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Professional Development Seminars

Broadening the Understanding of the Business of Art.  Providing professional artist’s with best practices and tips to transition from non-art related field to an art business.

Collaborative Mosaics: Working with Schools, Hospitals, and Community Centers with Jessica Liddell

Session 1A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Session 1B: Wednesday, May 3, 2017 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Demo/Lecture
All Levels
Price: $215 (Includes $20 Materials Fee)

 

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Community projects are a fantastic way for artists to grow professionally and have a positive impact within their communities. Mosaic art lends itself very well to working collaboratively with both children and adults. The goal of this course is to examine the different approaches to designing, fabricating, installing and finishing community projects. Organizing a project in a large school or community center can be daunting but instructor Jessica Liddell will take workshop participants through the steps of:

• finding schools/community centers to partner with;
• coming up with a budget and securing funding;
• working with school officials/community organizers to set expectations;
• choosing and organizing materials;
• dividing the labor;
• determining what activities are age-appropriate; and weighing options for fabricating and installing the artwork.

Our workshop will start off with an inspiring slide show that will feature some of the many different approaches the instructor has taken with her projects. We will then break into groups and rotate through four different activities designed to put you in the shoes of school children/community members. Workshop participants will get some hands-on experience while learning some fantastic collaborative techniques. Our class will end with a handout review and question and answer period. Participants will leave with valuable technical and professional information that will help expand their businesses.

No materials are required.

Biography

Jessica Gorlin Liddell began making mosaics in 1993 and started her company, Bella Mosaic Art, in 1997. Her work can be found in private collections and public spaces throughout the country. She specializes in facilitating collaborative projects with children and adults. Since starting her business, she has done close to 70 artist residencies in schools, camps, hospitals, and community centers. Jessica has also been hired by a number of corporations to lead mosaic teambuilding workshops. She prides herself on creating permanent mosaic and glass installations that are innovative, technically sound, and that foster teamwork and community spirit. Jessica was one of two artists that led the mosaic marathon at the 2015 SAMA Conference in Philadelphia. http://www.bellamosaic.com

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students to a fresh mosaic-making approach: a flexible, spontaneous, scalable, continuity-ensuring method of creating dimensional clusters—modules—of tesserae, arranging the modules into a composition, and filling/weaving other tesserae (and space!) around them. Modules can be grouped, strung together, broken up, recombined, built up, laid out on a grid—so many possibilities! They can

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Articulating Your Art: A Mosaic Critique Workshop with staff from the Chicago Mosaic School

Session 3A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 12:00pm
Session 3B: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 1:00pm – 5:00pm –  SESSION CLOSED
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Demo/Lecture
All Levels
Price: $195 (Includes $20 Materials Fee)

 

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This workshop is intended for those who want to gain insight and direction in their voice and practice, and are looking for thoughtful feedback about their work. Participants will explore ways to grow in their work and what direction to take it, through directed discussion and observation. CMS Faculty Member, Andryea Natkin; Certification Director, Sue Giannotti; and Founder, Karen Ami will lead small groups of artists in critical discussions about their individual works. This workshop will provide students with suggestions for developing a body of work and building their portfolio. This workshop invites participants to explore new directions and possibilities with their work, to develop their own artistic voice, and to grow as an artist. Students will gain confidence in discussing art from an objective point of view. Prior to the conference, participants will submit two digital images that they feel best represent their work. There will be a short discussion with handouts about preparing artists’ statements and marketing one’s work. A participant from last year’s workshop noted, “this course should be obligatory for every aspiring artist.”

