Two Harbors, MN Library Mural Project- The process

 The finished mural

 

 Consider following more my work on facebook at: Tonja Sell - Artist Page!

 

 Attaching the fused glass Luna moths

 My ceramic crows & cast glass ferns

 Finishing touches

 Fused glass Luna moths with Nancy Miller's mosaic glass panels

 Putting the "Lady of the Library" into place.

 The finished project features: agate/glass mosaic panels made by Nancy Miller, my ceramic crows, fused glass Luna moths, rusted metal frame and leaves, painted figure and background, the Two Harbors # 3 Train, the Two Harbors lighthouse and ore docks, the woman's pin features the Edna G Tug Boat, her book features the John Beargreese Sled Dog race, Her hair features lamp-worked native flowers.

 Nancy Miller adding rocks to my ceramic crow tiles.

 Nancy Miller's ceramic leaves being painted

 Nancy's ceramic leaves after firing

 My glass cast leaves made from a graphite mold I carved.

 Fused glass Luna Moths I kiln fired.

 Graphite mold I carves to make the glass leaves with ceramic test.

 Cut steel for tree structure before rusting.

 Cut and shaped leaf elements before rusting.

 Pressing the fiddle-head ferns with my dad.

 Pressed fiddle-heads- still hot!

 Nancy Miller's glass/agate mosaics.

  Pressing the fiddle-head ferns with my dad and Nancy Miller

 Me rusting the frame parts.

 Detail of Lamp-worked flowers being added to the woman's hair.

 Finished piece installed at the Two Harbors Public Library.

 Placing the first element- the clouds.

 Details when installed.

 Nancy Miller attaching the stained glass part while I design the fiddle-head and leaf area.

 When completed.

 Lots of time spent on ladders.

 Working things out on my living room floor!

 Bending the steel leaves.

 Some lamp-worked flowers.

 Initial drawing - sketch for the woman.

 Very first concept sketch!

 My ceramic panels before the rocks were glued- working out ideas.

Woman while being painted and then shown completed.

Finishing of the Patchwork Sweater

 Completed piece.                                                                         This piece will be featured in the Incite 3 Art of Storytelling- Best of Mixed Media 2015

 Details.  Mixed media using paper, golden crackle paste and glass beads medium.

Patchwork Sweater

Here's where I am tonight on New Years Day 2014!  Two days work so far.  It's coming together...

 Covering the face  SCARY!!!!(drawn with pastels over acrylic painted washes) with matte acrylic medium.  It altered the detail some but not very significantly.

 Adding Crackle mediums: Golden Crackle Medium, it goes on opaque white and dries looking the same.   Decoart One-Step Crackle goes on milky and dries clear.  I added antique lace doilies with clear gloss varnish/medium as well.

 The rice paper texture can be seen in the "window" area.  Cracks are beginning to form nicely but I want more texture.

 Building up color and adding detail with pastel pencils.

I started with a charcoal pencil sketch on gatorboard.  The piece is 38x40.  Scrapbooking and rice paper were used as well as antique lace doilies. 

New Raku

Hot out of the trash cans!  New Raku work ready to be given the "personality" .  I will be filling them and attaching items into their hair.  Blown-glass, drift-wood, stone or metal....hmmmm, we, shall see!

Better Blogging - New Ceramic Sculptures

WOW! I know this blogging business would be a challenge for me...but little did I know how much of a challenge!  Well, I'm back and will try to be better about it.  I've been doing a lot of clay these days so I thought I would show you what I've been up to.  This is a collection of small sculptures in process.  All low-fire red body clay.  I'll post before and after shots.  If you look closely you should be able to spot some.

For this one I have added blown glass floral elements.

It's difficult to see here but she has a pulled glass leaf in her hair and a black bird on her shoulder.

This one is pretty fun.  She has a removable head.  The body is a secret compartment!