natalie baca studio

Facebook

2011-07-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note that I have started a Facebook page of my art. Be sure to go to the right column and click "like" to be able to follow me. Also, still working on my slow process of tiling and transforming the bathroom. I will have more pics to post soon.

Blog Feature

2011-06-30T11:31:00.002-07:00

I was notified that my mosaic work was recently featured in a blog. Thank you to Eve Lynch of Kraken Mosaics for putting together a wonderful posting on mosaic art on walls! It is a gorgeous spread complete with fantastic photos of various mosaics all over the world. My particular work is on the June 29, 2011 posting -- the fourth photo down from the top. Be sure to go check it out!!!!!!!!! http://flickrmosaicartists.blogspot.com/

Still working on my bathroom and will take some more photos to show progress very soon. It's coming along quite well.

DIY bathroom tile

2011-06-21T09:27:00.001-07:00

After gathering some inspirational photos, I decided to get started. I didn't want to spend much on tile. So, I decided to use primarily white tile. Our bathroom floor has white tile and white tile happens to be the cheapest. I will have splashes of color (in the form of stripes) throughout and planned on using tile that I have in my stash. I went to Home Depot and bought the mastic for bathrooms and with no particular plan in mind, began. Here are the photos of what I have completed so far.

We have a small built in shelf area. I have a huge love for Mexican talavera tile, so I decided to use a pattern and solid lime green along with a black & white trim and glass gems.

In this photo, I show the top view of the shelf. The white tile is beginning to line up and you can begin to see the stripe of all blue tiles.

Another view of the white tile and blue stripe.

A close up view of the variety of blue tiles being used in the stripe. All shades of blue are being used, whole tiles and broken tiles along with glass gems that are mixed in.

The Project is Beginning

2011-06-09T08:34:00.000-07:00

Has anyone out there tiled their bathroom? Anyone create mosaic in their bathroom? What were your challenges? I am curious and would love to hear from you!!

The bathroom project is about to begin and yet it will be a sloooow one. My plate is very full so finding free time to complete the project will be difficult but I am bound and determined.

Here are a few of the pictures of the blank tile board walls staring at me. THE BEFORE PICTURES

I am about to delve in and wanted to get some inspiration. I searched the web for mosaic tiled bathrooms and found many inspiring photos - and some VERY wild, crazy ones. I am still unsure of where I am taking this project but here are a few images that I found on the web and wanted to share.

I thought this one was quite beautiful and yet simple

Love this glass and the bubble effect.

Lots of detail here - Interesting

This is a bit much for my bathroom - however, I loved the idea of the embedded cups that hold the shampoos and brushes etc. Very clever!!

Oh Happy Friday...

2011-06-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I am really getting the hang of this twitter thing now. LOL. I have a whole 14 people following me now, so far. (giggle) I think that is pretty good considering I just started though. Sooo, if you are on twitter, be sure to come follow me @nataliebaca.

New items have just been posted in my Etsy store. I was able to have quite the art session a few nights ago and knocked out some new art. I added a couple of mosaics including a mirror, a blue bird, and a sacred heart along with one of my mixed media collage paintings.

I have a few more items that I hope to add over the weekend. I was a little slow in getting things grouted.

I have a huge project that I have taken on. It isn't anything to place in my etsy store. It is my bathroom project. We had a shower/tub with boring sand color tile. Sand isn't always boring but being that I am a color addict, I had been wanting to add the Natalie splash to it for some time. I envision mosaic work along with traditional tile for a striking combination that makes a statement. My husband had someone rip all the tile out and I am left with a clean canvas....tile board. Tile board that is staring blankly at me.

I have ideas but instead of planning it out, I plan to delve right into it. I work better that way. I will incorporate this project into my blog as an ongoing work in progress. You can follow along to see how it develops :) Pictures to follow! ~~~~~ Peace, Love & Tile to all.

Ok, Ok...Yes, I am on twitter now.

2011-05-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

I broke down. Never wanted a twitter account - never felt the need. But, yes, I have broken down (as many artists have) and created the account. I do not have many tweets - for obvious reasons. But, I will try to stay on top of it. Follow me on twitter @nataliebaca

I will try to give updates on new art and product and perhaps some promotional information. :)
xoxo natalie

Crazy Life of a Mom

2011-05-26T08:56:00.001-07:00

It has been completely crazy at my household for the past few weeks. Dance recitals, the flu, end of school performances, birthdays, and list continues. My art process has really slooowed due to the amount of activities that have been occurring. I tell myself, "Oh, when the kids go to sleep you can work on your art". But, by then I am completely wiped out and the creative juices have disappeared with my tiredness. I wonder if this happens to anyone else. Surely it does.....With that in mind, I don't have many new works to show - however, here are a few pieces.

On The Wings (left) was created using Mixed Media Collage and various glass to create the mosaic. Very fun to do and am going to try to accomplish some more mosaics using this method.