The Chicago Mosaic School has set the standard of academic excellence in mosaic arts for the last decade with a roster of internationally acclaimed faculty. Andryea Natkin earned her BFA in Painting from the School of the Art Institute Chicago before studying mosaics. Her work has been included in several prestigious juried exhibitions and art publications in the US and abroad. Founding Faculty Member Sue Giannotti has been featured in many national and international art exhibitions, including BiblioMosaico and at the Chapelle Saint-Eman in Chartres, France. She is the Certification Director for CMS and continues to be one of the most in-demand mosaic arts instructors in the US. Award-winning artist and CMS Founder, Karen Ami earned a BFA from The Boston Museum School and Tufts University, and an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her art practice merges mosaics, drawing, ceramics, and sculpture. Karen exhibits her works internationally in galleries and museums. chicagomosaicschool.com

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Realism in Mosaic Art Using Stained Glass: Form, Flush, and Features with Carol Shelkin

Session 4: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Intermediate/Advanced
Price: $385 (Includes $60 Materials Fee)

 

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In this unique workshop, you will be guided through the process of understanding realism in mosaic art with instruction using stained glass, and creating and illusion of curved or flat planes. We will discuss shadows, value, composition, design, color choosing, and understanding artists’ tricks for creating a work of art in mosaic for interior display and approaching galleries and juried shows for inclusion. The instructor will supply photographic models unless you are a returning student. Returning students should contact Carol for approval: carol.shelkin@Yahoo.com

You will be able to begin create your own mosaic and enough materials will be given to finish at home. No grouting. You will learn how to “paint with glass”. The lessons taught and instructions given will last you long after the workshop is over. No question will be left unanswered, so bring questions! This workshop is designed to take the student to the next level.

Biography

Carol Shelkin is a full-time artist and art teacher in Philadelphia. She teaches, accepts commissions, offers Mosaic Art Retreats, and exhibits her work worldwide in such places as Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico, France, US, Spain, Italy, and Morocco to name a few. Carol’s creations are often described as “painting with glass” and appear in collections and juried shows where they have received special recognition and awards. Carol has developed her unique style through her years of personal studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; Philadelphia College of Art; and Studio Arte del Mosaico, Ravenna, Italy. As an art teacher, who offers workshops worldwide, and also having a love for travel, Carol provides informative and fun weeklong workshops and tours. She is honored to be invited to Listowel, Ireland for an artist-in-residence to continue to work and develop her art. Carol Shelkin is a founding member and the President of the Mosaic Society of Philadelphia and a juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. carolshelkinmosaics.com

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Value and Drawing Andamento for Mosaics with Sue Giannotti

Session 5A: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 12:00pm
Session 5B: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
All Levels
Price: $230 (Includes $20 Materials Fee)

 

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Artists in all media use the elements and principles of art to create effective works, and mosaics are no exception. This workshop focuses on several of the most “a-ha!-causing” segments from two workshops at CMS that are key for learning mosaic art. Participants will explore these concepts along with how to incorporate them to make their mosaics more effective. In this lively 4-hour workshop, we will cover segments from both the Design Fundamentals and the Drawing for Mosaics workshops at The Chicago Mosaic School, which mosaicists from beginner to advanced have described as very useful. “I wish I would have known this before” and “It literally changed the way I work in mosaic” are two examples of feedback received. Using examples, demos, and many hands-on exercises, participants will learn why, when, and how to use these fundamental concepts. No drawing skills are necessary, this class will also show simple techniques for seeing and creating the andamento for an object.

Learn how planning and experimenting prior to cutting that first tessera will help achieve better results. Students will leave with the completed exercises and supplies to bring what is taught in the workshop back into their own studios. While no mosaic will be made in class, the multiple hands-on exercises will help participants better plan for their mosaics. This workshop is for beginning to advanced mosaicists. Instructor will contact students prior to conference with pre-workshop instructions and preparations.

Biography

Sue Giannotti began working in mosaics in 2002 after serendipity brought her to the medium, though it was a SAMA conference that ignited the true spark and her passion for this art form. This is her 11th year as an instructor at The Chicago Mosaic School, where she is the Director of the Certification Program. She loves teaching and sharing her love for mosaic and its beauty and techniques, with adults and children alike. She is a prior member of the SAMA Board of Directors and the creator of the Mosaic Salon during the SAMA conference. As founder of Mosaic Opus Studio, she creates commissions as well as artwork that is shown in juried national and international exhibitions. MosaicOpus.com

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Tile Making and Factory Tour with Pewabic Pottery –  SESSIONS CLOSED

Session 6A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 12:00pm
Session 6B: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Location: Off-site
Tour and Hands-on Workshop
All Levels
Price: $250 (Includes transportation and $0 Materials Fee – No Lunch Provided)

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SAMA members will start their visit at Pewabic Pottery by joining a docent-lead tour of the facility, which will highlight the organization’s history as well as the current operations, including tile pressing, glazing, etc. After the tour, SAMA members will attend a workshop in the Education Studio.

