SAMA Board of Trustees Outreach to Puerto Rico
In March 2025, the SAMA Board of Trustees embarked on an educational outreach hosted by board member Luis Alberto Rivera and the Atelier del Mosaico in Puerto Rico. He invited us to mark the momentous occasion of its fifteenth anniversary. He asked all his students to submit artwork to create an exhibition of over 100 pieces of art. The SAMA Board juried to select the award winners for the incredible student mosaic exhibition.
Award Night at the Exhibition
Luis Alberto and his Atelier planned an amazing week where he wined and dined the group, arranged a tour of Old San Juan, and took care of all our needs as we set up and held five workshops for 50 students. We ended the week with a lunch meeting at the Atelier del Mosaico and explored ideas for future mutual growth. The Board had the opportunity to highlight SAMA and the many benefits of membership throughout the week. The final evening a cocktail and appetizer reception was held for the exhibiting artists, Atelier students, teachers, family and friends. I had the opportunity to speak about SAMA before presenting the awards to the winners. To end the evening we were treated to “Comparsa de Vejigantes de Ponce”.
Comparsa de Vejigantes de Ponce
Puerto Rico is gorgeous, and we saw incredible mosaic public art on our tours that we hope to share at a SAMA event in Puerto Rico in the future.
I want to thank the SAMA Board members who were able to join me: Peggy Shuning, Libby Hintz, Shug Jones, Julie Dilling and Chris Forillo. We traveled at our own expense in support of growing SAMA.
Thank you to Luis Alberto, Loraine, Arturo, Helga Maribel, Brenda, Tanisha, the Atelier staff and students for all your planning and hard work in hosting us. (and especially Brenda who took Shug to the ER when she fell during her workshop!) It was an unforgettable trip!
BTW…it will be no surprise that we found AMAZING gelato in Old San Juan…twice!
Jacki Gran, SAMA President
L to R: Julie Dilling, Chris Forillo, Libby Hintz, Shug Jones, Luis Alberto Rivera, Jacki Gran, Tanisha Pacheco, Peggy Schuning, Maribel Sanchez