The Bandon Library Art Gallery Annual Mosaic Show returns

The 8th Annual Mosaic Show at Bandon Library Art Gallery went up on the 1st of June and will run through July 31st. On Saturday June 29th at 2pm is the annual Mosaic Extravaganza, which will include a talk about the history of mosaic art, and then mosaic-making by any and all! Child-safe materials will be available, so everyone can go home with their own handmade mosaic.

Curator Tracy Hodson has put together the work of 29 artists from the Pacific Northwest and beyond, including five from Bandon, demonstrating the wide range of styles and materials these artists utilize to create their mosaics.

“This year we are showing the usual breadth of mosaic art; it’s a good demonstration of the sort of work being done in the United States right now. Some of us work in the Classical vein, using marble, travertine, smalti–which is a glass that has been made in Venice and Murano, Italy, specifically for mosaics for centuries–as well as gold, tile, and other sorts of natural specimens.” Hodson said. “There’s a veritable garden of flowers made with stained glass, as well as whimsical pieces in pique-assiette, which is made of broken or cut ceramic crockery shards. There are also glass-on-glass mosaics hanging in the window at the end of the hall, all-stone pieces–just a huge variety!”

The roster of mosaicists includes both newcomers and returning artists from as far away as Montana, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and France. “I am especially pleased that the much-admired Gila Rayberg of Florida chose to show with us this year,” Hodson said. “We have a solid list of artists who have stuck with us year after year, and more new ones than ever before. I hope the show will bring in more new visitors than ever before. It’s not easy to see what’s happening in the mosaic world, as it’s not an art form many people know much about, and few galleries show it. As far as I know, we’re still the only annual mosaic show in Oregon, and I am dedicated to keeping it going. I also want to remind people,” she finished, “that when considering buying art for your home or as a gift, please think of the artists whose work we’re all lucky enough to see. Most don’t earn much from their work, and it takes a lot of time and energy required to make things. The library takes no commission, so all sales benefit the artist exclusively. We’re proud of that.”

This year’s show includes work by five Bandon artists, Donn Klewitz, Tammy Rutherford, 9-year-old Aiden Johnson, Bessie Joyce, and Hodson herself. Most of the mosaics in the show are for sale, and many of the artists accept commissions.