An Artist's Quest to Reviving Antique Mirrors

By: Kathy Klossner

Reviving a vanishing art form has become a passion and a
business for Leucadia artist Roderick Treece, owner of RLT
Custom Glass Signs and Mirrors in Leucadia, California.

Utilizing both nineteenth century techniques and modern
technology Roderick creates one-of-a-kind antique mirrors. Part
of what makes each piece unique is that the artwork is in the
mirror, it's not just a mirror in an elaborate frame. Indeed,
his custom mirrors feature a broad range of textures, colors and
finishes. "I can make a mirror look as if it has been passed
down for generations."

The wonders of history and travel have always inspired artists.
Travels to Portugal, Latin America, Italy and Indonesia clearly
influence Rod’s ability to creating unique antique mirror
designs. The back painted glass of the Café Florin in Venice,
the guilded signs of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, and the
glass art of Bali, compelled Rod to research and revive these
glass techniques that were in danger of becoming obsolete.
Handmade antique mirrors have been popular throughout history.
Ancient mirrors were just pieces of polished metal, but they
evolved into expressions of romance and beauty. Research shows
that mirrors used in Greco-Roman times and throughout the
European Middle Ages were disks of metal -- bronze, tin, or
silver -- that reflected light off their highly polished
surfaces. From the late 17th century on, mirrors--and their
frames--played an increasingly important role in room décor.
Mirrors have long been used to create an illusion of space.

Roderick is among a small group of artists that have devoted
themselves to the preservation of classic techniques of glass
art. He customizes his mirrors using inlayed abalone, mother of
pearl, colored crystals, gold or silver leaf, sandblasting,
etching, glue chipping, and reverse back painting. All of the
decorative treatments are applied to the back of the glass, to
be appreciated through the smooth reflective surface of the
front of the glass. Practically any material can be utilized to
create an original artwork. "I enjoy working closely with every
client to create a piece that makes a statement. One client
asked me to design a mirror for his home bar. I created an
antique style mirror with the family name reverse back painted
on the glass. He loved it. It's timeless and will be treasured
by the family for years to come".

Roderick Treece has been creating custom glass signs and mirrors
for over twenty-five years, but even as a little boy he knew
this was his calling. Treece's father was the director of the
graphics department at world famous Knott's Berry Farm. "I used
to go to work with my dad in the morning and wander around for
hours unsupervised. Eventually, the security guards would drag
me back to my dad's sign shop, and for the rest of the day, to
keep me out of trouble, he'd have me repaint perfectly good
signs, under the guise that they needed a color change."

Whether inside or outside, framed or unframed, custom antique
mirrors are available in any shape or architectural design.

Article Source: http://collectibles-articles.com

RLT Custom Glass Signs and Mirrors has taken on the challenge of bringing antique mirrors to life. Kathy has been an outdoor enthusiast, traveler, writer and lover of water sports her entire life. Besides her outdoor pursuits, she runs her own Internet Marketing Services Company - Waterdancer.com.

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