Get Inspired By
Evelyn Ackerman and Sherill Broudy
Evelyn Ackerman (American, 1924-2012) and Sherrill Broudy (American, 1923-2015), Pennants, ca. 1958, Venetian glass mosaic tiles on Masonite, wood frame, 12-5/8 X 59-7/8 X 1 inches, 75th Anniversary gift of L.J. Cella, 17-2013
This week's activity is inspired by the work of Evelyn Ackerman and Sherill Broudy whose collaborations contributed to the aesthetic of California midcentury design in home furnishings and architectural elements.
You can recreate the look of glass mosaics using simple materials like colored paper and old magazines!
Supplies:
- Cardboard or thick paper for backing
- Magazines and/or colored paper
- Glue (or glue stick)
- Pencil
Instructions
Step 1
Draw a design on your cardboard, keeping in mind large and simple geometric shapes. Trace bowls or pots to make circles. Books and other rectangular objects can help create straight lines. This will be your mosaic pattern.
Step 2
Collect and sort through several old magazines, selecting pages with large areas of colors that appeal to you. They don’t have to be solid colors. Colored paper is useful, if available.
Step 3
Cut the pages (or sections of pages) with colors into long strips; sort and group by color. Keep in mind the width of the strip will determine the size of the “tiles” for your mosaic. Then cut your colored strips into squares. Smaller pieces will allow for more detail, but it may take longer to complete your project.
Tip: use one strip as your size guide to cut other similar pieces.
Step 4
Fill in the sections of your design with different colors and glue the pieces into place. Leave a little space between each tile. Cut smaller pieces and differently shaped pieces (like triangles), as needed, to fill the spaces.
Tip: use a small amount of glue and keep a damp cloth nearby to clean your fingers.
