Joan Schwartz writes: I have been buying unique art all my adult life. I have an extensive collection of porcelain dolls from France, ceramic teapots, and glass perfume bottles. When I travel I try to bring home a wonderful reminder of the places I’ve been. In recent years I started accumulating small scale mosaics by well-known artists. The majority of my collections usually are of people—-hence I guess that’s why the majority of my body of work are masks and 3-D contemporary people. Years ago I was told that I bring people together—introducing different groups of my friends to each other. Now I’m mingling my older art with newer pieces and continually moving things around to make room for that next special acquisition.
The large red piece is titled “Cycles” I did in a Carol Shelkin workshop wanting to learn how to “keystone”. I got a life-time of practice doing this work.
This wonderful unnamed 3-D piece was created by Helen Harman. I was fortunate enough to attend a MAANZ conference in 2014 in Melbourne, Australia where I purchased this at a sale, much like the “Salon” that SAMA offers.
These are a few of a large series called “Apartment Windows” created by Luca Barberini. In 2014 I was very fortunate to go to KoKo Moasico in Ravenna, Italy and attend a workshop with Luca and his wife Arianna Gallo. Together they own the studio and have been active in hosting a large city-wide mosaic exhibition bringing in artists and their works from all over the world.
This special portrait is of my sweet Lily, who recently left me, after bringing me much love for 16 wonderful years. This portrait was made by my dear friend Darcel Deneau, whose work looks like “painting with glass”.
This is a little shelf in my sewing room on which I display hand made gifts that were given to me over the years. The “Little Blue Bird” was a creation of Martin Cheek.
I was very excited to finally be the highest bidder at the Salon at the Detroit SAMA 2017 . I’ve drooled over Jacki Gran’s women for years.
In my “Diva Suite” (coined by Carol Shelkin) is a closer view of “Carrie” by Jacki Gran
In my suite I also have special work by Shug Jones, Darcel Deneau, my Mom, Flora Blumenthal (the painted rabbit which is now an antique) and if you look closely, the mosaic heart necklace is by Laurie Mika.
I put this work of “Luca” in who was my guide on a trip to Florence, IT. I made him in a Shug Jones workshop years ago. I just wanted people to know I could do a portrait—and it looks just like him. He was an interesting guy who was a performing artist, his mother was a ceramicist and his father did lead sculptures. So I can say I did a portrait which was like pulling teeth—–“One & Done”!
Gold Shoe, Shug Jones, shoe on wall, Darcel Deneau
Lastly I’ve chosen this piece done by my 13 year old granddaughter Lucy. She said she wanted to make a rainbow, and so she did.