The Mosaic Workshop at Pewabic will focus on the process of creating clay tiles, from creation to glazing to firing.  Participants will follow along with two of Pewabic Education Studio’s instructors, Dave McGee and Marcia Hovland, as they demonstrate the use of plaster tile molds, sculpting a unique tile, glazing tiles, and assist with a raku firing.  Workshop also includes a docent led tour outlining Pewabic’s history with tiles.  All members will be able to leave with their tile(s) at the end of the workshop.

Dave McGee is a Senior Designer and Sculptor at Pewabic, as well as instructor for Tile Making at Pewabic Education Studio.  Dave received his BFA from Siena Heights University and has been at Pewabic for over 20 years.

Marcia Hovland is currently a hand building instructor at Pewabic Education Studio, and her work and teachings focuses on small scale mosaic installations.  Marcia received her BFA fromCollege for Creative Studies, and since then has opened a shop at studio in downtown Royal Oak.  pewabic.org

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Personal Mosaic Mandalas with Dianne Sonnenberg  – SOLD OUT

Session 7: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
All Levels
Price: $330 (Includes $55 Materials Fee)

 

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In this hands-on course, participants will learn how to create, design, and make a personal mosaic mandala, using a combination of lecture, demo, and individual exercises. Mandalas, which appear in nearly all cultures throughout the world, are round, geometric designs, typically with individual, spiritual, or religious significance.

Dianne will present an overview of the fascinating subject of sacred geometry and mandala art in a slideshow during the class, but the focus of this class will be primarily on the creation of each participant’s personal mosaic mandala. Participants will gain the skills and ability to create a variety of beautiful, geometric, round designs using the techniques learned in this workshop.

Each participant will receive an extensive design kit, which will enhance their ability to create geometric designs in this, and future, projects. We will create our individual mandalas using stained glass, glass nuggets, and glass tile on a prepared 12-inch-round MDF substrate. Participants may choose to bring a “focal point” for the center of their creations, and any additional materials they might like to include. Most participants will be able to finish during the class, but may opt to take their materials and projects to finish at home.

Students should bring mosaic wheeled nippers (required), tweezers, palette knife, glass scorer and running pliers (optional). Substrate, adhesive and tesserae will be provided. 

Biography

Dianne Sonnenberg is an internationally recognized mosaic artist based in Austin, TX, and Port Carling (Muskoka), Ontario. She has been involved in the global mosaic community for over 12 years, teaching hundreds of students the wonderful art of mosaics. Dianne is passionate about mosaic art—her mosaics and sculptural works have won numerous awards, including Best Architectural Mosaic at the 2010 MAI in Chicago, IL. She is a member of the faculty at The Contemporary Austin Art School at Laguna Gloria, and Contemporary Mosaic Art (CMA), and teaches mosaic courses across the US and Canada. diannesonnenberg.com

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A Lighter 3-D Base for Mosaics: Carved Polystyrene with Concrete Systems with Sherri Warner Hunter – SOLD OUT

Session 8A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Session 8B: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
All Levels
Price: $375 (Includes $50 Materials Fee)

 

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This session will be of interest to anyone who wants to learn how to make original, lightweight sculptural forms to create three-dimensional mosaics. Participants will carve polystyrene foam into a sculptural form using a variety of hot and cold tools. In this MESSY workshop, each participant will create their own piece to fully experience the subtractive and additive aspects of sculpture. In the afternoon, we will cover the foam with fiberglass mesh and apply a layer of concrete.

