Inspiration:

Beauty. Society's concept of beauty. Where can it be found in a culture of conspicuous consumption? Advertising. Same place I find my materials. So there's a marriage. Advertising images married with advertising's images. I chop up many ads to create beautiful images.

Painting and Mosaic. Two disciplines I am quite familiar with. I've combined them. Another marriage.

Ecology. A movement began so many years ago. It never lost its importance. Creating and not wasting - Another marriage.

It would be too simple to say I am inspired by Byzantine mosaics, or those by Louis Comfort Tiffany or Gaudi... it's both the assemblage and the color in the materials that moves me. I am process driven as well as image-centric.

I saw a beautiful stained glass portrait in Venice, Italy. Created by a true artisan - of tiny glass tiles in an amazing array of colors. The tiles applied to a sheet of glass, sealed with grout, framed in metal, suspended in front of a light box, glowing. It was too expensive to buy, too heavy to carry - my conclusion: "I have to make that!" Well, I tried.

I could not find the colors or sizes in glass. I tried painting glass...no success. I tried ceramic. Too bulky, not enough color.

I viewed the piece shown... and started cutting up accumulated paper and cards - recycling junk mail, advertisements, postcards, greeting cards. Eureka! I got what I was looking for - a portrait in mosaic using an insanely diverse variety of materials. Ink colors are far more diverse than glass or tile... yes - the materials are free, but the talent...priceless!

FAQ

• Buying: please feel free to contact the gallery where the piece is shown [check the "art for sale" page to find out where it is]. If it is in possession of the artist, please email or call. After payment is received, your item will be shipped.
• Galleries and/or representative inquiries: Frank Dobronte is my rep - please contact info@schimmelart.com
• Images: please do not pull images directly from the web site, they are protected by international copyright law.
• Media: please contact the artist. Interviews may be conducted by telephone or in person by appointment.
• Commissions: Please click on the "Services" page for more info.
• Mailing List: To receive email updates of new images and show schedules, please email.

• Upcycling -

  The term Upcycling was coined by William McDonaugh and Michael Braugart in their book on ecologically intelligent design, Cradle to Cradle. Upcycling is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use or value.

• Recycle - Eco Policy - Every little "tile" you see was once advertising ephemera, junk mail, a postcard or packaging. I save everything and upcycle this resource to create fine art. I also repurpose old canvas and frames. Why throw them in a land fill when they can be reclaimed and reused?

• Ephemera

  Click here for examples of ephemera.

• Synesthesia - is a phenomenon, a rare occurrence - Synesthetes experience the fusion of two senses – a blending of color and numbers, taste and shape, etc. I am one of just a few in the United States considered a "True Synesthete Artist." For more information about Synesthesia – follow this link: science stuff by the leading researcher: or click here to read about famous synesthetes like me.

• Eidetic Imagery - is something like a photographic memory. I spent 2 years as a research "guinea pig" at the State University of New York - The Wikipedia page and definitions: definition, and more

• Perfect Pitch - I started playing piano "by ear" at age 4. I went to a concert and spoke up, telling the violinist she was playing the wrong notes... she agreed! absolute pitch