Out of Tune in Color 2011-2014

Out of Tune in Color

In 2011, I decided that after 21 years of using the mosaic medium as a means to my end of making stuff, that it
was time for me to approach my process differently. I was tired of racing from deadline to deadline, feeling like
I was being buffeted by the unseen hand of something that seemed random.

I wanted out of the mosaic ghetto and I wanted my work to be seen as the sculpture which it is. I decided, too,
that I would not let anything distract me from my goal of creating a cohesive body of new work --- neither teenagers,
nor aging nor love nor promises of group exhibitions --- not even birthdays.

For the most part, I was successful, except that what I thought would take one year, took almost four!
I have titled this body of work, Out of Tune in Color after piece #12, "The Epiphany" which alludes to a
painful, musical encounter that really got me thinking. And making.

Thanks so much for taking the time to look at what I have made.

petite disclaimer: this page could use a bit of work, especially the quality of the photographs --- improvements coming someday!

“The Trip” (detail - top) Text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

#1 " The Trip " [for my brother]

photo of a glass mosaic on wood, triangle shaped, clear glass over a map Diana Maria Rossi art

“The Trip” 8.25” l x 16” h x 2.75” deep/ glass mosaic on wood with maps, text, wire, teacup and cat hair Text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

detail of nest surrounded by copper wire and offset by pink design with red coronas and a black background

“The Trip” 8.25” l x 16” h x 2.75” deep/ glass mosaic on wood with maps, text, wire, teacup and cat hair Text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

“The Trip” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

"The Trip" (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

“The Trip” ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

photo of a glass mosaic on wood, triangle shaped, clear glass over a map

“The Trip” (detail) 8.25” l x 16” h x 2.75” deep/ glass mosaic on wood with maps, text, wire, teacup and cat hair Text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

#2 " I Did Not Miss the Boat " [ for my mother-in-law ]

“I Did Not Miss the Boat” 6” l x 6.25” h x 3.5” deep/ glass mosaic on wood with photos, text and music ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

“I Did Not Miss the Boat” (other side view) 6” l x 6.25” h x 3.5” deep/glass mosaic on wood with photos, text and music ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

“I Did Not Miss the Boat” 6” l x 6.25” h x 3.5” deep/ glass mosaic on wood with photos , text and music ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

with lyrics from the folk song, "The Water is Wide"

#3 "{Tecza-Arcobaleno Set #2 The Red Family} II) Back When I was Pink (Instead of Red)
We Would Send Them To Each Other [ for my girlfriends / for my sisters-in-law ]

“Back When I Was Pink (Instead of Red) We Would Send Them to Each Other” 6.25” l x 9.25” h x 1” deep /glass mosaic on wood with photos and text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

I chose to tackle red as my second hue for the Tecza-Arcobaleno series. I thought "The Red Family" was appropriate as my surname means red in
Italian. With this piece I was harking back to all those Valentine Days in high school where, once a year, we endured the unpleasant ritual of
waiting for carnations to be delivered; that is, carnations that were delivered only to some. Back then, it was mainly only certain girls, usually the
ones who possessed steady boyfriends who were chosen. However, many of us became resourceful at avoiding public humiliation and we would
send carnations to each other. The flowers comprising the grid in the background of this piece are all photos of carnations, and the text reads: "these are for all of us", in repetition. I wanted to give back and take charge.
No, this sculpture is not a nod towards Andy Warhol!:)

#4 " City of God: 'Why Am I Painting the Living Room?' *

*song title by Lou and Peter Berryman

mosaic of living room with couch, drawn wallpaper and lithograph of nuclear power plant

“City of God: ‘Why Am I Painting the Living Room?’ *” *song title by Lou and Peter Berryman 8” l x 17.5” h x 3” deep / glass mosaic on wood with drawing, ruler, lithograph, text and couch Diana Maria Rossi ©2011-2014

glass mosaic on wood with drawing, ruler, lithograph, text and couch / detail of couch

“City of God: ‘Why Am I Painting the Living Room?’ *” *song title by Lou and Peter Berryman (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

glass mosaic on wood with drawing, ruler, lithograph, text and couch

“City of God: ‘Why Am I Painting the Living Room?’ *” *song title by Lou and Peter Berryman 8” l x 17.5” h x 3”deep/ glass mosaic on wood with drawing, ruler, lithograph, text and couch ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

“City of God: ‘Why Am I Painting the Living Room?’ *” *song title by Lou and Peter Berryman (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

glass mosaic on wood / pink drawn wallpaper

“City of God: ‘Why Am I Painting the Living Room?’ *” *song title by Lou and Peter Berryman (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

glass mosaic on wood / lithograph: nuclear, no graze

“City of God: ‘Why Am I Painting the Living Room?’ *” *song title by Lou and Peter Berryman (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

#5 " City of God: The Long Night "

glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, silkscreen reproduction, wire, bed and beads / interior scene/ purple with bed

“City of God: The Long Night” 12.25” l x 13.5” h x 8” deep glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, silkscreen reproduction, wire, bed and Lisa’s beads. Words by Me. ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood / view of light post with copper wire sprouting out of top

“City of God: The Long Night” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood / view of background which is silkscreened/ purple with words: we wanted much, but were kept too busy, and in the long night, our dreams were bought and sold

“City of God: The Long Night” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood/ view of silkscreen poster: We wanted much, but were kept too busy, but in the long night, our dreams were bought and sold

“City of God: The Long Night” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

"We Wanted Much
But Were Kept Too Busy

And In The Long Night

Our Dreams

Were
Bought And Sold"

art glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, silkscreen reproduction, wire, bed and beads / interior scene/ purple with bed / view from the side

“City of God: The Long Night” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, silkscreen reproduction, wire, bed and beads / interior scene/ purple with bed/ view from above

“City of God: The Long Night” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

#6 " City of God: I Will Drink From the Well "

glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, drawing, watch and comb

“City of God: I Will Drink From the Well” 8” l x 23.25” l x 2.25” deep glass mosaic on wood with drawing, photos, text, watch, and comb ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood / detail/ wooden fountain with watch and photo of miner drinking and comb on bottom

“City of God: I Will Drink From the Well” (detail) text: I will never see a polar bear ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

art glass mosaic on wood / detail/ orangey wooden comb and text above it: I will never see a polar bear

“City of God: I Will Drink From the Well” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood / detail / photo of the Goodyear blimp under glass / text riding on blimp: climate change is real ( for now)

“City of God: I Will Drink From the Well” (detail) text on blimp: climate change is real (for now) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

glass mosaic on wood/ drawing under glass/ very blue, winter and water like/ light blue

“City of God: I Will Drink From the Well” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014

#7 " Reliquary " [for all my cousins]

picture of glass mosaic on wood with hearts, prisms, photo of hands praying, photo of mosaic hand holding a rose and other hands around the rounded top by Diana Maria Rossi

“Reliquary” 9.75” l x 9.75” h x 2.5” deep / glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, wire and prisms ©Diana Maria Rossi 2012-2014

Picture of glass mosaic no wood, detail with two prisms and hands by Diana Maria Rossi

“Reliquary” (detail) ©Diana Maria Rossi 2012-2014

Picture of glass mosaic on wood, detail, with hearts and photo of hands praying and text: looking for kindred spirits and the glad game by Diana Maria Rossi

“Reliquary” (detail) © Diana Maria Rossi 2012-2014

#8 {"Tecza-Arcobaleno Set #2 The Red Family} III) Radical"

Picture of glass mosaic on wood, heart with text that says, my roots are showing/ the heart is magenta pink and the background has flower images by Diana Maria Rossi

“Radical" 9.5” l x 7.5” h x 1.5” deep/ glass mosaic on wood with photos and text ©Diana Maria Rossi 2011-2014

Here is number three in The Red Family. Radical comes from the word for "root" and I have often delighted in remembering
the true meaning of "radical". Where-ever I go, what-ever I do, and most certainly what-ever I make, my beginnings, my family, my culture pop out in little ways and manifest itself, unbidden. I am happy about that and wonder why the phrase "your roots are showing" might be seen negatively.
I am proud of my roots! I love the glittery, the color soaked, bright like my Babci's pillows, those stained glass windows and the plastic wrapped powder blue seats of my Dad's 1964 Cadillac. And who, but a really mean-spirited ex-professor of mine, would ever say that red, purple, pink and orange together are "ugly"?

#9 " Lost in Early January "

Picture of detail of glass mosaic on wood with text that says

"Lost in Early January" (detail) glass mosaic on wood with text ©Diana Maria Rossi

This is only an excerpt of "Lost in Early January". I have decided that I am not completely
satisfied with how this mosaic turned out, so it is back to the drawing board!

I did finish it and did redo it, but it might be the piece that ALWAYS stays on the drawing board...... It sits upstairs, forlorn, unloved....!

#10 " Vulcan: A Love Poem - Spring " [for my mom and dad]

Picture of glass mosaic on wood with photos text bullet shell casings and text by Walt Whitman and Diana Maria Rossi graze and dziekuje awe every mother's son, every mother's daughter next flowers willow tree

"Vulcan: A Love Poem - Spring" 10"l x 8.75"h x 3.5" deep / glass mosaic on wood with photos, text, crystals and shell casings. Text by Walt Whitman and Me. ©Diana Maria Rossi 2014