The Virgin De Guadalupe (below) mosaic wall art is a tiny fun piece to add some color to your wall. Decorative yellow glass frame around the image along with glitter tile adds to the festive feel.

The mixed media painting above is a new abstract that I added to my Etsy store. I used collage, acrylics and other mediums to the 6x6 canvas. Great small piece by itself or you can collect several to group together on a wall.

In closing, my prayers and thoughts are with my hometown of Piedmont, Oklahoma. A tornado ripped through the area on May 24th and many are without homes and lives have been lost. xoxo

The Creative Juices Are On

2011-05-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what a "break" can do with your creative process. I have lots of ideas and am going to be coming out with some really new things! Last weekend was a fantastic sales weekend for me, and yet with my daughter's dance recital and Mother's Day, I hardly even got anything made to replace my sales. I was able to get one of my winged hearts completed - see below. This is a new item just placed in my etsy shop. More to come soon.

Here are some of the new pieces:

2011-04-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

Just listed on Etsy and yet more to come!!! Thanks for looking~

New Works of Art

2011-04-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

I have been super busy making new art items not only for my Etsy store, but also for an upcoming month long show in May. Most new items will be posted on Etsy in the next week or two. For the locals, I will have my work at Sunland Park Mall on display. Be sure to check it out.

Lately what has inspired me are "hearts". Many of the new items will have them -- flaming hearts, winged hearts, sacred hearts, whimsical and primitive! I will get photos uploaded and posted once they are complete, as well. These items are sure to make unique Mother's Day gifts and Graduation gifts.

Peace, Love & Tile / Natalie

A Treasury Find on Etsy!

2011-04-14T08:54:00.002-07:00

I'm Back...

2011-04-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

After a small 2 year break, I am back to making art! In 2009, I discovered that having two small children and running an art business with a full time job was a bit difficult!! Now that the little ones are a little bigger and more independent, I am happy to report that I can squeeze in some art time!

I must say the break was needed. I had been running myself ragged with orders and juggling all of the other things in life. I am back with many new ideas and the creative juices are flowing. Be sure to keep an eye on my etsy store as I will be posting new pieces as they are created and of course the blog as I will be talking about some of those pieces.

peace, love & tile
natalie

HANDMADE GALLERIES

2009-07-17T10:03:00.004-07:00

My work can now be found at Handmade Galleries in Los Angeles. It is a fantastic gallery of handmade art and gifts and has received mucho press. If you live in the L.A. area or are going to be visiting the area, be sure to stop by the gallery located on Ventura Blvd.

Tweet!

2009-06-30T19:30:00.008-07:00

As a mixed media mosaic artist, I am always scrounging for fun finds to put in my works. I came across a ceramic bird that inspired me to do a birdhouse wallhanging. After cutting the boards, I decided to make some tiles in the kiln that would fit along with the bird theme. I, also, found some vintage bird images and placed them under glass. To fill in, I used floral plates that were scrap. I had so much fun making it that I made a few more!

I, also, just completed a custom piece for a client who owns a bike shop in Riudoso, NM. I was given his logo for the shop and asked to do it in mosaic.

Here is the artwork that was given
to me. And.......here is the finished piece! Needless to say, I have been very busy and I am working on a new outlet for my art! It is still in the works, but will announce when all of the details have been ironed out! Yea!

Peace, Love & Tile! ♥♥♥

New Stuff!

2009-06-28T22:44:00.007-07:00

It has been awhile since I last posted. It seems that I have been quite busy with retail orders and custom orders! Can't complain there! :)

To catch up, I recently made a custom piece for a man who is a chef here in El Paso! He happened to love Day of the Dead items and it was going to be his 40th birthday. His family wanted a mosaic piece with Day of the Dead and left the rest pretty open for me. I found an image of a chef skeleton but was hesitant to use the image. I found out the artist was the Crafty Chica, who happened to be one of my friends on MySpace. I contacted her and she granted me permission to use the image in my piece. The art fell into place after that. Be sure to check out http://www.craftchica.com/ for Kathy & Patrick Murillo's work. The artwork of theirs is the center skeleton that is the chef.

In addition to the custom piece, I have been busy making new pieces for sale. I've got a stash now! Here is the new mirror that I just completed. Made with a half talavera pot, a 3d Sunflower and leaves, talavera bits, glass gems, and vitreous glass.

I will post more new work as soon as I take the time to download the pics. Busy, busy!

Catching Up!

2009-05-08T18:36:00.006-07:00

Well, the auction had tons of lookers; however, there was only one brave soul that bidded and won the item for 9.99! Yea winner!

I have been busy with orders and making some new items, as well. Will get those posted soon. And, I am currently expanding my etsy store with more mosaic supplies! All you mosaic enthusiasts, be sure to check out my supplies .

Here is a new mirror that I just posted in the etsy store. Made completely with found seashells, no grout. I used a layering effect with the shells.