Demonstrations and presentations will address a variety of ways in which this process can be adapted in scale, installation methods, and interior and exterior artworks. The information provided in this workshop can be utilized by the weekend art warrior as well as professionals interested in public art, with handouts provided to guide you once you return to your studio. A Q&A session in the afternoon will round out this informative, hands-on workshop. Materials are provided.  Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty!

Biography

Sherri Warner Hunter is known nationally for her community-based mosaic projects and internationally recognized for her mosaic sculpture installations. Her work is included in numerous private collections and can be viewed publicly in Fletcher Creek Park, Cordova, TN; McLaren Health Care Village, Clarkston, MI; and Andrew Brown Park East, Coppell, TX. Hunter also teaches sculpture, concrete, and mosaic workshops throughout the country and at her studio in Bell Buckle, TN. She has authored two books on working with concrete, the most recent being Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden, published by Lark Books. swhartstudioinc.wordpress.com/

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Mosaic Teapot: Working On A Small-Scale Three-Dimensional Object with Ruth Tyszka – SESSION CLOSED

Session 9: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Beginner/Intermediate
Price: $325 (Includes $50 Materials Fee)

 

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In this hands-on workshop, students will work to complete their own mosaic teapot design by applying mosaic techniques to this small three-dimensional object. The goal is for students to create their own mosaic teapot design and to leave the workshop with a teapot and new techniques that will advance their own work on three-dimensional fine art and decorative objects. This workshop will focus on the following:

• selecting materials and adhesives that are appropriate for the teapot substrates;
• exploring the use of andamento, color, found objects and mixed materials to create a cohesive, expressive teapot design;
• working comfortably on a three-dimensional round object of this scale;
• cutting stained glass to create tesserae and cutting or manipulating other materials for use on the teapot surface; and manipulating the teapot lid to add found objects.

There will be time for questions throughout the day, and design assistance will be provided one-on-one, as needed, with class discussion and feedback where appropriate. While most students may leave with a finished or nearly finished teapot, students who do not finish may take materials to finish at home. Due to the curing and drying time of the adhesives, there will not be time to grout the teapots in class, but grouting will be covered in a demonstration.

Students should bring wheeled mosaic nippers, tweezers, safety glasses, any specialty materials for their design, including millefiori, small glass tesserae, beads, tiles, and found objects, and a found object for the lid of the teapot (optional—such as a stone, figurine, etc.). For samples of found objects on teapot lids, see Ruth’s website. Plastic and acrylic objects are not recommended.

Materials provided: uncut stained glass, glass tile tesserae, adhesives and a teapot substrate. Ruth will provide teapot forms in her method: partially glazed, fired, and ready to mosaic. There will be teapots in a variety of glazes and color combinations from which students may select.

This workshop should particularly benefit those who have some mosaic experience and are ready for the challenge of designing on a small three-dimensional surface, or those who want to learn new approaches and techniques for their own work on three-dimensional decorative or fine art objects.

Biography

Ruth Tyszka’s background in the arts spans more than two decades. She was a musician for ten years before pursuing a law degree and she has studied photography, stained glass, mosaic, and design. Ruth’s primary medium is sculptural mixed-media mosaic. Her artwork has appeared in the highly competitive MAI juried exhibition and was awarded in the 2012 Michigan Fine Arts Competition. Her mosaic artwork has been included in multiple publications including Schiffer Publishing’s Mosaic Art Today; the cookbook, Edible Bits And Pleasing Pieces; and Guide To Mosaic Techniques. Ruth is a graduate of the Musicians Institute, Oakland University, and Wayne State University Law School. She was a past Governance Chair on the Board of Trustees of the SAMA, and is a member of the Mosaic Artists of Michigan, Detroit Artists Market, and Friends of Polish Art. She has traveled all over the world to study ancient and modern mosaics, and her own work has appeared in galleries and juried art shows in the US, and as far away as Botswana. ruthsglass.com

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Building a Landscape with Color and Texture with Laura Rendlen – SOLD OUT

