Diana Maria Rossi  ⨕  A R T
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      • I) The World is Flat
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      • #1 Obatala!
      • #4 Who Knows Where the Time Goes?
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      • #6 You Found Me
      • #19 When the Saints Go Marching In
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      • Good Fortune (on Addison Street)
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"Mal'occhio Numero Otto (The Scrooge)" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003

1999 - 2014
  D.A.T.C. (During After Through Children) 

This page will undergo revisions soon ......

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"Soft Futures Redux" 3.75"x12.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with photo, text and nails ©Diana Maria Rossi 2007
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"Soft Futures Redux" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2007
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"Soft Futures Redux" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2007

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"Mal'occhio Numero Otto (The Scrooge)" 9"x7"x3" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003

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"In Blue" 11.5"x5"x7" glass mosaic on wood with photo and copper wire ©Diana Maria Rossi 2009
   I made "In Blue" with our backyard ancient lemon tree in mind. In fact, the yellow shape on the bottom left is a photo of this tree.
  I love copper wire and it was fun ​
to use it in this piece while thinking of the sinewy lemon tree branches. 
​                                                                              

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"Devil Time*" *song title by Claudia Schmidt (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2009
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"Devil Time*" *song title by Claudia Schmidt (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2009
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"Devil Time*" 3"x11"x2" glass mosaic on wood with wristwatch, ruler and text * title of song by Claudia Schmidt ©Diana Maria Rossi 2009

The title for “Devil Time”  is taken from the lovely song by 
Claudia Schmidt, called “Old Devil Time”.  I combined my 
discarded Timex watch, a broken ruler, smalti, glass, and text (all on wood), to try to express my ever more distasteful 
relationship with measured  time. “Devil Time”  is number 671 out of the 704 mosaics that I have made. Some things I still like to measure!




The Standard Issueds

In 2002, after having made over 600 mosaics with maybe two thirds of those that included a heart shape, (not really sure about those numbers, but there were A LOT of hearts!),  I was becoming a bit heart-weary.  But the silliness of the idea: "Standard Issue", as if whatever makes us human could ever be re-producible in standard fashion, re-lit my fire and I made nine Standard Issueds, moving onward in my making. Each sculpture included text. ​
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood green heart with text know the game/but know when to stop playing
"Standard Issue # 1 (Know the Game/But Know When to Stop Playing)" 5.25"'x6.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of glass mosaic on wood blue heart  with text: speak truth /gird your loins
"Standard Issue #2 (Speak Truth/Gird Your Loins)" 5.75"x7"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood pink heart on mottled pink and brown background with text: listen softly
"Standard Issue #3 (Listen Softly)" 6"x6.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood red heart with red and yellow spokes on cobalt blue background with text under spokes: apologize furiously
"Standard Issue #4 (Apologize Furiously)" 7.25"x6"x.75" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of glass mosaic on wood orange heart on yellow background with text: eat what you want
"Standard Issue #5 (Eat What You Want/Dance, Dance, Dance)" 5.5"x6.25"x.75" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood multi-colored heart on orangish background with text: laugh well /through tears
"Standard Issue #6 (Laugh Well/Through Tears)" 6.25"x6.5" x.75" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood heart half white half black with red in the middle with teal spokes on beige brown background with text: try kindness
"Standard Issue #7 (Try Kindness)" 5.75"x6.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood peach colored heart two tier with red and pink background with text: untold untold untold fury untold untold untold
"Standard Issue #8 (Story River)" 5.5"x7.75"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002


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"Busload of Faith" [title from song by Lou Reed] 6.75"x5.75"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004
Picture of glass mosaic on wood detail of text : mourning day in berkeley 11/3/04
"Busload of Faith " [title from song by Lou Reed]" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004
                           Text reads:  "mourning day in berkeley 11-3-04"

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood heart red gold
"Gold is All Around Us, Said Rosa" 5.75"x6.75"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail heart under archway of nails and text: every body that we know is
"Junior High" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood: arch shaped with heart under many nails with text: Every Body That We Know Is
"Junior High" 10"x 6.5"x2.5" glass mosaic on wood with text and nails ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail: red heart under many nails
"Junior High" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail: text: except you
"Junior High" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail: text: me
"Junior High" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008


Picture of art glass mosaic on wood heart red and blue and plaid wrapping paper background with black and white checks with text/ civil war sorrow
"The State of Things" 5.5"x10.25" x1" glass mosaic on wood with wrapping paper and text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004
Picture of glass mosaic on wood heart detail red and blue with red plaid and text / civil war sorrow
"The State of Things" ( detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004
    Text reads:    c i v i l   w a r   /  s o r r o w


