Object: Dragonfly Birdbath          Commission

Materials: Various Glass Tessarae with Epoxy Grey Grout on a Concrete Birdbath

Dimensions:  22" Basin Diameter,  30" Overall Height

Method: Direct

My client wanted to surprise his wife with a standing birdbath. He liked my Roman 01 Birdbath, decoration tip to toe. Dragonfly was the theme of choice.

The first task was finding a well made concrete birdbath. The good ones are very dense and thus heavy as all get out. Only those will stand the test of time, or better said, weather. Finding a streamlined shape is essential for a clean canvas. A deep bowl is a must from the bird's point of view, at least I think so.

Once I found the perfect birdbath, I designed a mosaic around its particular shape. The base is "dusted" with the idea of dragonfly wings. It has the leading edge of wings which disappear into facetted shapes inspired by the smaller patterns you see in the iconic insect's wings. The flat bowl lent itself well for a very graphic vignette. To help set the dragonfly apart from the background, the wings are made of stained glass. Variations in the colors of the glass add interest without requiring fussy small pieces.

Medium grey epoxy grout make the interstices stand out and will help the whole piece hold up to the weather.