It is with great pleasure and joy and that I get to introduce Cherie to you all this month! Cherie and I have been friends for a number of years now. Like most of my mosaic friendships, it started through the intranet. Cherie is one those folks, however, that I have gotten to spend time with in person. I first met Cherie at the Mosaic Arts International show in Lexington, KY where her dragonfly was on exhibit. It was a brief meeting, but I got the most welcoming and kind feeling from that brief meeting, and knew that we would one day be friends.
When I volunteered to write the Featured Artist articles for Cherie’s new venture, it was a no-brainer to me that she should be featured at some point in time. Cherie’s distinct and unique style of combining her photography with her mosaics is immediately identifiable, and her precision enviable. Cherie’s on-line presence is a genuine reflection of who she is, yet to know her in person is a priveledge, and to call her a friend, an honor.
I hope you all enjoy reading Cherie’s interview, and getting to know her on-line a little bit better!
The Earthships Have Landed by Cherie Bosela
LMA: How long have you been creating mosaic art?
Cherie: I made my first mosaic in 2000 from a kit I bought at Michaels. It was so bad I threw it out! I didn’t like the materials or the unsanded grout. So I bought a bunch of books and found a local stained glass shop. I would make a few pieces here and there, mostly as gifts or for myself. I have a kitchen table that a friend gave me. It had a wooden frame with ceramic tiles in the center. I thought perfect I could rip those tiles out and put a mosaic. I started that in 2005 and it still sits unfinished, in my kitchen, with a drop cloth over it! Ha ha! 2010 was when I decided to go full time with mosaic as my medium and started exhibited them. This is when I really started developing my style.
LMA: How did you get started in mosaics?
Cherie: When I was in collage during an art history class, we learned about Antoni Gaudí. I knew at that point that’s what I wanted to do! I was self-taught learning from books, experimenting and my own mistakes.
LMA: What is it about mosaics, which resonate with you?
Cherie: I love the materials, the fact that you can use whatever you want as tesserae. It lets your imagination go wild. I love when you walk past a mosaic and the whole thing sparkles and changes colors from the all the pieces with different textures and finishes. I also love the different transparencies of glass. You create a piece of art with paint, photography, glitter, etc. and then cover it up with glass only revealing parts of the creation underneath. It leaves a bit of mystery.
Water Lily by Cherie Bosela
LMA: Do you practice any other art forms on a regular basis or have a hobby when not making mosaics?
Cherie: Photography – I take a LOT of photos of everything. I learned from my Dad when I was a kid and took my first photography class in 9th grade using film and the darkroom. I really enjoyed it. I always took a photography class when it was offered at school all the way through college. I had thought about majoring in it, but it was missing the hands-on building that other mediums offered. And I didn’t feel like my photography skills were strong enough. Back when I used film, since it was so expensive and you could easily screw up a whole roll if you processed it wrong, I never experimented as much as I do now. With digital cameras, you get the opportunity to explore a lot more.
cyantype on fabric by Cherie Bosela 
203 Commonwealth Ave. by Cherie Bosela 
Waikiki Beach at Dusk by Cherie Bosela
In Your Face by Cherie Bosela
LMA: Do you have a favorite color palette?
Cherie: Bright saturated colors – no color is left behind!
LMA: Attach 3 of your favorite mosaics by someone else:
Cherie: I think there’s too many to choose from! I like so many for different reasons. Just look at the featured artists on this site, the ones there and ones to come!
Signature Heart Series (on going series) by Cherie Bosela
LMA: Do you support any charitable causes? Which ones and why?
Cherie: Mustard Seed of Central Florida - mustardseedfla.org - They are a local charity that helps families and individuals by providing them with donated furniture and clothing while being environmentally responsible. They hold a Chairs 4 Charity auction every year. I have donated 2 mosaic chairs in the past for their auction. Every time I go there you see the people that they are helping. None of the items they have are for sale (like Goodwill), they are there for actual people to help them and their families get back on their feet. And I like that they recycle.
