Mosaic artist Joanie Callen loves color, especially strong saturated colors with deep brilliant sparkle.

Joanie began working in mosaics in 2002. Her first endeavors were in the mosaic technique known as pique assiette, which is the creation of artistic images using broken china.

In 2004, Joanie studied classical mosaics in Ravenna, Italy. The technique she learned was the ancient Byzantine method of setting tesserae (pieces of glass) directly into a mortar bed and not grouting. Her Italian experience inspired her to embark on a journey of incorporating this skill into a modern interpretation.

Joanie has always been fascinated with the beautiful colors of stained glass windows in old churches and cathedrals. This is the muse behind the colorful inspiration of her work. The current collection pieces are named after her favorite classic rock songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Magic Carpet Ride. These names bring to ones mind the playful beauty of color meeting the music of the soul.

Joanie’s whimsical Mosaic artwork utilizes a variety of glass, applied by the ancient Byzantine technique.  Her work incorporates strong saturated colors of glass combined with the deep brilliant sparkle of raw dichroic glass and 14 caret gold tessarae and milliefori imported from Italy.   Also used are many diverse varieties of glass materials from all over the world combined with different shapes and sizes in order to achieve a rich, textural and complex work of art.  These pieces have movement and brilliant light dancing when viewed from any direction.

A strange thing happens when people first view Joanie’s mosaic work. They usually stop in their tracks and smile and laugh.  She was a little taken back when this first happened, but after inquiring as to what invoked the laughter, time after time people say “it makes me so happy. The colors are so bright and fun, it just makes me feel good inside.” Ron Cowan, writer for the Salem, Oregon Statesman Journal covering the 2008 Salem Art Fair wrote: Joanie Callen of Bend, with her arresting artwork with imported European glass and art deco designs that glittered in the light drew many admirers”.

 When you gaze at this brilliantly colored mosaic artwork, if you squint your eyes a little bit, you may think you have been transported to a cathedral in Italy and that you too will smile.