The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 53 No 2 July 2014

Fo cus: Emerging
Elisa Bartels, North Curl Curl Pool
2014, stained porcelain tiles, anodised
metal rings, h.l6Ocm, w.190cm, d.l em
Photo: Greg Piper
Elisa Bartels' 'floating mosaic' sits at the razor's
edge of fragility and strength. Small porcelain
tiles have been stained using various oxides and
commercial stains. These tiles are then joined
together using black metallic rings and the image
this creates is suspended within an anodised
aluminium frame where it seems to float and
flutter allowing the scene to come to life.
This was a commissioned piece: "My client
and I decided to base the work on an aerial
view of her favourite sea pool where she swims
frequently and I wanted her to feel connected to
this special place, especially when her busy life
doesn't allow her time to dive into its comforting
waters. "
PROFILE:
Elisa Bartels
There is a sublime duality to Bartels' work -
not only do the tiles make up a complete picture
but each tile is a miniature landscape in its own
right. This results in a piece that encourages
viewers to constantly discover new images hiding
in the midst of the finished work.
"Bringing this piece to fruition has taken a
long time, but along the way I have created a
technique which is intriguing and multifunctional.
I'm excited to commence working on a new
series of floating mosaics using many of the skills
I have learnt for this commission."
www.elisabartels.com
so . THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY 2014