Picture of art glass mosaic on wood heart yellow pink purple orange
"Gloriosa" 8"x5.75"x1.5" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2005


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"The Spring That Felt Like Summer" 7"x10.5"x.75" glass mosaic on wood with pressed flower ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999

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"The Spring That Felt Like Summer" (detail) glass mosaic on wood with pressed flower ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999


H       O      V      E       R


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These  six pieces,  "A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #1 through #6 ( for Us, for George)"  were made for a show in 1999 called  Hover , which was sponsored by the  San Francisco Art Institute Artists' Committee. The show was held throughout the Art Institute and these sculptures were temporarily installed in the
Anne Bremer Library. 


I  printed cards containing the paragraph of text featured on the front of each sculpture and  used the floor of each sculpture as a spot to hold the cards. The viewer  was free to take the cards home if she/he wished. These words were the basic inspiration for the pieces and they were written by George Manupelli when he was Dean of the San Francisco Art Institute .  George's words were printed as the Introduction to the 1983 College Catalogue.

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"A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #1 (for Us, for George)" 10"x10"x5" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999 [text by George Manupelli]
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"A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #2 (for Us, for George)" 7.75"x8"x4" glass mosaic on wood with photos and text [Text by George Manupelli] ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999
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"A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #3 (for Us, for George)" 5.75"x13.5"x4.75" glass mosaic on wood with text and photos [Text by George Manupelli] ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999
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"A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #4 (for Us, for George) 6.25"x11"x5" glass mosaic on wood with photo and text [Text by George Manupelli] ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999
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"A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #5 (for Us, for George) 7.25"x13"x4.75" glass mosaic on wood with photos and text [Text by George Manupelli] ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999
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" A Little Bit of Beauty to Remember #6 (for Us, for George)" 8"x12"x4.75" glass mosaic on wood with text [Text by George Manupelli] ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999


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"The Secret Odor of Roses" 8"x7.25" x 1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000


art Picture of glass mosaic on wood heart red plaid on green
"You Take the High Road" 7.25"x7.25"x3" glass mosaic on wood with plaid (fabric) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2005
Picture of glass mosaic on wood heart detail plaid on green glass
"You Take the High Road" detail ©Diana Maria Rossi 2005
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood heart plaid green
"You Take the High Road" ©Diana Maria Rossi 2005

Picture of glass mosaic on wood heart black with rainbow spokes
"Why Oh Why Can't I?" 5.75"x8"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004



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"Let The Children Play (A Kindergarten Critique)" 5.75"x8.25"x1.5" glass mosaic on wood with slate ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000
Picture of glass mosaic on wood camera like small box tiered white blue glass like a little camera
"Perfect Geometry" 4.75"x5.25"x2" glass mosaic on wood with photo ©Diana Maria Rossi 2004

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"She Shines" 5"x7.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999

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"I Am Tired of Being What You See" 7.5"x7.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999
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"I Am Tired of Being What You See" detail ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999



Picture of art glass mosaic heart on wood different kinds of pinks with jewel on white background with white spokes
"Santo Romano" 7.25"x.7.25"x.75" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006
​Is this a holy Valentine ?  Who knows, but it IS so pink, with lots of different textures. I used old jewelry and candy-like Venetian smalti .
St. Valentine happened to be Roman.


Picture of art glass mosaic on wood sculpture with heart and nails and photo of woman in Iraq cradling her two children
"Us II - She Be Me" 3"x3"x1" glass mosaic on wood with photo, text and nails/ photo ©David Leeson AP ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003
                                                                                                                             A.P. photograph by David Leeson
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood with nails and text: she be me "Us II - She Be Me" (detail of back) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003


  I made this mosaic using an A.P. photograph by David Leeson that I found in  the San Francisco Chronicle.  This     photo haunted me for months and quietly distilled all my words and emotions in opposition to the Iraq War.

 I had been using the heart form for many years, (with and without the proximity of nails), and in this case, it felt    appropriate and right to use nails as a means to express an intensity of feeling and the very corporeal quality of  that which occurs in war-torn areas of the world.  By using the simple text of :  "She Be Me", I wanted to remind  myself and the viewer of the fact of fate -- the accident or fortune of birth that places us on this very small  planet.  The use of these words was also a nod towards the poetry of Black American English and another  attempt to make a cross-cultural connection.

 The color scheme of "rainbow" was bequeathed to me by my then six-year old daughter and by my enduring                                                                                         admiration for the work of Marc Chagall.


