ESCAPE

with Bonnie Fitzgerald

The Summer Palace of Queen Maria of Romania was created by Theresa Jackson.

From a favorite photograph it is a layered, stained glass art-work.

Travel enriches who we are. This prompt is about remembering and honoring a place or an adventure. During the “lock downs” of Covid a mental escape may be a perfect distraction. The experience of travel, a change of scenery, has informed many an art-work for me and my students.

On a travel adventure you may have deeply connected with nature and the experience boarded spiritual. Others of you visited cultural sights, enjoyed architecture, museums or archaeology. Travel with friends and family may be a favorite shared memory. You have permission to dream, and escape.

There are countless approaches to creating your artwork, abstract or figurative, landscape or sea-scape, detailed or a quick sketch, any material, any size. Have fun, connect and escape to a fond memory.

A goal: don’t buy anything! Be resourceful, try to use what you have. 

Where to begin. What is a favorite travel memory? Close your eyes, what is the snapshot of a moment of escape? Walking on the beach with your children or visiting an iconic historical site?

One of my favorite travel moments, me walking on a desolate beach in Dingle, Ireland. My friend Kim Wozniak took the photo. The art work is a layered stained glass mosaic.

You may have picked up shells on the beach, pebbles from the path to the castle, perhaps found a little driftwood by the lake, or a rusty bit on the side of the road?  Can these materials be incorporated into your art work somehow   

“Pebble People” were created from rocks and such I collected along my travels.

Some places provide their own iconic imagery. 

                                                                Ravenna Jeweled box by Barbara Liverani.  Smalti and gold mirror.

Take a look through your photos, is there a moment, a scene that sticks out?  Allow yourself to be transported back to that moment. What were the colors, how did it smell, was the sun setting or the moon peeking through the clouds?      

PHOTO CREDITS: Unless otherwise noted art works created shown are by Bonnie Fitzgerald.

Bonnie Fitzgerald is an American Artist. She is the author of 2 best-selling books about mosaic making and is the Instructor of Contemporary Mosaics for the Smithsonian Institution’s Studio Arts Department. Her company, Maverick Mosaics, “creates beautiful art and unique learning experiences”. www.maverickmosaics.com

Due to technical difficulties it has not been possible to include all the images.  If you want to see the full prompt go to Instagram.  If you don't do Instagram and would like the full prompt please email post@bamm.org.uk and you will receive the prompt as a PDF file.