Michelle Sider Artist StatementAs a Michigan-based mixed media artist, my detailed glass mosaics explore the themes of identity, spirituality, and searching for a sense of place. A bold use of color, expressive content, and a painterly style often recognize my work. I studied techniques locally and later with artists in Italy, Israel, Belgium, Detroit, Boston, and Costa Rica and with masters from France and Japan to develop this style. Underneath each of my mosaics is a fully completed and highly detailed original painting. For the past seven years, I have been creating my Reflections and Transparencies mosaic series. These works, which include still lives and landscapes, express my gratitude, awe, and keen observations of the natural world. Inspired by my surroundings, I create light-focused mosaics as a metaphor for personal reflections. I aim to capture the moment of inspiration, awe, and spirituality that I experience on the scene. Using a variety of techniques that I have developed through the years, these works change color as the light fluctuates throughout the day. This technique is not only challenging but also a fun way to focus on the theme of light and reflections. Interest in my heritage and the untold stories of immigrants inspired my I am Yemenite series. These glass mosaic portraits are meant to challenge perceptions of immigrants and in particular share the story of Jews of Arab descent. The incorporation of hand-made jewelry, ancient pottery, and other historically significant materials enhances the rich cultural significance of these pieces. My goal with this series is to spark conversations about the experiences of immigrants, and minorities, the balance between assimilation and maintaining one’s identity, and sharing untold stories from the region. This series has also sparked a new body of figurative work. My On the Side of the Road series is a contemporary take on the surprising beauty I’ve uncovered in the broken surfaces of roads and everyday settings found while biking or hiking less-traveled roads around Michigan. It has been a particular joy of late to explore non-traditional ways to create mosaics in all of my works.While the subject of my work varies, underlying themes capturing emotions, celebrating light, movement, and spirituality, and provoking thoughtful conversations can be seen throughout my work. I hope the viewers can experience the sparks of my inspiration when they look at my artwork. Michelle Sider's unique materials and techniques Mixed media work created by Michelle Sider showcases unique materials and techniques. Created from Italian and Mexican smalti, hand-cast-stained glass, stone, metal, and other materials, Sider chisels and cuts hundreds and sometimes thousands of pieces to create stunning works that reflect light and change color with differing viewing conditions. Materials:The hand-made glass that Sider uses in her work is in itself an art form. She chooses from more than 5,000 colors and textures of glass to incorporate into her work. The historical Venetian glass Sider uses is called Italian smalti. It is created using techniques perfected in 1888 to produce 24K gold and richly colored pieces. This glass is considered to be the most brilliantly colored and highest quality in the world. The recipes have been handed down for centuries, often kept within family groups. The thickness of Italian smalti requires specific techniques and tools for working with the glass. Mexican smalti is young by comparison, first being manufactured in the 1950’s. The variegated colors and texture of this hand-made glass add depth, beauty, and unique reflective qualities. Sider also uses repurposed and new hand-cast-stained glass created in small batches in U.S. factories. Using techniques that were developed in the 1800’s each small factory creates specific color mixes, textures, thicknesses, and surface treatments. To create Italian and Mexican smalti and hand-cast-stained glass, molten glass is poured into a puddle and then slowly hardened under specific conditions. Fun fact, in Italy, this puddle of glass is called a pizza and in Mexico, the puddles of glass are called tortillas. One of the main differences, other than the unique colors and textures created at each factory, is the thickness of the glass. The thickness dictates the types of tools and techniques used for every kind of glass. Technique:Evolving from painter to mixed media artist, Sider has chosen to work with glass which is both unforgiving and exquisite. Sider begins each piece with original photographs and drawings which she turns into paintings as a guide for her work. A full-scale painting lies beneath the surface of each mixed-media work. Sider then chooses from a wide variety of materials to create what she describes as “painting with glass.” Most of her works take well over 100 hours to create. To cut the Italian smalti, Sider uses a chisel and hammer. This ancient technique has been perfected over the centuries. However, Sider’s unique technique involves using no grout between the pieces of glass. This requires exquisitely precise cuts to ensure that all six sides fit precisely next to the adjacent piece. Stained glass and Mexican smalti require different glass-cutting techniques. Sider has trained with expert glass cutters in Italy, Belgium, Israel, Costa Rica, Boston, and Detroit and with artists from Japan, France, and the United States to perfect her techniques. Guided by Michaelango’s methods, Sider places each piece at a precise angle to capture light from one of five directions. This allows her to take advantage of changing light conditions that fall upon the artwork. The final step is the refining and polishing stage. Using dental tools, wire brushes, and other tools, Sider meticulously cleans the surface and cracks between each piece of glass. At this point, the viewer can see the wide variety of texture, reflectivity, and color of not only the individual pieces but also the interactions among the pieces. Sider’s knowledge of glass, metal, stone, and other materials along with her meticulous techniques, bold designs, and expert color mixing, produce one-of-a-kind works that dazzle the eye, create a sense of movement, and change color as the light fluctuates throughout the day. To learn more go to: Michellesider.com