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"Us" 12"x7.75"x3.5" glass mosaic on wood with A.P. photo by David Leeson, text and nails ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003
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"Us" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003 -------------------- AP photo ©David Leeson
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"Us" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003
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"Us" (detail/ side view) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003


Picture of art glass mosaic on wood heart blue heart crater lake in circles with brown background and other colors
"Crater Lake (Chapter 3)" 8.25"x8"x 1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2005


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"Are We Free in Funtown at Last?" 6"x8.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000
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"Are We Free in Funtown at Last?" text detail [Text from "Letter From Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.] mosaic ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000

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"A Rare Bird (in Honor of Rose Bird) 4"x10"x1" glass mosaic on wood with painting ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000


The Lateness Trilogy

I made these pieces because I have a hard time dealing with time.

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" I)The Lateness Trilogy: The Status Quo" (detail) glass mosaic on wood with wire, clock, and text. Text by William Blake. ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
Text On The Top:   TIME      IS       MONEY


Text On The Bottom: 

“By Satan’s Watch-fiends tho’ they search
numbering every grain of sand on Earth

every night, they never find this Gate.”

by William Blake
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" I) The Lateness Trilogy: The Status Quo" 8"x13.5"x2" glass mosaic on wood with wire, clock, and text. Text by William Blake. ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
I made these three mosaics in  2002  while I was having trouble getting my kids to school on time. I often dropped them off 5 minutes late. (Okay, maybe a bit more!) Much to my chagrin, this  became a very big deal at their public charter school. It became such a big deal that I started to receive punitive embarrassing letters from the director saying that if I could not get my kids to school on time I would have to meet with the director, teacher and the governing board I balked at this. Eventually, the school changed how they dealt with tardy parents like myself and I worked harder at getting my kids to school right on the dot!  I found a way, though, to channel my resentments and nervousness about falling short as a parent who had trouble with time in the morning ---  "The Lateness Trilogy" was born!
Picture " II) The Lateness Trilogy: Wonderland" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002

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" II) The Lateness Trilogy: Wonderland" 6.5"x12.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text, illustration by John Tenniel, and clock ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
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" II) The Lateness Trilogy: Wonderland" (detail) [illustration by John Tenniel] ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
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"III) The Lateness Trilogy: Bali" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002
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"III) The Lateness Trilogy: Bali" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002

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"III)The Lateness Trilogy: Bali" "12"x14"x3" glass mosaic on wood with photo, text and dried flowers ©Diana Maria Rossi 2002


Picture art glass mosaic on wood heart half minty green and half medium blue with hot pink diamond in center clear glass background steamed with black pink and green with text showing through: text reads: “Amor ch’a nullo amato amor perdona” “Love, which insists that love love shall mutual be.” “Love, that excuses no one loved from loving.” “Love, that denial takes from none beloved.”   by Dante Alighieri  from Inferno (Canto V, 103)
"Mutuality / Mutualità" 5.25"x6.75"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006
“Amor ch’a nullo amato amor perdona”

“Love, which insists that love love shall mutual be.”

“Love, that excuses no one loved from loving.”

“Love, that denial takes from none beloved.”

  by Dante Alighieri  from Inferno (Canto V, 103)



Picture of art glass mosaic on wood little grey heart with nails in it and orb in sky with cobalt blue background and drawing under glass and text that reads: mater dolorosa
"Latin Lesson #1 (mater dolorosa) " 5.25"x7.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with nails and text and drawing ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail of grey heart with nails and text that reads: mater dolorous
"Latin Lesson #1 (mater dolorosa)" [detail] ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood red heart with black fur in middle and black and red background with classic wave pattern
"You Get What You Need" 6"x6"x1.5" glass mosaic on wood with fur ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood orange heart with black spokes on white background
"A Tangerine for You" 6.5"x6"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2003
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood brown heart with tooth with halo in the middle with blue aqua background with white smelt like teeth on the side
"Little Bit" 5"x7.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 1999


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"More Than Broken Toys" 5.25"x6"x1" glass mosaic on wood with nails ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000
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"Moon Landing" 6.75"x7.75"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2000

glass mosaic heart. The heard is green with purple specks on a black background with a silver oval in the center
"Three Tears" 5.75"x6.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2005.jpg

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail yellow transparent background glass over text, some of which is a Roman libum recipe
"He Blooms" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008
Picture of art glass detail yellow background glass over text including letter to the editor by Arturo
"He Blooms (for Kamala in Appreciation)" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood purple heart with lotus drawing in the middle and green spokes on yellow background with text including one drawing of a knight : text includes Roman libum recipe, civil war letter and various middle school assignments by Arturo
"He Blooms (for Kamala, in Appreciation)" 5.75"x9.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with drawing and text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail of knight drawing under blue glass
"He Blooms (for Kamala in Appreciation)" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008

