Kaleido-scopics

My 2023 art installation called Kaleidoscopics are part of the 50/50 Fundraiser and show at the Sanchez Art Center. They are jewelry for your walls, 50 original, one-of-a-kind 3D collages featuring ornate acrylic painting and brass stampings topped with semi-precious or colored cabochons. All the elements are fastened onto a 6-inch square wooden tile with metal rivets or artist’s cement.

The 50/50 Show features 50 artists creating 50 small works in 50 days! I was fortunate enough to participate in 2021, and was elated to be selected again. The project requires an intense focus of time and energy, but it's such a fun creative challenge. This time around, I honed my technique and experimented more with paint and texture.

My 50/50 inspiration was the actual kaleidoscope, which was invented in 1816 by Sir David Brewster. The kaleidoscope is an optical instrument that uses slanted mirrors to create multiple reflections. The addition of colored pieces of glass and paper reflect in the mirrors to produce exquisite patterns especially when held up to the light.

My Kaleidoscopics neither move nor reflect. But they represent the kaleidoscope of our lives with so many layers, immense creativity and a dizzying number of vantage points. Their symmetrical design brings harmony and balance, while vibrant hand painted patterns provide a sense of movement and flow.

Each piece is also a symbolic connection to the Natural world and her innate geometry. Soothing and transporting, Kaleidoscopics can serve as a meditation mandala or for self-reflection.