Various Weimaraner Rescues – I donate to several different Weimaraner rescues. I love the breed and Lucy & Violet made me. Haha! I started taking photos of them just for myself. And people loved them so much they started asking for cards. So I started selling cards with the photos I’ve taken of Lucy and Violet and donate $2.00 from every card sold to a rescue. I get requests from multiple weim rescues to my donate cards for their auctions, which I am happy to do. www.etsy.com/shop/PhuzyLogik
Doctors Without Borders/Medicines Sans Frontieres - www.doctorswithoutborders.org – I donate to this charity because of Lin Schorr - www.linschorr.com. She puts together an all mosaic auction almost every year for DWB. The auction helps raise a lot of money each time. It also gives you the chance to buy some really awesome mosaics from your favorite artists! The auction this year opens for viewing April 1st. The bidding starts April 14 – April 23 - click here to view the auction. This is the piece I donated to this auction.
Love Has No Borders Cherie Bosela photo credit: Lin Schorr
LMA: What is your least favorite thing about mosaics and why?
Cherie: The amount of time it takes me to create a piece! I enjoy taking my time but, I have so many ideas that I feel like if I could work a little faster I could create them all.
LMA: Tell us a little about your studio and attach a photo or 2 of your studio space:
Cherie: I have 2 studio spaces now. Luna Mosaic Arts – in Orlando, FL and my home studio. Luna is a brick and mortar, in Orlando, it was a mosaic studio started long time ago by Michele Petno - mozaicarts.com, she retired and her mentee, Janis Nunez - sugarskullartz.info took over. A year ago (April 1), Janis asked me if I was interested in taking it over. It’s also the studio for 7 other mosaic artists. It’s a fun place to work. My home studio is where I work the most. I am a night owl and that’s when I can focus on my work the best. It’s the first room you walk into when you enter my house. I keep my glass in another room so my dogs don’t get hurt.
Home studio (this was just after a major cleaning by Cherie Bosela
LMA: Do you listen to music while creating (what type/bands)or do you prefer the TV(what shows/genera/channel)? Silence? Pod cast? Etc.?
Cherie: I listen to music or watch TV. During the day I like to listen to more upbeat louder music – 311, Alabama Shakes, The Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx, The Strokes, Gorillaz, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, etc. and late at night I like softer electronic downtempo music - Zero 7, Phantogram, Moby, Royksopp, etc.
LMA: Where do you find creative inspiration?
Cherie: I am inspired by just about everything. So many things in life just make something click in my head and then it rambles on in my head and gets me thinking about a current piece or a new piece.
LMA: If you could give readers one single piece of advice, what would it be?
Cherie: Don’t give up!
Drake Elm by Cherie Bosela
Ginkgo by Cherie Bosela
LMA: Tell us about your single greatest mosaic moment:
Cherie: Creating “The Guardian”. It really got me thinking differently about my artwork. It’s hard to explain, but I noticed a difference in myself, the thought process when designing it. Also I enjoy peoples’ interesting reactions to it. It’s way different then any of my other pieces have with people.
The Guardian by Cherie Bosela
The Guardian detail by Cherie Bosela
LMA: I know you have made a big change recently, to full time mosaic artist and studio owner. This can be both frightening and thrilling for artists. Please tell readers about your experience in making the ultimate decision…
Cherie: I’ve always known one day that I would have my own business. It’s something I always talked and dreamed about most of my life. The ideas of what I would do, always changed, but it involved being creative in some way. When I was in college, I told my old job that as soon as I graduate I’m leaving to start my own business. 15 years later I finally did it! Technically, I did start working as an artist long before I quit my day job. I would use most of my vacation days to finish artwork for an exhibit and set up at art festivals. Long before Janis presented me with the opportunity to take over the mosaic studio, my plan was to start an online mosaic supply store and then leave my job to work out of my house. About a month before I opened my online store Luna Mosaics, Janis came to me with her proposal. It was something I knew I had to do it. I changed the name a little bit to Luna Mosaic Arts (there’s a Mosaic Hair Salon down the street), I quit my day job and began working as my own boss. April 1, 2016 was my first day as a business owner and full-time artist!!!! It’s been one year to date! Everything happened so fast! It was hard and scary quitting my day job, but also very exciting. I had been there for 18.5 years and I enjoyed the people I worked with. But I am so happy I finally took the leap!
Dragonfly by Cherie Bosela
Portea Jungles x Agave by Cherie Bosela
Getting to know someone on-line is a wonderful advantage we in these modern times. Even so, getting to know someone in person cannot be substituted. If you would like to get to know Cherie better, stop in to her studio, Luna Mosaic Arts in Orlando, FL next time you are in the area. I know you will be greeted with a warm, genuine, and welcoming smile! You will be glad you did!!
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing by Cherie Bosela
