Original artwork description:

This little mosaic from the Golden Bird Sunset series is made using precious Venetian smalti glass, Venetian gold leaf glass and my own hand made gilded metal leaf glass. The two different types of leaf glass together make a very interesting combination; my gilded glass has thicker clear glass on top of the leaf than the Venetian gold so there is quite a lot of interesting reflections going on.
Working in smalti is a bit like working in oil paint; intense and glossy colours and the material is more expensive! Smalti was first used in Byzantine mosaics for basilicas around the Mediterranean. It was used especially for it's light giving qualities and intense colours.
I was inspired to make this after a recent trip to London from Somerset. All along the road in Wiltshire there are fields and fields of golden corn, so gold with the sun shining on it it really takes your breath away.
This one is unframed as I love to see the edge of the smalti against the painted black wood, it also lets you have a chance to choose a frame you like. Alternatively I can get it framed for you if you prefer.

Materials used:

Venetian smalti glass, Venetian gold leaf glass, gilded metal leaf glass, ceramic tile, plywood

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