Session 10A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm 
Session 10B: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Intermediate
Price: $360 (Includes $50 Materials Fee)

 

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This workshop is for artists who want to explore a variety of mosaic techniques to create a representational landscape utilizing different traditional materials such as glass, stone, shells and metal. Beginning with a short exercise to illustrate general principles, the discussion considers perspective, foreground and background, and light source highlights and shadows. The beauty of this workshop is the artists’ ability to surround themselves, and play with, a variety of tesserae to complete their mosaic. The workshop emphasizes a hands-on exploration of mosaic techniques which allows artists to discover different textures, color combinations and ways to transition and form relationships with mixed materials. Throughout the workshop, individual attention and tips are provided to help with the technical aspects of mosaics and to guide the successful completion of each project.

Biography

Laura Rendlen’s mosaic aesthetic and style for is representational. She creates environments that capture the essence of a place. Through vivid color and soft expression, she conveys the intangibles in nature, particularly wind, light, and movement.

Rendlen earned her B.F.A. in Sculpture from Kansas City Art Institute and spent 25 years as a scenic painter. She has been published in several books, blogs and magazines including Mosaic Fine Art Portraits and Mosaic Art Now magazine. Rendlen’s art has also been included in five Mosaic Arts International exhibitions, and, in 2012, she received the prestigious MAI Juror’s Choice Award. lrfinemosaics.com

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Layered Glass Mosaics: Structure, and Form with Yulia Hanansen – SOLD OUT

Session 11: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Beginner/Intermediate
Price: $365 (Includes $55 Materials Fee)

 

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This visually attractive technique is about a free flow of tesserae used in layers creating effects of overlap, transparency, and volume. Whether it’s a mosaic depicting vast space, a detail of an animal, or a close-up of a flower, your artwork will surely have an extra dimension added to it, it will create a visual feast for the viewer. Step into infinity, even after the last tessera fills the base layer there are many more to be placed on top in intricate structures and overlaps. This workshop starts with a slide presentation on layered mosaics and a demo. The hands-on part concentrates on technical and optical effects produced with this technique. Individual instruction is supplemented with demos on selecting a color palette, cutting Yulia’s signature brush-stroke (boat) tesserae, and structural variations in layering. All the participants must bring: wheel cutter, tweezers, eye protection (eye glasses work well), pencil, pen, one flat plastic lid. Glass, adhesives, substrates, handouts, and other supplies will be provided. Images will be provided by the instructor.

Biography

Award-winning artist, Yulia Hanansen, has been instructing mosaic courses since 2001. Her Mosaic Sphere Studio, LLC produces mosaic artwork for private and public spaces. Yulia has been a guest artist throughout the US in locations including Unicorn Art Studio, Maverick Mosaics, Touchstone Center for Crafts, Cape Cod Mosaics, Cooperstown Art Association, and other educational institutions. In addition, Yulia is a printmaking professor at Maryland’s Towson University. She has taught and assisted teaching at University of Michigan and Columbia University. Yulia’s art has been exhibited in many invitational as well as solo shows, and in 2011, she won “Best of Show” at SAMA’s MAI. Her current work focuses on the fusion of earth/planetary sciences and art. Yulia practices her art in mosaic, printmaking, drawing, and painting media. mosaicsphere.com

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Making Roman Mosaic with the Direct Method with Carlos Gonzalez – SESSIONS CLOSED

Session 12A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Session 12B: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Intermediate
Price: $295 (Includes $0 Materials Fee)

 

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This workshop is 80 percent hands on and 20 percent lecture. We will do a 20-minute lecture of the history and why they are called Roman mosaics in the first place. Hands-on time will be essential in order to understand and implement the Direct Method. If you like to get your hands dirty with thinset mortar and want to create a small mosaic project that will allow you to utilize the technique in the future with a bigger mosaic and a different design, this workshop is for you. While working on the mosaic project, we will discuss my experiences with previous Direct Method installations, different mosaic techniques that I have used in the past, and many more topics.

