"Green Clouds" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii

A leader of the cross-cultural craft resurgence, Japan-based artist Toyoharu Kii creates his intricate mosaics with hand-cut Italian marble and smalti, Venetian glass made by the same Italian family for over 400 years. Using traditional Italian techniques, Kii’s art is nonetheless modern.

In this mosaic entitled "Green Clouds," Kii creates a moment of color and exuberance. Pools of sea green glass contrast an orderly field of white tesserae like buoyant clouds drifting through a clear sky or lily pads floating on a quiet river. The drops of color send ripples through the mosaic, playing off each other with delightful irregularity.