The above photo is a sample of some of the tiles that I have to offer in my etsy store now. There is quite a variety and am adding more each day.

Be sure to check out my Etsy listings at: http://www.mosaicartgirl.etsy.com/

For all you locals, I am now showing at Deanna's Designs, located on the westside on Mesa. She recently moved to a beautiful location at The Stores on Mesa! I have a selection of mirrors, wall hangings, crosses and frames at her location!

Peace, Love & Tile ♥

Sacred Heart Mirror

2009-04-18T08:27:00.002-07:00

Just an update on the current auction on Ebay. I have one bid on the mirror ~ Yea! And, if nobody else bids, this person will get one of my pieces for $9.99!!! What a gonga-deal! I'm happy to give back as I have been blessed in so many ways.

There are 3 days left on the auction. Be sure to check it out when you get a chance. The link for the auction is in the below posting under "ebay auction".

Thanks!!!! And, have a happy day!
Peace, Love, & Tile

Sacred Heart Ebay Auction

2009-04-14T09:07:00.003-07:00

As promised, I have listed the first of my mosaic Ebay auctions. The item is of the above picture. A Sacred Heart mirror measuring 12x12" and made of mixed media collage under glass. The mirror was made in 2008 and auction is beginning at the very low price of $9.99! If interested in bidding, be sure to go to the below link!

If nobody bids, you get this very mirror for very cheap and way under gallery prices! Specifics on the mirror and shipping are listed in the auction ad. Click on below link!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mosaic-Art-Sacred-Heart-Loteria-Glass-Tile-Wall-Mirror_W0QQitemZ320360248556QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item320360248556&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

EBAY AUCTIONS

2009-04-13T13:01:00.003-07:00

Hello to all - Hope all is well.
I am staying quite busy! I received quite a few orders from the HGTV airing and have been happy with the outcome.

After much feedback, I have decided to begin auctions on Ebay for my art! I have an ebay store but used it mostly for the "Buy it Now" option at the full price. With the Ebay Auctions, this is your opportunity to own one of my pieces at perhaps lower than gallery prices.

I am going to begin all of the auctions at an extremely low price! And, well.....if nobody bids, then you get the piece dirt cheap!!!!!!!!!!!! My way of saying Thank You to all of my supporters. I am going to try to list new auction pieces at least once a week, so be sure to check often!

Hopefully, I will have the first mosaic piece listed by this evening. If not, definitely by tomorrow! Here is the link to my ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Studio-915_W0QQsspagenameZL2QQtZkm

HGTV - That's Clever

2009-03-20T08:03:00.004-07:00

Well, I can't believe it but, yes, the HGTV segment finally aired! Thanks to all of those who watched! The segment actually had two of my projects: a coffee wall plaque and my mosaic magnets. For those who contacted me about customized coffee wall plaques ...the particular size that I made for the show is $52 and that is customized to your colors and whatever words or phrases that you want. Photo below from the show.

And, for those who were interested in my mosaic magnets, I will be listing some of them in my ebay store - hopefully by next week.

I had a huge a response with a record breaking number of hits to my website and am still trudging through the emails. I promise I will respond to you - just give me some time! Thanks to all of you!

Peace, Love, & Tile ♥

Updates to Website

2009-03-06T13:14:00.003-07:00

Good afternoon to all.

I have updated my website to include my "for sale" items from ebay and etsy. Both have links to these stores. My ebay store has some items from various artists, mosaic supplies and also some of my own works. The etsy store has more of my artwork for sale and also a few handmade mosaic tiles that I create.

To view these, go to www.nataliebacastudio.com
and click on the "shop" icon. It will take you to the page that will show both.

Also, a reminder that my upcoming HGTV show will be airing March 16th...just 10 days away!

Peace, Love & Tile
Natalie

MARCH 16TH

2009-03-03T09:15:00.004-07:00

Hi folks,
It seems that I actually have an airdate for HGTV now!! I am in shock.

Allow me to give a bit of history on this segment. I filmed a segment for That's Clever on HGTV back in December 2006. I was very pregnant at the time. I was told at that time that the segment would air in Fall of 2007. That came and went.

They updated to starting the new series to Jan 2008. That came and went.

I was then told Spring 2008. That came and went.

Needless to say, this continued and I stopped talking about it or telling people about it because I sounded like such an idiot for not knowing the time it would air. Meanwhile, I have had the child that was in my belly during the taping and she is about to turn 2 years old!!!!!!!! Amazing, isn't it? :)

So...the airing is scheduled for March 16th on HGTV's "That's Clever". I do know that it airs at 6am (ouch, that's really early in the morning) Mountain time. (Guess I will have to set the DVR because I won't be getting up that early).

Peace, Love & Tile ♥♥♥♥

Current Exhibit

2009-01-27T09:31:00.003-07:00

Hello to all and Happy New Year!

Didn't realize it but this is actually the first posting I have had this year. I have been busy, busy, busy - which is a fantastic thing!