Each student will pick from five different antique Aquileia Roman images and transfer one to a piece of wood board that measures approximately 6 by 6 inches. Once the design is traced on the wood board, we will make a mortar mix to apply to the wood. The material selected for the project will include five different tones of marble and I will demonstrate how the material is cut with the hammer and hardie—the method used to make the original Roman mosaics. The direct method I learned at the Mosaic School in Spilimbergo, Italy will be used to create your project. This technique has many benefits as long as the rules are followed and the mosaic doesn’t get complicated.

Andamento is the method of setting down each tesserae, an important skill that will be used regardless of the mosaic style, or material that is utilized. I will explain andamento as it applies to Roman mosaics. Make sure to bring a pair of tweezers and a music playlist to enjoy in the workshop. Dress comfortably and wear something you don’t mind getting dirty!

Biography

Carlos Gonzalez is a mosaic artist that loves breaking things and putting them back together, especially tesserae! Now 37, he discovered his passion for mosaics 15 years ago, thanks to a mosaic school in a small town in northern Italy called Spilimbergo. While learning to make mosaics, he made friends from around the word, and still enjoys meeting new people who have that same passion. Mosaico-Carlos-Gonzalez-Garcia

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Fused Glass Mosaics with Wesley Wong

Session 13: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Intermediate
Price: $305 (Includes $30 Materials Fee)

 

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In this hands-on workshop, you will work with a variety of fused-glass materials such as compatible opaque, transparent, and dichroic glass; stringers; glass paints; powders; and liquid gold. The class will begin with a brief introduction of the materials, the fusing process, types of kilns, and examples of incorporating fused elements into mosaics. Students will be provided with a choice of patterns, and will make a 6 x 6-inch fused-mosaic tile. We will demonstrate several methods of cutting, assembling, and layering the tesserae, and provide suggestions for creating andamento based on the design. You will elevate some elements of the design for added dimension. Basic glass-cutting skills are highly recommended. We will cover the basic firing schedule and how to operate the kiln. This workshop will benefit those students who would like to expand their mosaic skills as well as explore the world of fusible glass.

This class provides a new approach to glass-on-glass mosaics that can be turned into functional art, and can open new possibilities for combining fused-glass elements in mosaics with details, dimension, movement, and texture to enhance your artwork. Students will be provided with numerous handouts. Projects will be fired overnight and will be available for pick-up the following day. Students should bring: glass cutter, breaking plier, scissors, wheeled nippers, tweezers, safety glasses, ruler, Sharpie pen, pencil, and notepad.

Biography

Wesley Wong is an award-winning artist who designs and produces custom glass art from his studio in San Jose, CA. His passion for glass started in 1981 while working with stained glass, which eventually led him to mosaics and fused glass. Wesley’s work features lots of bright colors and intricate patterns and has been exhibited in many juried glass and mosaic shows throughout the US. Wesley enjoys sharing his glass knowledge with other artists and teaches glass workshops through his studio, at the Stained Glass Garden in Berkeley, CA; and at the annual glass convention in Las Vegas. He is a member of the Association of Stained Glass Lamp Artists (ASGLA), SAMA, and Contemporary Mosaic Art (CMA). He has written articles for Glass Patterns Quarterly magazine, and is a regular contributor to the ASGLA annual stained glass lamps calendar. glasstastique.com

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Waterfall Mosaic with Mark Brody

Session 14: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Beginner/Intermediate
Price: $345 (Includes $70 Materials Fee)

 

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Water can add an exciting new dimension to any mosaic with its movement, its sound and its flow. But it can add a whole new case of serious regret if you’re not using the proper adhesive, tubing or pump. In this workshop, we will discuss water fountain concepts such as containment, lift, and fall of water. You will create a water-tight, self-cycling fountain with pump and basin on a vertical substrate (wedi board), which can be placed in any room, or outside on the porch or fence (climate considered). A variety of mosaic layouts for different water pathways will be discussed and commenced, but the full mosaic portion will not be completed during this class. However, this project will be sized for convenient return shipping. Using photos, science-y demos and on-going Q&A dialogue, the instructor will describe many other fountain possibilities. This workshop will be an engaging experience for those who have always wanted to combine their unique mosaic style with the pleasant effects of water. Materials are provided.

