- "I See My Art As The Juncture of Painting, Sculpture and Drawing"
Artist's Statement
My art is inspired from two sources. The first is the natural world that we inhabit. Nature provides us with an endless supply of examples of different textures, patterns, shapes and colors that can spark the imagination. The second source is the cannon visual artists who have added a unique perspective of how nature can be understood. An example of this would be when Cezanne painted his muse, Mont Sainte Victoire. Each time he offered a rendering of the mountain, he created a way in which people could view the mountain through fresh eyes. Cezanne produced breathtaking color and spatial compositions that rivaled the relevance of the subject matter, eliciting powerful emotions through his compositional skills.
I see mosaic as the juncture place of drawing, painting and sculpture. The grout lines act as drawing lines, creating depth perspective and the volume of form. I sculpt the individual pieces in order to form a painterly image. I have always sought out as many different ways as possible to approach mosaic. In working with glass shards, I push the medium in the directions of bas-relief, which is the fusion of sculpture and drawing. The convex and concave pieces taken from broken vessels and vases can be cut in such a way that their degree of convexity can determine how much of a topographic quality I want to add across the mosaic surface. The bas-relief can be used to assist in the rendering of an anatomical or landscape feature. For example, the convexity and concavity of the glass shards can recreate the effect of a rolling hill or the roundness of a shoulder as it connects with a torso. This can be taken to the extreme of creating fully dimensional free standing sculptural forms which are then jacketed in mosaic.
Through my choice of imagery, I infuse a narrative quality to my art. I am trying to consciously create art that I believe will uplift my audience. We as a people yearn for that which we can enjoy, and it is my aim to add to this collective whole.
One of the pleasures in working with mosaic is that I don’t have to stop at merely creating a way to represent the outside world. I can go so far as to use pieces of this world in my representations. The abundance of choices available material-wise is inspirational to me. I work with a range of semi-precious stones, minerals, and shells to add to the richness of the mosaic surface. I have choices as to whether I want to use a material for the beauty of its color and patterning, or I can choose to use a material because of its bas-relief qualities like a crystalline structure or a carved sphere. Often times, raised elements come out of the mosaic surface, adding to the overall texture of the piece. All of this plays into what I view as the most attractive feature of mosaic: That being its tactile quality. I like to think of my mosaics as being tactile paintings or sculptures. I would encourage the viewing public to handle my art and appreciate it on that level. Mosaic is a time-honored medium where there are endless opportunities for visual and tactile exploration.
Besides Cezanne, other artists who inform my art are Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, William Henry Johnson, Constantine Brancusi, Neil Welliver and Selim El-Sherif. They all offer such unique and clearly understood ways of representing the world around them. These artists created bodies of work that seem effortless in their innovative approaches to composing space and color.
I see mosaic as the juncture place of drawing, painting and sculpture. The grout lines act as drawing lines, creating depth perspective and the volume of form. I sculpt the individual pieces in order to form a painterly image. I have always sought out as many different ways as possible to approach mosaic. In working with glass shards, I push the medium in the directions of bas-relief, which is the fusion of sculpture and drawing. The convex and concave pieces taken from broken vessels and vases can be cut in such a way that their degree of convexity can determine how much of a topographic quality I want to add across the mosaic surface. The bas-relief can be used to assist in the rendering of an anatomical or landscape feature. For example, the convexity and concavity of the glass shards can recreate the effect of a rolling hill or the roundness of a shoulder as it connects with a torso. This can be taken to the extreme of creating fully dimensional free standing sculptural forms which are then jacketed in mosaic.
Through my choice of imagery, I infuse a narrative quality to my art. I am trying to consciously create art that I believe will uplift my audience. We as a people yearn for that which we can enjoy, and it is my aim to add to this collective whole.
One of the pleasures in working with mosaic is that I don’t have to stop at merely creating a way to represent the outside world. I can go so far as to use pieces of this world in my representations. The abundance of choices available material-wise is inspirational to me. I work with a range of semi-precious stones, minerals, and shells to add to the richness of the mosaic surface. I have choices as to whether I want to use a material for the beauty of its color and patterning, or I can choose to use a material because of its bas-relief qualities like a crystalline structure or a carved sphere. Often times, raised elements come out of the mosaic surface, adding to the overall texture of the piece. All of this plays into what I view as the most attractive feature of mosaic: That being its tactile quality. I like to think of my mosaics as being tactile paintings or sculptures. I would encourage the viewing public to handle my art and appreciate it on that level. Mosaic is a time-honored medium where there are endless opportunities for visual and tactile exploration.
Besides Cezanne, other artists who inform my art are Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse, William Henry Johnson, Constantine Brancusi, Neil Welliver and Selim El-Sherif. They all offer such unique and clearly understood ways of representing the world around them. These artists created bodies of work that seem effortless in their innovative approaches to composing space and color.
