Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Wednesday Wonder: Artist Maureen O'Kane

I'm told my grandmother always said she would work until she died 
because she loved it so much and I am sure I will do the same.
~ Artist Maureen O'Kane

Maureen O'Kane, based in Wales, describes herself as "a professional public artist specializing in site-specific public art works in a variety of media." She works with mosaics primarily but also does casting in plaster, bronze and other materials, and creates concrete and mixed media relief murals and other sculptural pieces. Recently, she began creating medals that are purely art objects.

O'Kane works alone and collaboratively, on small commissions and large, producing art for interior and exterior locations, such as schools, hospitals, art centers, urban environments, and woodlands. She is a teacher, too, offering workshops in art and design for all ages. She travels around the world — Spain, Argentina, Canada, Japan, Finland, Russia, England, the United States — presenting seminars on her work or on Byzantine and Roman mosaics. (O'Kane studied Byzantine mosaic production at Studio Arte del Mosaico in Ravenna, Italy. Ravenna is known for its extraordinary Byzantine mosaics. Its early Christian churches and mosaics are designated a World Heritage Site.)

Much to my delight, I discovered that O'Kane has an interest in animation and has produced two films, Unswept Floor and Dove Life. Both were the subject of a feature on the blog Mosaic Art Now. Both are truly inspired works of art, lyrical and playful and entrancing.


Unswept floor from maureen o'kane on Vimeo.



Dove Life from maureen o'kane on Vimeo.


O'Kane's blog is Momosaic. You'll find there photos of O'Kane at work, as well as images of completed pieces, which are wonders to behold.

A brief but excellent BBC interview with the artist is here.

For information on Byzantine mosaics, go here. Information on where to find examples of Roman mosaics is here.
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6 comments:

Joyce Wycoff said...

Maureen ... I truly love unswept floor! What an adventure in creativity. Thanks.

Louise Gallagher said...

All roads lead to Roma!

Brilliant!

Another wonder found and shared by you.

Thank you!

Hugs

PS -- I suggested to Joyce we have a Skype date before her big day!

Laura said...

Dove Life is gorgeous! Maureen, you treasure-hunter. What a pot of gold you always give.

Kathleen Overby said...

Unswept floor is exactly like looking down into, instead of cross sections of....a tell. The coolest thing is that it affirmed what my imagination saw as I stood on top wondering. She has such a range of gifts.

Wednesdays are good days. :) Christmas presents.

Anonymous said...

very colourful and pretty.

Anonymous said...

Found you today, for the first time, through your comment on Knitting the Wind...

I was fascinated by your open-hearted parenting approach, evidenced in the delightful eccentricity your son displays. Can't wait to enjoy your work, one post at a time. Better go brew me up some espresso, right now.