RIVER MOSAIC

About the project:

Gratton says, “The Yahara is a treasured part of city of Madison, enjoyed by the community throughout the year. This project highlights how people, through their use and enjoyment of the river, can’t escape becoming part of it. The piece is brightly framed, clear glass mosaic on a mirror base. The mosaic represents the texture of tree bark. People floating/passing by on the river side will see their reflection through the mosaic (through the “trees”). The reflection of the river landscape in which they are traveling will become part of the artwork. They are observers and participants in the art reflecting that they are part of the riverscape. The piece adds a stopping point and a point of interest along the Flotilla route that will captivate all participants for the moment that they see themselves as part of the Yahara landscape. This piece is ever-changing, depending on what is happening on the river at any given moment.”

About the artist:

Brenda says, “Even in the tiniest details, there is something fascinating about everything there is to see in nature. Focusing in on those details, studying them, makes me pay attention. And when I see the beauty or emotion in that moment I want to celebrate it by making something. Recently I have been studying trees, their life cycles and anatomy and have found they are a great metaphor for our own lives. The clear glass mosaics have come from experimenting with the patterns of tree bark and seeing how that texture affects how we see the artwork underneath. This project is a unique opportunity to explore the interaction of nature and people floating on the river as the artwork. Patterns, created by the mosaic, will play with the images. It’s almost like a funhouse mirror that you only have a quick moment to see before you drift by. I’m looking forward to the surprise and sense of fun that moment will create.”