Picture of art glass mosaic on wood silver heart on cobalt blue background
"Baci, Baci, Baci" 6.75"x6.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood white heart with dots and red background with white circles
"Be Unbroken/ For Nancy" 7.25"x6.5"x1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2006


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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} I) Earth" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} I) Earth" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} I) Earth" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
I began this Tecza-Arcobaleno Set series in 2010. The goal was to have each set deal with a different color and there would be 3 pieces in 
​
each set. I began with the color grey, because I was feeling grey. I normally do not care for the color and  that is why I chose to begin with it.
I 
enjoyed making the grey pop with purple and yellow. I think it works, or at least it works for me!
I was working out some anxieties, hence all the numbered worries swirling about (the text). The worries, are SO of the Earth.
The word "tecza" means rainbow in Polish. (However, I have mis-spelled 
the word because I am having difficulty using a Polish keyboard, hence no
​accents.). And "arcobaleno" means rainbow in Italian.
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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} II) Fire" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} II) Fire" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} II) Fire" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
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"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} II) Fire" 8"x6"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text/ Text from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010.jpg
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail of grey heart with teardrops/waterdrops
"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} III) Air Water" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
This is number three in the Tecza-Arcobaleno Set #1, Elements of Gray. I couldn't decide between the elements of air and water --- they felt
intertwined for me, so I decided to combine them.
​I first heard the Latin phrase "lacrimae rerum" while listening to the audio rendition of the Geraldine Brooks' novel, Year of Wonders.
Lacrimae rerum can mean "tears in things" in English.  What more is there to say?
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood detail text reads lacrimal rerum/ tears in things'
"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} III) Air Water" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
Picture of art glass mosaic on wood grey heart with tear drops and text dark brown background with green and blue on bottom
"{Tęcza-Arcobaleno Set #1 Elements of Gray} III) Air Water" 6.25"x8.25"x1" glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2010
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"Ah, the Nourishment...." 10.5"x9.5".1" glass mosaic on wood ©Diana Maria Rossi 2009

The real title of this sculpture is, "Ah, the Nourishment..... said Rosa".  One day, many years ago, when my daughter was about 10 years old, I was in the car driving her and I reached back and handed her some M&M's. "Ah, the nourishment!" said my daughter. How could I NOT but be inspired ?!




W H E N   I  W A S N' T    S U R E  I F  I  C O U L D  M A K E  A N O T H E R  H E A R T

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"My Swan Song (Perhaps)" 6.5"x7.5"x.1" glass mosaic on wood with text and jigsaw blades ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008.jpg
photo of detail of above piece. this detail shows the writing, "My Swan Song (Perhaps)" - detail - ©Diana Maria Rossi 2008

Internal crisis reared its ugly head again, in 2008, when I stumbled upon a brochure for a workshop on how to make and complete a mosaic heart in
just two days of a weekend workshop. Why in the world was I doing this? Should I ever make another heart again? Once again, the making became
its own best therapy and I made "My Swan Song (Perhaps)". After I made this piece, my existential quandary was averted and I continued onward.
I think it was a combination of the writing  of  "I just can't do this anymore" over and over ad nauseam and those jigsaw blades that did the trick!


Picture of art glass mosaic on wood with prisms and photos and text photos of hands under clear glass going around in a half circle or arch Text reads: the glad game/looking for kindred spirits. there is a photo of hands clasped in prayer and hands holding a rose
"Reliquary" 9.75"x9.75"x2.5" glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, wire and prisms ©Diana Maria Rossi 2012-2014
                                    If you click on the image, above, you will be taken to a body of work begun in 2011, Out of Tune in Color, of which this piece is a part.
Picture of glass mosaic on wood detail hearts with text with photo of hands praying text says: the glad game/ looking for kindred spirits
#683 "Reliquary" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2012-2014
                                    If you click on the image, above, you will be taken to a body of work begun in 2011, Out of Tune in Color, of which this piece is a part.
purple hand with blue fingernails holding a red rose with yellow halo
















Thank you for taking the time to look at what I have made.
I can be reached at: dianarossi@sonic.net
      "A Rose in the Hand is Better"
       
glass mosaic on wood
       5.5"x 6.5"x .75"
       ©Diana Maria Rossi 1990
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                 

        all original images and words © 2014-2022 Diana Maria Rossi ​
                                                                                                                                                         click on image below to go home
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