Just wanted to let you local folks know about an exhibit that I am currently doing. It is again at the ever wonderful Ruli's International Cafe. What a fantastic restaurant - Highly recommend! I had participated in an exhibit last year at Ruli's and it was great and decided to do another.

It began on January 24th and runs through February 24th - so be sure to go see some of my newest works!

Also, it appears that HGTV is really running the 400-series on air now. We had been promised so many dates and I am astounded that it is actually airing. With that in mind, my show will be scheduled very soon and will let you know when it does.

Until next time,

Peace, Love, & Tile ♥♥♥♥♥♥

The Time is Near...

2008-12-17T09:43:00.003-07:00

Hello all,
The Christmas rush of orders is now winding down and I find myself relieved. Although, I love orders, it is nice to actually not rush around, push orders out, and be able to actually enjoy the season and my children.

The time is near...not only is Christmas around the corner, but I have just gotten word that HGTV will finally be running the 400 series! Remember now, I filmed my HGTV episode back in December 2006. I was pregnant with my second child. At that time, they told me it would be airing in the Fall of 2007.

Then, it was pushed back for whatever reason to Jan 2008. My contact then told me that it would be pushed back to Spring 2008. All of these dates have come and gone along with my contact at Weller Grossman. My dear friend, Cindy of Sudz-n-Bubbles (who was also filmed) and I both gave up.

Well, I have just been contacted that the 400 series, in which we are a part of, will begin airing in Jan 2009. We do not have dates for our particular episodes but they do have a schedule set for January.

I will keep you posted if and when I am alerted when my show will air! I was told that they try to let you know a few weeks in advance but that they can't guarantee.

Peace, Love & Tile / Natalie

A Time of Thanks

2008-11-26T13:47:00.002-07:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I would like to take this moment to reflect on all that I am truly grateful for. I am grateful for my family. My children are the sunshine of my life. I draw happiness from them everyday. My husband is a backbone to me and provides me with strength. I am incredibly grateful that God has allowed me to be a wife and mother of two precious babies.

I am grateful of my God-given talents and grateful of those who appreciate and support my art. Not only that, but I am grateful of the things and the people that continuously inspire me to create. And, most of all, I am grateful of all of the things that God has provided, is providing, and will provide to us in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Peace, Love, & Tile

Christmas on the way!

2008-11-24T09:57:00.005-07:00

Here we are at the end of November already. Wholesale and custom orders have filled my days. This is always a busy time! I am hoping that I can complete these items so that I can work on some new pieces for upcoming shows.

I have been scheduled for several upcoming shows and am very excited about them! One of which is in January in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Another show will be the art showing at the Lancer's Club. I do not have a firm date on this yet - but will probably be sometime in January or February! I have a few more lined up and will post dates as they are firmed up.

Will be able to post more once I get some of these large orders out of the way. Until then....
Peace, Love, & Tile

Busy With Orders

2008-11-09T14:51:00.003-07:00

Lots of Christmas orders. I have been busy with some custom order, as well as wholesale orders.

Just a few notes...
My work has been published yet again in the Mosaic Yearbook 2008. It is a fantastic collection of artists work from around the world. Those of you who are mosaic enthusiasts should check it out.

I have updated the gallery section of my website. I added a few new pics and took out some of the older pics. http://nataliebacastudio.com/nataliebaca-gallery.html

Don't forgot to add your email address to the newsletter! You can find it on the upper right section of this page.

Peace, Love & Tile / Natalie

New York City Trip

2008-11-03T09:41:00.011-07:00

Oh my, it is already November. And, I am just realizing that I never posted about my NYC trip. It was amazing to go back to my old stomping ground. My husband had a business trip and I tagged along for the fun of it. I visited my old neighborhood and all the places that I used to love to go to. We had some wonderful food and even went to my favorite Thai restaurant!

Central Park was absolutely beautiful with its trees changing colors, as seen in photo. The weather was gorgeous. I remember October being very cold and needing a jacket when I lived there. It was unseasonably warm while we visited and many in short sleeves. We could not have asked for better weather! It was even warm enough for the Naked Cowboy to do his thing. You don't see much of him in the winter time.

My transportation of choice is definitely the subway system. I noticed that many of the subway stops have updated their decor since I last lived there and visited. Back then, many of the stops had tile that lined their waiting terminals. Now, many of them have interesting mosaics upon them. I was able to get a few photos of the stops but not all. I did enjoy seeing the mosaics though!

These are just a few of the mosaic photos that I took. I visited some wonderful galleries in Soho and came upon some incredible artworks. I also visited the art museums and am feeling quite inspired now. It is always good to get out and see the works of others in different cities. It definitely gives you a new perspective.

Reflecting on my trip to NYC, I am now realizing that 2008 was the year to visit my past. In early January, I went to Tucson, Arizona for a Spa Birthday party. I went to school at the University of Arizona and it was so wonderful to go back and visit. I absolutely love Tucson. The memories of my college years came rushing back.

