Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Captivating Bead-like, Mosaic Sculptures!

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
Welcome to a magical experience!!! Last weekend, while teaching in San Diego, California, my wonderful host family took me to Queen Califia's Magical Circle in Escondido. I'd previously seen artist Niki De Saint Phalle's grand mosaic sculptures in front of the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, and expected to be delighted by more of her work. Yet I was totally unprepared for the enchanting experience of Queen Califia riding atop her bird chariot in a garden of totems circled by whimsical snakes. My pictures don't do it justice, because it's being there, child-like in dazed wonderment, that is so magical.

The perimeter is a wall topped with colorful undulating snakes.

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
In some places, you can peek through a space between the base of the wall and the snake's upward looping body, and catch a glimpse of the wonders inside the circle.

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
Some places even offer a view of Queen Califia, herself!

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
And there's one adorable baby snake, perched on top of her mom.

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
Here are two facing snake heads as viewed from outside the wall...

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
And here are the same two heads viewed from inside the garden.

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
There's only one opening in the snake wall to allow entrance into the garden. But before you arrive, you must pass through a maze of mosaic tile and mirror walls. Once you navigate the maze, you're finally able to get the full effect of the Queen on her bird!


mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
Under her bird is a golden egg (of course)!

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
Here's a detail of the bird's five rather elephantine legs, each with bird-like feet.


Here's the glorious underside of the bird's belly...

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
The Queen is surrounded by totem-like sculptures. Here are a few of them. You can see the inside of the snake wall surrounding them.


mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
I should have taken more detail shots... The look of all the little stones which make up many of the mosaics reminds me of bead embroidery. In fact, being there made me want to go right home and start a new piece!

mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
mosaic sculpture, Queen Califia's Magical Circle by Niki De Saint Phalle, photograph by Robin Atkins
If you ever get to the San Diego area, try not to miss this amazing place, and give yourself time to be there... I wanted to stay there for hours and hours.

More about Niki

This morning, with a little extra time and a nice cup of coffee, I decided to research about Niki de Saint Phalle. First checking Amazon, I found several books about her and her work. Of these, this one seems like it might actually capture the way Niki's art spoke to me.

Here is another book, published by the Mingei Museum. In the introduction I found a cogent statement about Niki's work: "In the passage of our lives we are, indeed, fortunate who feel our spirits quicken by the seeing of visual works of art - tangible expressions of innate creative powers wanting and bursting to be expressed by all human beings.... Playful, fresh, frolicsome, vigorous, soaring, creative, different, colorful, uninhibited, innovative, energizing, spontaneous, imaginative, delightful, benevolent, stimulating, powerful - all of these adjectives have been used in an attempt to describe what cannot be put into words, the buoyant and vast spirit expressed in the art of Niki de Saint Phalle.... It is life-changing. She has paved the way for the rich diversity of the 21 st Century and the end of superficial distinctions, including insider, outsider, folk, craft and fine art.... The international language of art knows no barriers of time, place, or race. It speaks directly to each of us personally according to our receptivity and changing perception......"

An amazingly prolific artist, Niki's large installations include: the Tarot Garden in Italy, the Stravinsky Fountain in Paris, a Niki Museum in Nasu, Japan, and the Noah's Ark in Jerusalem. As Sabrina has already commented in this post, there's also a grand collection of Niki's works at the Sprengel Museum in Hannover, Germany. If you'd like to read a short summary about Niki, Wikipedia's entry about her includes many good links.

Here is one other link that may be of interest... It's a blog all about mosaics, with a wonderful post, full of great pictures, about Niki and her art.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Beady Valentine Wishes to You!

Rosie, The Uncaged Hen, detail, sculpture by Robin Atkins

Happy Valentine's Day to each of you! May your day be filled with the blessings of many heart connections, and may you feel the creative spendor of all the hearts linked together within our blogging community!

I use hearts in my work so often (heart figures, heart-shaped beads, fabrics with printed hearts) that you'd think it would get boring. So far it hasn't, at least not for me. Speaking from and through our hearts is such powerful stuff. I love it!

Here are a few hearts for you. They talk from my heart about how much I appreciate you for being in my life in this special artistic way! My love to you on this day, and always... Robin

Sweet Dreams, spirit doll by Robin Atkins

improvisational bead embroidery by Robin Atkins

improvsational bead embroidery, All That Jazz, brooch by Robin Atkins

beaded heart pin by Robin Atkins, Heart On Fire

spirit doll, Angel Of Love, by Robin Atkins

beaded quilt by Robin Atkins, Grandpa's Gifts

improvisational bead embroidery, inset into handbound book by Robin Atkins

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Bead it Forward

Jeanette Shanigan of Wasilla, Alaska has started an amazing project for anyone wanting to contribute to breast cancer research. Below is my contribution:

bead embroidery by Robin Atkins, Common Buckeye Butterfly

Project is: "Beaded Quilts" (30 squares each) to be auctioned at the next Bead & Button show, with all proceeds going to breast cancer research.
Theme is: Metamorphosed Like the Butterfly
Size is: 1.5 inches square, with 1/4 inch border
Material is: white pellon ~ Peltex 70 Ultra Firm Stabalizer
Due date is: April 1, 2007

On her website, Jeanette has posted an image of beaded squares that have already been submitted, and the three beaded quilts already completed. You can read and/or print out the guidelines here. Jeanette also has a page where she tells the touching story about why she started this project.


* * * * * * * * *

Those who organize and work so hard to recruit volunteers for projects like this are saints in my opinion. It makes my heart sing to think about it. And, to look at all the beaded squares and read the names of the contributors is like a bright sunny day in the dark of winter. I am delighted that Jeanette contacted me to tell me about it. Isn't the concept of "bead it forward" (or pay it forward, or whichever version is current) just fabulous?

Two of my quilting friends are now in the process of making their squares. I'll take pictures and show them when they are completed. Looking at some of the finished squares, I noticed two squares made by Liz (a regular reader of this blog). Good work, Liz!

What about you? Do you have a couple of hours to make a square?


* * * * * * * * *

By the way, I took inspiration for my square from the common buckeye as illustrated in The Butterfly Alphabet book.