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| ARTIST STATEMENT The colors, shapes, textures and movement of mosaics -these elements are my tools for “bridging” the infinite with the tangible. I would like to beautify the world and inspire others to do the same. |
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY |
Didier Guedj began a career as a professional tile artisan in San Francisco, working with marble, slate, granite and ceramic. His artist’s instincts took over his spare time; he began using scrap pieces of marble and granite to make geometrical combinations in the forms of clocks, coasters, crosses and a chess set. In his seventh year of working as a tile artisan, Didier was asked to set a tabletop surface in a checkerboard style. This project launched his exploration into the world of mosaics. A self-taught mosaicist, Didier works with the following mediums: glass beads, ceramic, china, marble, mirror, glass tiles and more. He specializes in workshops and custom artworks, both commissioned and non-commissioned. Former clients include schools, business owners and private residents. Commissioned in 2004 as the artist along with his partner, Judy Guedj as project manager, Didier completed an 800 sq ft mural for Los Angeles’ Mayberry Elementary School, a 9 month long venture which involved a series of Friday workshops (16 total) with 300 students, ages 6-13. The children were amazing and their efforts have been documented at www.mosaicsalltheway.com!The City of Los Angeles presented Didier with a Certificate of Appreciation for his achievement on the Mayberry Elementary mural. Michael Espinosa, Manager of the Community Beautification Grant Program of Los Angeles, informed Didier that the mural would be a mandatory stop for tourist buses exploring the city’s public artworks. This work is featured in the first mosaic e-book entitled Mosaic Art 2005 which includes 347 artists from 23 countries! A charter member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, Didier was honored to participate as a speaker at the 3rd annual SAMA conference on the Community Mosaics panel. Additional samples of his art can also be seen in Mosaic Art and Style: Designs for Living Environments by JoAnn Locktov, 2005. |