Private Client Art | JANE BURKE MURALS

The thriving commercial port of ancient Pompeii was also a fashionable summer resort for Roman aristocracy. That is until Aug 24 79 A.D. when the sudden volcanic eruption of Vesuvius would render the city buried under a deep layer of volcanic ash, yet basically still in tact.

Uncovered about 200 years ago were vestiges of shops, elegant villas with gardens and colonnades, with many fabulous mosaic and frescoed murals on walls and floors.

I love these frescoes, especially the ones depicting garden scenes with birds. I recently had the opportunity to paint a powder room inspired by these Pompeiian walls.

I included the radiant “Holy Dove” not inspired by anything Pompeiian. This image is based on a detail of a classical religious masterpiece: the depiction of the Holy Spirit descending and I can’t remember the artist… can you?

I’m hoping to paint more Pompeiian inspired garden murals… I feel like I’m just warming up!

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I recently collaborated on a mosaic backsplash with Janet and Richard Parkhust, of Waterville’s Stained Glass Express, and Oakes & Parkhurst Glass of Manchester, ME.

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Their kitchen bar features glass counter and bar tops , (Boothbay’s) Anderson Pottery, and pendant lights that the Parkhursts created from hand blown cobalt blue glass. Can you see the reflection of these lights in the photo that shows the sink edge.

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The backsplash I made is a composed of primarily horizontal tiles cut from the glass, “rondels” which are circular blown pieces, cut circles, as well as chips and large chunks of 1 3/4 inch thick cobalt glass tile!

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I took advantage of the organic forms visible in the the blown glass, occasionally cutting tile edges to echo their form which resulted in unusual and elegant grout lines!

FUN folks to work with, I WISH I had a photo to show you of Richard and Janet sitting at their elegant smoke-colored glass bar, (not that they sit still much!)

Mosaic Tiles- Jane Burke Murals 603x350

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Inspired by Pompeiian Garden Frescoes:

Custom Cobalt Backsplash!