Artist In Residence Exhibition
Mosaic Portrait of Michael David Markman
A The completion of this portrait mosaic marks the finishing touch on a deeply meaningful journey. The piece was originally begun in a classroom setting with its owner, Julie Markman, who mapped out the initial details and placed the very first tesserae—focusing on the eyes, hat outline, and collar. When Julie's life took a sudden turn with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, work on the portrait paused. Years later, her son Peter reached out, and we agreed that I would complete it.
Finishing this piece has been a true labor of love: a tribute to both my passion for mosaic and the enduring bond shared between Julie and Peter. Having done very little portrait work in any medium prior, it was a steep learning curve. We are certainly our own harshest critics! Working in mosaic is vastly different from painting when it comes to blending colors and capturing shadows, light, and expression. Reaching the grouting stage and witnessing the magical transformation of color was immensely satisfying—and seeing it now, fully completed, is wonderfully rewarding. reimagining of a timeless brand.
Rikki Hand-sculpted Clay (Head and Bust), 2026
Returning to the clay after three decades is, in many ways, an act of unlearning and rediscovering. When I last sculpted a head and bust in 1996 under the guidance of master sculptor Arthur Kalamarus at the Claremont School of Art, my hands knew a different rhythm. Stepping back into this medium during my residency at Inglewood Arts Hub required me to become a student once more—relying on old notebook pages, faded photographs, and the willingness to embrace every mistake as a lesson in disguise.
For this study, my sitter is my daughter, Rikki. My intention was to move beyond mere physical likeness and capture the vibrant essence of who she is: her inner glow, her poise, and, above all, the infectious joy of her laughter that effortlessly lights up a room. Fashioning this head and bust has been a profound labor of love. It is a celebration of getting my hands back into the primal clay of creation, bridging thirty years of life and art to finally reveal the invisible grace living just beneath the surface.
Sculptural Portrait Rikki Carin
White Petals Illuminated
This work explores the metamorphosis of industrial objects into organic forms. By embedding handcrafted, glazed ceramic petals into a repurposed satellite dish, cold, utilitarian technology is transformed into vibrant, exotic flora.
The satellite dish serves as a metaphor for communication and reception—an object once designed to capture invisible data is now repurposed to "broadcast" light and colour. The intricate mosaic, composed of over 800 2x2 cm ceramic tiles/tesserae, creates a tactile surface that invites close inspection. At the centre, a seed pod encrusted with ceramic, glass and pearls is fashioned from a repurposed water filter candle and serves as the focal point, while handcrafted ceramic petals, fired and glazed, form the intricate petal formation with highlights of additional pearls. LED strip lighting has been incorporated into the mosaic work and interacts with the form to create a luminous, architectural presence. The work can be either installed in a ceiling or hung from a wall.
Pink Petals
This work explores the metamorphosis of industrial objects into organic forms. By embedding handcrafted, glazed ceramic petals into a repurposed satellite dish, cold, utilitarian technology is transformed into vibrant, exotic flora.
The intricate mosaic creates a tactile surface that invites close inspection. At the centre, a seed pod encrusted with ceramic, glass and pearls is fashioned from a repurposed water filter candle and serves as the focal point, while handcrafted ceramic petals, fired and glazed, form the intricate petal formation with highlights of additional pearls. The work can be hung, creating a stunning visual focus.
