The Artist
Audrey Alma Meyer was born and raised in Belgium. As a child, she was exposed by her German-born father and Belgian-born mother to a wide range of cultures and places around the world. Surprisingly, by the tender age of four, she had already developed a grand dream of her own: To live in Israel. This dream accompanied her throughout her early years in Brussels. At the age of 17, Audrey received an unexpected gift from her parents for Chanukkah: oven mitts and a kitchen towel. This was how her parents let her know that they accepted her desire to move to a far away country. And so, in 1984, Audrey finally made Aliyah to Israel.
Jerusalem was Audrey’s first stop in Israel, and it remained her home for the next fourteen years. During the course of her academic studies in Jerusalem, Audrey became enchanted by Japanese art and culture. She successfully obtained two academic degrees in Japanese studies. In addition, she traveled to Japan several times and further cultivated her strong love for the culture of this fascinating country.
In 2000, Audrey switched gears and moved to Tel Aviv. Two years later, something happened that changed the course of her life: In a small bookstore, she came across a startlingly colorful book, Contemporary Mosaic in Israel. It was written by Sarit Pilz-Granit − someone who, later, became her first teacher of mosaic art.
While mosaics are composed of small pieces − to Audrey’s perception, they represent something whole, larger than life. The power of this kind of artistic medium captured her heart, giving her the feeling of creating a work so much greater than herself, an art that grows and expands into almost gigantic proportions....
Mosaics are the vitamins
of Plastic Arts.
Statement
Satisfaction of one's curiosity is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life.
Linus Pauling
"When something appeals to me visually and heartily, I challenge myself to interpret it through mosaic.
My ideas come as waves or impulses, but the execution is slow and precise. I am transported by a burst of thoughts, and at the same time, the mosaic work brings me back to a well-thought pace. In mosaic, I cannot hurry. It is like a chess game.
In my creative process, I love to explore the incident, the idea might be there, but the path is not clear. The execution is a wandering process I'm thrilled about and the essence of my work is purely live rhythm. Every project is a new journey to creativity, where I experience the ongoing act of generosity.
Mosaic is a juxtaposition of separate parts meant to reveal the combined powers of colors, textures and shapes. Each color and texture keeps its identity; there is no mutation, but a refreshed dialogue between these joined fragments.
I use mainly the “Opus Palladianum” pattern or, in colloquial language, “Crazy Paving.” It is about laying randomly-shaped tesserae. For me, this technique brings liveliness and a depth which flat, symmetrical tiles do not achieve.
Light plays a crucial role to boost these textural compositions. By conjugating mixed media, I am able to develop a mode of expression which I describe as my own playfulness.
"
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
Seneca
Born in Brussels, Belgium
In Israel since 1984
Education
1991-1994, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel: MA in Japanese Studies. Dissertation about the narratives of a Japanese cultural exhibition, “Visions of Japan: How is it implemented?"
1989-1990, International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan. Intensive Japanese course and comparative cultures.
1985-1989, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel: BA in East Asian Studies and General Studies.
1978-1984, Lycee Emile Jacqmain, Brussels, Belgium: High School Matriculation.
Mosaic Training
Master Giulio Menossi, Dynamic Mosaic, Ariela Shimon-Bechar's Studio, Maccabim, Israel, July 2015
Alessandra Di Gennaro, Animal head, Spilimbergo Mosaic Style, Irit Orpaz's Studio, Ramat Hasharon, Israel, March 2015
Andjelka Radojevic, Detail Workshop (Lips), Belgrade, Serbia, August 2014
Enzo Tinarelli, From raw stones to Interpretation, Ecole de Mosaiques de Montpellier, France, July 2014
Marcelo de Melo , Mosaic composition, Formal elements, Irit Orpaz's Studio, Ramat Hasharon, Israel, May 2014
Andjelka Radojevic, Detail Workshop (An eye), Irit Orpaz's Studio, Ramat Hasharon, Israel, March 2014
Sonia King, Intensive Mosaic Workshop - Working in White, Island of Paros, Greece, 2013
Marcelo de Melo, Structural Mosaics workshop, Irit Orpaz's Studio, Ramat Hasharon, Israel, 2013
Master Giulio Menossi, Certificate of Completion: Master Class Portraiture, Venetian Mosaic Technique, Udine, Italy, 2010
Master Vincenzo Aiello, technique on mesh, Rome, Italy, 2008
Master Benedetto Nordia, Musia Studio, Byzantine and Roman techniques, Chiasso, Switzerland, 2007
Master Lucio Orsoni, Orsoni School of Mosaics, works with smalti, Master certificate, Venice, Italy, 2006
Mrs. Sarit Pilz Granit, direct and indirect method, Ramat Hasharon, Israel, 2003-2005
Awards
Leonardo second prize in Applied Arts, received at The Chianciano Biennale 2011, Italy
Diploma of Excellence, honorable prize presented by the First online iBiennial of Contemporary Art, Artoteque, London, 2010
Creativity Prize "Kokhav Ha'ir Haifa", Under the patronage of the Lobby Yesh - Community of artists in Israel, Haifa, Israel, 2009
Donations
Chi, Intensive Care Unit of Soroka Medical Center, Beer - Sheva
Intended Need, Two-meter-high chair for One Voice movement in Israel
Affiliations
AIMC, Associazione Internazionale Mosaicisti Contemporanei, Italy
CMA, Contemporary Mosaic Art, USA
BAMM, British Association for Modern Mosaic, UK
SAMA, Society of American Mosaic Artists, USA
OIMA, Organization of Israeli Mosaic Artists, Israel
Who's Who Art Club International, Switzerland
Résumé