In July, I went to Oklahoma City for my 20th high school reunion. This was the most exhilarating trip...seeing my old friends and re-visiting my childhood. Love this place that used to be home. Then, in October to visit NYC where I lived while working at Polo Jeans Company.

Visiting my past has been an interesting roller coaster ride of emotions. But, I love where I am at in life now, as well!

The elections are upon us. Go make your voice heard...VOTE.

Am I Slow...Or What?

2008-09-28T14:43:00.005-07:00

As this month blows by me, I am amazed at just how fast time goes. This was partially due to the month being so very busy for me and my art. But, here we are - almost to October - and I am realizing that within a blink, Christmas will be here.

Am I slow at taking pictures and posting...or what? Some of the below pieces that I am highlighting have already been sold.

The exhibits have been quite successful. We opened at Ruli's International Cafe and right off, I sold the below piece to a man from San Francisco. This was yet another new piece to add to my "kitchen" series.

And, let's see...oh yes, a new abstract painting that is on exhibit currently is shown below. It is mixed media collage using acrylics, found papers and fabric.

And, the last piece that I am highlighting is yet another that was added to my "House & Home" series.

In October, please come visit my booth at the Art Expo 2008, being held at Bassett Center. The opening is October 17th in the evening and will run through October 19th. This is being put on by the Rose & Crown Gallery. I will be featuring both my mosaics and my paintings, so come check it out~

Peace, Love & Tile ====== Natalie Baca

Exhibits

2008-09-18T10:01:00.006-07:00

This is an extremely busy time for me right now. I have several exhibits lined up, am working on wholesale orders, and trying to plan and execute my son's 4th birthday party.

I do want to mention that I now have an Art Newsletter! This newsletter will be emailed to you. It will let you know about my exhibits and other art related news. Please go to the column to your left and plug in your email address. If you do not have time to read the blogs or to check in to the website often, it is is an easy way to keep abreast of the showings and news.

As mentioned before, I will be at Kristoph's coffees through Oct 16th. So, if you have not had the chance to check it out, you still have some time!

Beginning Saturday, September 20th, I will be at Ruli's International Cafe. It is the Flavor of Art exhibit. Please join me Saturday for some great food and art. The opening is from 6-8pm!

Saturday, Sept 27th, I will be at the El Paso Saddleblanket again. I will be there with other artists and writers in the showcase. Drop in and say hi and come check out some of my new art!

I have some more showings in October and will mention those at a later time. With all of the activity, I have been slow in photographing my new works. I have many new pieces. Once I am able to, I will post some of them!

That is it for now. Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter!! Peace, Love, & Tile / Natalie

In The News

2008-09-05T08:35:00.004-07:00

This is an article that just recently ran in paper...

House & Home

2008-08-26T10:59:00.008-07:00

It has been awhile since my last writing. My computer went ka-ploot for a little while. Thanks to the 'ole computer technician hubby, I am back in business.

My trip back home for my reunion has had a rather large impact on me. It's amazing that after graduating I tried to get as far away from home as I could. This trek led me to Arizona, Texas, New York City, and back to Texas. When visiting Oklahoma, I found a renewed love for my hometown. I took my husband and children to the house where I grew up. I was so fond of that house and its surroundings. When I drove upon the house and saw it for the first time in 19 years, a flood of emotion came over that I cannot explain and will never be able to.

Being back in El Paso, I can't help but continue to think of that house and the feelings that overcame me. The only way I knew to express myself was through art. I picked up a paintbrush and had an extra canvas laying around. I began to paint the house where I grew up.

I completed the painting. Now, that painting has led to several more with the same house concept and am thinking now that I must begin the series and call it "House & Home".

The paintings are quite whimsical and abstract with no realism to them. Each painting contains poetry or phrases that I have written. Two are already on exhibit at Kristoph's and several more will be on exhibit soon. Here are a couple of images.

I will be showing at Ruli's International Cafe beginning Sept. 20th. I am also in the process of participating in an art expo that will take place in October. More details to follow! You will be able to find the House & Home at any of these exhibits.

On The Wall Exhibit

2008-08-12T08:25:00.004-07:00

I will be exhibiting at Kristoph's Coffees in the "ON THE WALL" art exhibit! Joining me are four more fabulous artists! Opening Reception is Friday, August 22 from 6-8pm. Our works will be there through October 16th. Do try to stop by to see! I have some interesting new works to show!

Sacred

2008-08-07T08:28:00.005-07:00

I just completed a mixed media mosaic cross. I envisioned this cross and got to work immediately before my thoughts would escape me. It is a rather large cross with about 1-1/2" thickness. In the center is a 3-d heart with wings. It is made of glass - very beautiful.
I made all of the tiles surrounding the heart using Laurie Mika's techniques with the polymer clay. Each tile was stamped with decorative designs and then coated with metallics. This was a fun piece to work on, but I must admit it took some time to create! The "Sacred" cross will be included in one of my upcoming exhibits.

