“I paint flowers so they will not die.”
Frida Kahlo
Artist Statement:
My mosaic art has two primary themes. Many seek to capture the beauty of nature, particularly of the Pacific Northwest where I have lived since 1992. Others address social issues I care deeply about such as racial justice, social and economic justice, and climate change. My aim is to provoke emotion, reflection, and hopefully action that creates strong communities dedicated to progressive change. But sometimes I just create something to make people smile.
I like to work with 3 dimensional materials in a tactile way. The materials available to me (which we call tesserae) are limitless. Each choice offers a unique way to express the concepts behind my art. For example, in my piece “Assaulted,” a commentary on gun violence in schools, the use of broken crayons is much more powerful than if I had used glass or stone.
I consider myself part of a growing movement of mosaic artists invested in promoting mosaic as fine art. I sell some of my art, do commissions, and I donate some pieces to nonprofits. Let me know if you’re interested. Send me a message! Thank you for visiting my website!
Barb Flye
Artist Bio
Barb Flye is a mosaic artist who lives and works in Seattle, Washington. Born in Detroit, she moved to Seattle in the early 90’s. She has no formal art education.
Prior to becoming a full time artist, Barb worked for over 30 years on community and coalition organizing in the progressive movement, working on projects such as discrimination in home loans, access to health care, equity in public schools, and immigration reform.
In 2009, she attended a beginners mosaic art class at Seattle Mosaic Arts, and made her first mosaic art piece. Since then she has dedicated herself to this art form through classes, lectures, workshops, and hands-on experimentation.
Her art has been accepted in several juried shows. The opening for her first solo show is January 2, 2025 at the Collins Pub in Seattle, WA as part of the Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) ShowWalls Program. It will be part of the Pioneer Square First Thursday Art Walk. She has also created commissioned work, and donated her art for auction.
Barb is a member of Seattle Mosaic Arts (SMA); Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA); Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA).