, this extraordinary, big hearted Frenchie required a regal portrait. Louis is a really small French Bulldog. Frenchies are small but he was the runt of the litter yet somehow he is a large presence and has no idea he’s small, he has nothing to prove, he just IS. People stare at him walking down the streets of NYC nodding with half smiles as he charms them effortlessly with his magnetism and macho disposition.

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This contemporary Montauk home has a timeless design with classic lines. It is nestled in a woodsy grove, teaming with wild turkeys and deer and is an oasis of peace. In the midst of renovation of their summer home, lead by architect (our father) I dove into this family project.

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While drawing Louis, I came up with a pose that evokes ancient images of emperors. I chose symbolism for every element to express his personality including an infinity and love-knot border depicting how he is woven into the fabric of the family. My brother in law had excellent instincts about the color scheme choosing a graphic black and white palette to perfectly complement the design of the pool and home.
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The next steps were for Rob and I to start mosaic making which begins with creating a life-size drawing showing all of the tile shapes and cuts. This drawing is the touchstone for the rest of the process; we cut the clay from it, we reassemble all of the glazed and fired pieces on top of it and refer to it at every turn to keep the bigger vision in mind as we work on the minutia.
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These photos show the cutting from wet clay, glazing, the border tiles right out of the kiln.
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And here "pre-setting" the tiles, the pieces of blue tape are all pieces that needed to be re-cut to fit better:
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And voila, complete!!!
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Now that it's finished, we take it apart in sections so it can be shipped and is simple and clear for the installer.
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The mosaic, while having a noble presence, is balanced with the immediate context and larger natural landscape by the sea. At every stage, this project was enjoyable. I love working with my family and it is especially gratifying to know my family is and will actively enjoy and treasure the portrait for many years to come.

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In the spring rain:
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Thanks for your interest in my project, comment so I can see yours too!