Beauty Within

2008-07-29T11:19:00.010-07:00

Although we may not like ourselves in the mirror, we all hold beauty within. Each of us is beautiful on the inside. It could be your kind spirit or your generous spirit or your intelligence or your humor. Whatever it may be, it is what makes you special and yet so beautiful too.

I had picked up some vintage doll parts (and anyone who knows me well, knows I LOVE doll parts) and I held onto them for quite some time. I wasn't sure what I wanted to create with them but I knew it would come to me one day. And, so it finally did. I created a mirror entitled "Beauty Within". The doll parts are representative of the parts of the body that we may not be happy with.

The mirror consists of mostly vintage pieces with a few modern shards in the mix. The pictures that I have are not the greatest but you will get the idea.

Life in the Fast Lane

2008-07-18T10:16:00.005-07:00

It has been an extremely busy time for me. I just returned from my high school reunion which I must say was absolutely wonderful. Being back in my hometown - my old stomping ground - was completely invigorating. A rush of memories came to me with each step of my way.

I am now in El Paso and back on track. I just completed a photo shoot of some of my new works. I am scheduled to exhibit at Kristoph's Coffees beginning August 22nd. They are holding a series of exhibits entitled "On The Wall". I will be exhibiting at Ruli's International Cafe with a series of exhibits in September. As mentioned before, I will be at the El Paso Saddleblanket in September with the Artists & Writers Showcase. I have some more things in the works and will report those when finalized.

The photo image is a new piece I just completed. A mosaic cow skull. I have been doing these for quite some time and they sell very well. Working on a new mirror entitled "Beauty Within" and will have photos soon!

Peace, Love, & Tile / Natalie

Mosaic Wall Complete with Grout

2008-06-30T14:42:00.009-07:00

Well, it took me awhile, but I finally completed the mosaic wall with grout. I have been so busy with being a mom, filling orders and working on some new pieces that the project fell by the way side for a bit. I am feeling accomplished today though! Here is the "before" and "after" photos. I am happy with the outcome and would like to do a bit more mosaic work in the backyard, however, we are now getting into the monsoon season here in El Paso. Perhaps if I can work between the rains and I can get some more done.

I also have some new works that I will post in the blog this week. They are new pieces that I will be adding to my etsy store.
Peace, Love & Tile ♥♥

Summer is here...

2008-06-17T19:01:00.004-07:00

at least in El Paso it is. We have been having triple digit temperatures nonstop for the past 2 weeks. And, we are having a bit of a drought. Hot & Dry!

I have been so incredibly busy. I have pushed out several orders and now my family will be going on a mini-vacation to see my brother & sister in law in Albuquerque. We will return next week and then before you know it we will be going on another vacation. To Oklahoma City, where I am originally from. We're actually going for my 2o year high school reunion. Guess I have just revealed my true age. I cannot believe that 20 years can go by so fast!

The art showing at El Paso Saddleblanket was great! I sold several pieces and made some great contacts. I will be showing my work there again on September 13th.

Above photo is another tile listing that I have added to my Etsy store. Be sure to check them out at: http://www.mosaicartgirl.etsy.com/

That's it for now! Peace, Love & Tile ♥

Is it ever going to stop?

2008-06-05T11:09:00.005-07:00

The wind...that is.

My project came to a standstill when I had company come to visit for my birthday. I had plans of prepping the wall to grout and, yes, the wind came rolling back in. We had the worst dust storm yesterday and one is working up now. I was watching the weather last night when they said that we have had 14 dust storms this year as compared to the 6 that we had last year. It has more than doubled. And, I must say it is doing a "doozie" on my sinuses again.

With that in mind, I will await for the calming. Until then, I had some tiles left over from my project.

I plan to post the left over tiles for sale in my etsy shop! Above is one grouping. Be sure to check out my etsy shop for the listings.

Peace, Love & Tile

GROUT TIME!

2008-05-29T08:38:00.001-07:00

Well, I have finally completed the tiling portion of the mosaic wall project. Yea! And, actually the left side was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. Although, I did not mirror the same color tiles on both sides, I did try to mirror the shapes and it was a little difficult placing them in the exact spot as the right side. However, I was able to somehow manage. See photo below:

Next step is to add the grout! I am going to be using a reddish/brown color of grout to match the other tilework that I have done in the backyard. It's a dark color and I think it will really make the tiles stand out. It also looks real nice with the color of stucco that we have on the house and the walls.I have a few orders that I need to knock out and hopefully after that I can begin the grouting process. As I finish the project, I will reload the "before" pics so that we can see a comparison.

This won't be the end of the backyard projects. As mentioned, I was going to mosaic some other things onto the wall and my husband wants me to mosaic the patio that our lawn furniture sits on. So, the projects continue and you can surely continue to follow along. Until next time...Peace, Love & Tile
Labels: art, artist, mosaic, Natalie Baca, tile, wall

Several things...

