VisionShift
My newest project is VisionShift, a mosaic installation for HALL Arts in the Dallas Arts District. Eleven mosaic elements float across three sides of a structure on KPMG Plaza in the new complex. The Arts District has changed our collective image of downtown Dallas and VisionShift expresses the possibilities and opportunities that surround us when one is open to seeing them.
The explosive energy of the dynamic forms expresses the sense of vitality and spirit that created the Arts District and our city. Dallas is a place that bubbles with potential and citizens willing to take risks to achieve great things, both on a personal, micro level as well as a big picture, macro level. The Dallas Arts District has transformed downtown, offering new life and energy. As a Dallas native, I’m thrilled to have my artwork represented on the Texas Sculpture Walk at HALL Arts.
As always, many thanks go to Trusty Assistant Leigh Davis. Her talent and humor make every project better. Thanks also to Laticrete International for the best adhesive and grouting material. Mike Knox, Duane Rettig and Greg Freeney with Hall Arts and John McManus with Turner Construction offered great logistical assistance for my installation. And very special thanks to Patricia Meadows who chose my work for this prestigious project and supported me all along the way.
The most recent images are at the top. The plaza is open and ready for visitors. Please allow for slow loading time. To see final images, visit the VisionShift page.
‘VisionShift’ is lighting up the plaza at Hall Arts in the Dallas Arts District!
The tarps and scaffolding are gone! Landscaping next. Still a construction zone but closer to opening. Thanks to Mike Knox for the pic.
Detail of a finished mosaic element. Note the hand-colored, ‘fresco grout’ blending from gold to aqua to teal.
Two sides of the completed installation. I won’t be able to get better pics till the scaffolding and tarps come down.
Pulling the protective tape and plastic from a finished mosaic element.
A mosaic element ready for cleaning and two completed ones.
Gold, aqua and teal grout: the hand-colored ‘fresco grouting’ is underway.
The mosaic elements are taped off and ‘VisionShift’ is ready for grouting.
All the mosaic elements are now cleaned, taped and ready for grouting. Here’s the front side with the tarps blowing in today’s strong winds.
The day began with rain. And then we waited on the Plaza for the tarps to be lifted so we could get back to work. Windy and cold today!
Cleaning one of the ‘solar flare’ mosaics elements after installing.
Mixing up a new batch of my favorite adhesive, Laticrete 255 Multimax.
The view for our lunch break.
Trusty Assistant Leigh Davis is cleaning while another mosaic element is readied for installation.
Checking the layout as the mosaic templates are placed and then taped off. The bad weather means lots of tarps to protect the installation.
Another weather challenge: the strong winds make it really difficult to place the templates.
Trusty Assistant Leigh Davis cleaning the second installed element. The bits of blue tape are labels and register marks.
The first section of the first mosaic element is on the wall!
The start to my most challenging install ever: the rain continued for weeks.
The signature ‘crater’, the last mosaic element, is finished. We’re ready for the installation!
Trusty Assistant Leigh Davis and I visited the structure where ‘VisionShift’ will be installed at HALL Arts. Big!
Trusty Assistant Leigh Davis tries to hide behind a ‘craters’ mosaic element in progress. No escape!
The largest mosaic element is well underway. This ‘solar flare’ is six feet in diameter.
A finished ‘energy burst’ mosaic element. There will also be ‘solar flare’ and ‘craters’ elements.
The light aqua color surrounding the burst of golden energy is darkening to teal at the edge of the first of eleven elements.
A burst of golden energy created from 24kt gold smalti, glass, ceramic, dichroic glass fusions and more. The light aqua color will darken as it expands.
Here’s the start of the new mosaic installation for HALL Arts in the the downtown Dallas Arts District.
It all begins by assembling a huge assortment of aqua and gold tesserae for the new project at HALL Arts in the Dallas Arts District. This pic only shows part of the yummy assortment of Italian golds, smalti, glass, ceramic, minerals, etc that will be used in the project.
Patricia Meadows and I visited the construction site on a rare snow day for Dallas. Who says mosaic artists aren’t intrepid?
I’ve just received a commission to create a large mosaic installation at the new HALL Arts complex in the middle of the downtown Dallas Arts District.