BIO

NYC based artist, Grace Baley, has been honing her skills in glass mosaics since 1998. Originally inspired by the mosaic art found underground in subway stations, Grace experimented with shapes and patterns to practice and perfect her glass cutting techniques and assemblage. Her evolution into representational work has allowed her to create pieces that are deeply detailed and realistic, including portraiture and familiar imagery. Grace’s passion for color and instinct for harmonious combinations further adds to the appeal of her art.

Grace has had multiple solo and group shows throughout New York and has collectors from all around the world and often collaborates with architects and interior designers in creating site-specific work and custom installations. Small works can be found in retail
shops throughout the city.

Grace received her BFA from NYU and subsequently earned an MA in Childhood Education. She combines her love of teaching and mosaic making through the workshops she regularly offers around the city. She resides in Brooklyn with her two daughters and their rescue dogs from Puerto Rico, Jade and Benny.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Upon my very first exploration of cutting glass and building a mosaic, I realized it required tenacity. The span between the start and finish of a project is never quick and easy. It depends on focus and diligence, and it’s what attracts me most to this medium. As a mosaic artist, my attention is centered on piecing together materials to make art that is visually appealing both for its subject matter as well as its aesthetics.

My influences are the structures and symbols I see around me everyday in NYC. Parts of the city such as buildings, water towers, bridges and sewer covers are often the impetus for a project. My travels through the subway tunnels, streets and parks also lead to inspiration. I particularly love the accessible art underground; those magnificent, colorful and bold mosaic designs that brighten up our subway platforms. Works of art that are often rushed passed, but remain ready to be admired and steady in their function. Additionally, I have an inclination to study faces. I look at a subject and see the shapes and shadows that create them. I relish the process
of taking their image apart to input color and texture into the tones I see. The use of color and how colors are combined are the most significant decisions in my work.

Working with a variety of materials that include stained glass, ceramic figures, window glass, mirror and cement are the force from which my designs are created. Glass is scored, broken and nipped down into the pieces I desire to compose the whole. I work quite deliberately, concisely employing both traditional mosaic methods with innovative techniques. Mosaic making has a long history and tradition and I always want to honor that in my work. Part of that homage is to build upon that base by creating and using materials in a unique way. I often combine my glass with paper, foil, maps and paint to increase the palette available and fulfill the needs of my
intention. I get tremendous satisfaction when a project is completed and it always leaves me compelled to get started on the next one.