2008-05-22T08:21:00.003-07:00

Good day to all,
Several things....

PROJECT & WEATHER - The El Paso weather is not cooperating AGAIN. We had some crazy winds and dust storms with more in the forecast. The project will pick back up soon when things calm.

AMERICAN IDOL - Yea!!! David Cook won. I couldn't be happier! And, Simon apologizes. I loved it.

EL PASO SADDLEBLANKET - I will be showing my artwork yet again at the El Paso Saddleblanket on Saturday, June 14th. So, all you locals, be sure to come see me and check out my new pieces. I had such a great showing last time that I was there and am looking forward to another good one! I will be showing with some other wonderful artists and writers...Carmen Navar & Janet Jackson to name a few!

That seems to cover it all for now! Peace, Love & Tile

Right Wall Complete!

2008-05-15T13:38:00.005-07:00

I am making some progress now that the winds have calmed down. However, now we have rain in the forecast so I may have to wait to see what happens before proceeding anymore.

I have completed the tiling of the right side of the wall! See below photo! I am quite happy with the way that it has turned out so far. It will look quite different once the grout is applied. It should make some of the lighter tiles "pop" a little more.

I have drawn the mirror image on the left side of the wall and begun tiling it, as well. I ran out of some of my tiles so I had to stop to go make some more. Once, I finish tiling the left side, I will begin the grouting step. See below photo for left side.

Hopefully, the left side will go a bit faster being that I have the design already laid out. I suppose it will all depend on the weather at this point.

I must throw in my 2 cents about the American Idol episodes now. I can't believe next week is the finale...(sniff, sniff) It has all been too predictable lately. We all knew - or at least I knew - that it would come down to David A. vs. David Cook. And, let's just face it, David Cook has way more talent than David A. Archuleta is a kid and has lots of time to gain experience! Ok, enough about my Idol rants...(go david cook!)...we shall see what happens next week!

Have a beautiful day! Peace, Love, & Tile

Project Coming Along...

2008-05-13T14:51:00.004-07:00

The project is coming along...a little slower than anticipated but coming along. The wind that we have had lately has been ridiculous. Typically, El Paso has winds in March & April, but never do I remember them going into May! So, the past couple of days have been extremely windy and difficult to work in but you can see my progress in the photo below.

I am almost finished with this wall and I will begin to mirror this same design on the other wall. The only thing that I have left to do really is that of the curly-Q part of the design. This will be a simple task once the winds calm.

The Project Has Begun!

2008-05-06T12:25:00.005-07:00

Well, finally the weather has calmed down enough that I am able to work outside. But, it's just my luck that I come down with a sinus infection. The work has begun but is a little slow since my sinuses aren't cooperating!

So here we go. I began by penciling in the design that I want on the wall. I knew I wanted something a bit whimsical so I did a curvy design. It's a bit hard to see but very faintly you can see my blue chalkmarks. Please note that this is just one side of the wall. The other side has a mirrored image of this. See photo below.

Using the tiles that I had made, I began from the bottom placing and fitting the tiles together. I am using a tile adhesive that is intended for walls. It holds the tiles in a vertical position without them slipping down. I thought it would be easier to work my way upward. There are not many tiles on the wall as my head and sinuses began to flare and had to go in for a break. See below photo.

Will take some more photos of the work in progress in between my orders and my sinus headaches. LOL. Peace, Love♥, & Tile

Weather Permitting

2008-05-01T10:22:00.002-07:00

I would love to get started on my backyard project as I do have most of the tiles made that will be used for it. However, we are having some weather here in El Paso. The wind coming off the mountains is crazy and blowing all that desert dust everywhere. I surely don't want to be outside eating dirt & dust. Must wait for things to calm down. Perhaps I will be able to start over the weekend.

Garden Tiles

2008-04-23T14:27:00.004-07:00

The garden scene is moving right along. And, then a couple nights ago as I was outside, more ideas began to pop in my head. I am going to mosaic some potted plants and native desert plants to go along with the garden.

The above photo is a small sampling of some of the tiles that I have made to include in the garden scene. Along with the above, I will also be doing some birds, dragonflies and other fun garden icons. I must say it has been so much fun putting the ideas together and am so looking forward to getting started. As soon as I get some more tiles made, I will be able to begin!

For those that are following the progress of this project, you can click the orange box to your left entitled RSS feed. This is how you subscribe to the blog. You will be notified when new postings occur. Oh yeah, and below the music on the left hand side, you will find a message box! Be sure to drop me a line!

I have tried to get most of my work done early today so that I can watch my show tonite...American Idol...I am so addicted and I must say that David Cook has it won in my book. Regardless, if he wins or not, I am sure he will go far. Is anyone else addicted to this show?? LOL. Thank God for DVR because it never fails...one of my children begins yelling, talking, screaming or something very loud and I miss something important on the show. Once things calm down, I am able to rewind what I missed (Big smile on my face).