Artist's Resume
Jonathan Mandell
P.O. Box 392
Narberth, PA
19072
Tel: 610 668-9909
Fax: 610 668-9910
e-mail: [email protected]
web: www.jonathanmandell.com
RESUME
Public Commissions
Jewish Family and Children's Services (JFCS) Merion, PA 2017 (60"d circle)
The Healthy Brain and Memory Center at Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr, PA 2017 (72" x 48")
Philadelphia Family Court - Philadelphia, PA 2017 (116" x 60")
Drexel University Philadelphia, PA 2017 (96" x 48")
Jewish Family and Children's Services (JFCS) Merion, PA (84" x 60")
Regions Hospital St. Paul, MN 2016 (32" x 32")
Bridgeport Hospital Yale-New Haven Health System, Park Avenue Campus Outpatient Center, Bridgeport, CT 2015
(24" x 24") x three
Nemours Alfred I.duPont Hospital, Wilmington, DE 2014 (9ft x 30" d) x six
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
Philadelphia, PA
Cecil B. Moore Station 2013 (8ft x 4ft)
Asbell Center, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA 2013 (4ft x 3ft)
Bryn Mawr Hospital, Bryn Mawr, PA, 2012 (8ft x 6ft)
Hadassah Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Israel, 2012 (4ft x 3ft)
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Bryn Mawr, PA 2011 (8ft x 3ft)
Somers Point's Shore Medical Center, Somers Point, NJ, 2011 (2 mosaics at 24” x 24”)
Camp Bauercrest, Amesbury, MA 2011 (6ft x 4ft)
Dickinson College, Asbell Center, Carlisle, PA, 2011 (20” x 20”)
Holy Redeemer Hospital, St. Joseph’s Manor, Meadowbrook, PA 2011
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA 2010 mosaic for Kobe Bryant Gymnasium (3ft x 4ft)
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 2010 mosaic for lobby (10ft x 6ft)
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, IHMEC Sculpture, 2009, (36” x 24” x24”)
Holy Redeemer Hospital, St. Joseph’s Manor, Meadowbrook, PA 2011 (2 mosaics at 24” x 24”)
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, IHMEC Sculpture, 2009, (36” x 24” x24”)
The Philadelphia 76ers, Summertime Fun, for the Ronald McDonald House, Philadelphia, PA, 2008, (24”x36”)
Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, Teaneck, NJ Ma’ayanot, 2008 (60”x36”)
AtantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City, NJ, Giclee print series, 2007
The National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA, We the People, 2007 (10ft x 6ft)
The Perelman Center for Jewish Life, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA, Perelman Center for Jewish Life, 2007 (48” x 36”)
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, lobby mosaic The Jewish Exponent, 2004 (48”x36”)
The Philadelphia Phillies, Citizens Bank Park, two mosaics, Citizens Bank Park (96”x72”) and a (72”x48”) Portrait of Jim Thome , 2004
Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, PA, Lifetime Achievement Award created for author Chiam Potok, 2003 (18”x18”)
Hillel of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Timeline of the History of the Jewish People, 2003 (120”x 72”)
Temple Beth Hillel/Beth El, Wynnewood, PA, 2002 (60”x60”) Sacred Realm
Bet Shalom Synagogue, Minneapolis, MN, 2002 (92”x109”)
Overbrook High School, Philadelphia, PA, Wilt Chamberlain as a Young Man, 2001 (8’x3’)
Abramson Center for Jewish Life, Horsham, PA Western Wall, 2001 (8’x3’)
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia-Tzedakah Box, 2000 (38”x16”x16”)
Temple Beth Sholom, Las Vegas, NV-The Jewish Path, 2000 (7’D)-floor National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, PA-Tolerence Proclamation, 1999 (60”x24”)
United Way of Southeastern PA and Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia-50 Years of Community, Philadelphia, PA, 1999 (24”x36”)
National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia, PA
Time Capsule, 1999 (24”x24”x24”)
Perelman/Schechter Day School, Wynnewood, PA Perelman Schechter Day School , 1998 (60”x60”)
Temple Israel, Swampscott, MA Temple Israel 50th , 1998 (48”x36”)
Temple Adath Israel, Merion, PA Temple Adath Israel 50th, 1997 (56”x38”)
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York, NY Burning Bush 1997 (60”x60”)
Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA Delaware Valley College, 1997
(60”x60”)
American Friends of Hebrew University, New York, NY Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1997 (24”x24”)
Adas Israel Synagogue, Washington, D.C. Olive Tree, 1994 (108”x128”)
Gratz College, Melrose Park, PA Torah Ark, 1990 (96”x65”)
Galleries:
Hayley Gallery, New Albany, OH, 2019-present
Silverman Gallery, Buckingham, Pa 2016 - present
Kim Weinberger Gallery, Kansas City, MO 2012 - 2015
Wiliam Ris Gallery, Stone Harbor, NJ 2010- present
Gallery Keoki, Olympic Valley, CA 2007-2009
The Art Gallery of Lakeland, Lakeland, FL 2006
Houshang Gallery, Sante Fe, NM 2006-2011
Rice-Polak Gallery, Boston, MA, Fall, 2005
George Krevsky Gallery, San Francisco, CA April 2005-present
The Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA May 2005
OK Harris Gallery, New York- March 2004
Blatt Billiards, New York, NY 2004-2008
Camino Real Gallery, Boca Raton, FL 2002
Corporate Collections:
WP Realty, Haverford, PA 2006
McGraw-Hill Co., New York, NY- in permanent art collection, 1999
Teaching
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA- Adjunct Professor - 2011 - 2017
Dickinson College –Seminar “Painterly Approach to Mosaics” April, 2011
The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA - A painterly approach to mosaics, 2006 - 2014
Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA -A painterly approach to mosaics, 2007- 2015
Education:
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Master of Fine Arts degree, 1990
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, Bachelor of Arts degree, 1984
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Boards:
Delaware Valley College, Board of Trustees 2015- Present
The School of Design of The University of Pennsylvania 2014 - 2017