“Natural Florida” mural -Bomberos Field Park – Orlando, FL

My buddy that hung out with me most of the time during the installation.

My mural is finally finished and installed. It feels so good to have it complete! Boy this was a long journey. There were several set backs that caused this to take longer then it should’ve. In June of 2020, I was awarded this project after beating out 100s of artist that applied. I think the first set back was caused by COVID. With everyone working from home, there was some miscommunication. After a few months, I got the contract to sign and they were supposed to send me a check so I could start the buying all the materials needed to start. Which took several months for the invoice to get to the right people that write the checks. A totally different department and not the people that I had been talking with. So after several months, I finally get the check in January 2021.

Second set back: I order all my materials and since the clay was bought locally, I could start making the background tiles. The Daltiles I ordered are made to order and they said should take 3 weeks and one week to ship here. So I waited and never heard anything. I contact them and they tell me the factory is 2 weeks behind and then it will still be 1 week to ship. So I continue to make the background tiles. Finally I get an email and they are being shipped! YAY!!!!

Creating leaf prints in the clay for the background tiles.

Third set back: Mid- April I finally get the call that the tiles are available to pick up! I go rent my U-haul and get the tiles. All the LUNAtics at my studio come to help me carry them in to the studio. Finally I can start working!! I go home and take the girls (Violet and Pepper) out for their evening walk. We are out walking, and someone in their garage was working on their car and drops the hood, which then echos out and scares the crap out of Pepper. I grip down on the leash (I’ve always been able to handle her when she darts after something) and she takes off harder then she has ever before. I could see myself in slow-motion flying through the air and landing on the sidewalk. She’s 2 years old and 80 lbs. She took both me and Violet down. I got a small scratch on my face and my left hand, but my right hand feels like I broke every bone in my hand. I couldn’t move it and it hurt so bad. I couldn’t even get up, I started sweating and I was very dizzy. I was maybe 100 ft from my house and I had to sit down 3 times before I got home. I iced it as soon as I got home. Later that night I could move my fingers but WOW my hand was super swollen. It looked like someone else’s hand, but I was able to move my fingers without pain. So maybe I didn’t break anything.

WOW!!! Look at the difference! I still can’t believe how BIG it looks.

After a few weeks, I was able to work a little bit at a time with clay. It was hard for me to hold or grip anything. I could only work a couple of hours at a time. I started to work on the center of the flowers and one of the Sandhill crane heads. Glazing and cutting clay tiles wasn’t too bad. I still couldn’t cut the tiles. Originally, the heads of the Sandhill Cranes were going to be hand painted handmade tiles and the body was going to be cut tiles and look a lot more simple. Since I could cut the clay, I decided to make the entire crane out of handmade tiles. Which I think actually worked out much better then what it would have! One thing that I’ve always been good about is if something is not working, I always find a way around it to make it work.

Using underglazes to color the clay the color i want and add shading.

YAY! My hand is finally feeling a little better and I can start cutting the tiles. I have to use the wet saw to cut them though. Which does make the process take a bit long. But wow I am loving the wet saw!! It cuts the tiles soooo nice and smooth. I can cut off the thinnest pieces off the edge. Since I had the Beauty Berries finished I started on that section of the mural.

Working on mesh on top of my printed artwork.

to be continued…….

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Contact:

cherie@cheriebosela.com

studio: 407.930.0750

cell: 407.797.7903

studio:

Luna Mosaic Arts

813 Virginia Drive
Orlando, FL 32803

www.lunamosaicarts.com

 

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