Back to busting out some tiles! Peace, Love ♥ & Tile :)~

Backyard Project

2008-04-16T14:54:00.012-07:00

I am slowly moving through these huge orders and just received a couple of more. Very happy about that! Although I am very busy, I have decided to continue with the backyard project regardless. I am quite anxious to work some magic back there. And, my husband just notified me that he wants me to mosaic the patio that our lawn furniture sits on too. So, I have got my hands full!
To refresh your memory, I mentioned that we have wall panels around the pool area to keep our babies out. Some of the wall panels have these very cool nichos. I did some tile work around the nichos awhile back. (see above photo)

Some of the wall panels are just blank- no nichos and these are the ones that I plan to do some artwork on. I have been brainstorming on what I should mosaic on them as I do not want to cover the entire panel...just portions of it. I've had several thoughts ranging from an abstract design to actual images, such as the sun. Another thought was to create a garden scene with flower tiles and leaves etc.

Above is a photo of a couple of the panels. This is the "before" photo. Personally, I am leaning more toward a garden scene with lots of color. The top right image on my blog (flowers & leaves) was a piece that I did for the Etsy Mosaic Team. That particular piece sold but it continues to inspire me on a daily basis. I think it is calling out to me. LOL. With that in mind, I am going to try to plan out the garden scene. Very excited about this :)

Peace, Love & Tile / Natalie

Orders Galore

2008-04-10T08:19:00.002-07:00

I have not had a chance to write my blog for awhile. My baby daughter, Addison, celebrated her first birthday - and well, with out-of-town visitors, I was quite busy with that. Then, in the past two weeks, I have been bombarded with orders (which is a great thing).

The supposed recession was concerning me as people tend not to buy art and other luxury items during tough times. However, the past 2 weeks have proven to me that it may not be as bad as we think.

With that in mind, I will push out these orders and then begin on "The Project" - my backyard.
Peace, Love & Tile

Mosaic Window Pane

2008-04-02T10:54:00.005-07:00

I just completed a new piece and have listed it in my etsy store. (http://www.mosaicartgirl.etsy.com/) It is an antique window pane that has been made anew!

Made of stained glass and gems and comes with hooks on top. All you need is some decorative chain and you can hang it in any window to brighten a room.

Just a tad busy this week with my baby girl's first birthday party, so probably won't get much done this week. But, hopefully if I have a chance, I will be listing some of the Color Block series on etsy too!

I found an old vintage window - small in size - that still had the window intact. I used a clear adhesive and applied stained glass on top of the existing window. Then, I finished the piece with a black grout to make the color pop...and to match the rustic painted black window frame.

Peace, Love, & Tile

Art in the Works

2008-03-26T14:07:00.005-07:00

I have got to say that the art showing at the El Paso Saddleblanket was fantastic! Although the traffic was a bit on the downside due to the Easter holiday, I did sell some rather large pieces and did very well! I will be showing there again in June and will post the date at a later time.

I have been working on a new series entitled "Color Block". The photo image above is one of them. All are made onto a black background with vibrant colors attached. Each square is representative of a certain color in various shades. Tesserae ranges from glass to ceramic to found objects.

I have been brainstorming ideas for the mosaic in my backyard. I will begin on this project very soon. You can follow my progress on the project through the blog. The first blog on this project will, of course, have the "before" photo!

There are many good things in the works for me and will be posting all of my happenings as they unfold.

Peace, Love, & Tile :)

Thoughts on New Works

2008-03-18T10:30:00.005-07:00

My head is swimming with ideas and thought for new works. I have just about completed some pieces that are quite different for me. It is a new series entitled Color Block. I will try to post pics of these soon.

I will be taking the Color Block series with me to the El Paso Saddleblanket art showing and will probably post some in my etsy store, as well. (www.mosaicartgirl.etsy.com)

Another inspiration involves my backyard and I plan to do a step-by-step posting of the work in progress. Being that we have small children, we have some wall panels that go around our pool as a safety precaution. These wall panels are so plain...I cannot stand it any longer! They are so like a blank canvas screaming for art and color. As soon as my workload slows down, I plan to begin!

Art Showing

2008-03-14T11:07:00.006-07:00

Today finds me preparing for an art show to be held at the El Paso Saddleblanket Co. They are holding an Artists & Writers Showcase, where book signings and buying art directly from the artist, occur every Saturday.

My particular showing is Saturday, March 22nd from 10am - 4pm. Please be sure to come visit me and my fellow artists and writers! I will have some new mosaics and never-before-seen artworks, including a small introduction to some of my mixed media art.

The El Paso Saddleblanket is located on 6926 Gateway East - I10, Exit 25. It is a huge one acre shopping experience including art, photography, pottery, & sculpture. See you there!