Biography

Mark Brody has been building his mosaic workshop repertoire for the past 16 years. His interest in mosaic began with the construction of his adobe house in New Mexico, brick-by-brick like any mosaic. He found the most creative part of the entire construction process was the custom tiling he added to plumbing features. Because of his prior experience installing sinks and showers, Brody emphasizes the beauty of functional surfaces is only as worthy as what lies beneath and his move toward creating water features has been a natural progression. Making good use of his degrees in Sculpture and Education from Lewis & Clark College, Brody has been teaching mosaic in Pacific Northwest schools and art centers for 13 years. In 2015, Timber Press published his how-to book, Mosaic Garden Projects, which walks readers through 25 outdoor projects, including two fountains. To him, each mosaic is a new, intuitive, problem-solving challenge. markbrodyart.com

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Sandcasting Glass with Albert Young – SESSIONS CLOSED

Session 15A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Session 15B: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Off-site
Workshop: Hands On
Beginner
Price: $450 (Includes $150  Lunch, Transportation & Materials Fee)

 

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Students will learn the technical and creative aspects of sandcasting molten glass into objects such as tiles and other elements that can be used in mosaic work, and will probably come away with three tiles or other objects. Dress for the weather as the class is given in Young’s studio which is located in an old industrial building. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and comfortable shoes with rubberized/non-slip soles. No open-toed shoes!  Transportation and Panera Box Lunch Included.

Biography

Albert Young was born and raised in the Detroit area and has an associate degree in machine tool and welding technology from St. Clair Community College, 1979; a B.F.A. in ceramics from the College for Creative Studies, 1982; and an M.F.A. in sculpture from Wayne State University, 1988. He currently owns and operates Michigan Hot Glass Workshop and has been teaching privately and academically since 1983. michiganhotglass.com

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Porcelain Tile Techniques with David Jarvinen

Session 16: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm  UPDATED Time! 6:00pm – 10:00pm

Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Beginner/Intermediate
Price: $290 (Includes $15 Materials Fee)

 

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Porcelain tile is a durable and beautiful mosaic material—however, it can be tricky to manipulate. In this workshop we will cover all there is to know about the offset tile nipper and how to use this tool to create all of the shapes encountered in creating mosaics. In this class we will work to become proficient in the use of the offset nipper. Great for anyone interested in getting better at cutting shapes accurately and confidently.

Tools and materials are provided. Students are encouraged to bring their own pair of nippers.

Biography

David Jarvinen has over 30 years experience in the ceramic tile industry as well as over 15 years in the mosaic industry, which means he has an excellent grasp of technical cutting and fitting. David delivers his workshops in a fun and informative way that fosters participation and understanding of the materials. mosaicguys.com

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Hammer and Hardie: Sharpening Your Skills with Chicago Mosaic School’s Sue Coombs and Casey Van Loon

Session 17A: Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Session 17B: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm  SESSION CLOSED
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
All Levels
Price: $360 (Includes $50 Materials Fee)

 

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CMS is proud to bring essential elements of our popular Hammer and Hardie Workshop to SAMA. Students will receive instruction regarding proper form using the tools that mosaic artists have used for centuries. Using materials such as marble and smalti, students will learn correct techniques and efficient approaches to cutting the desired tesserae with a minimal amount of waste. This workshop will explore the specific characteristics of these materials and how to reduce their size. Students will spend the majority of the workshop practicing with the hammer and hardie while receiving individualized feedback from the instructor. Instruction will also include demonstrations and a short presentation about the care and maintenance of these tools. This class is intended for all levels, from beginners to those with experience, but would like to improve their techniques. All materials will be provided but participants are welcome to bring your own hammers and materials if they wish.

Biographies

Sue Coombs grew up in Detroit, Michigan and spent many summers on the shores of the Great Lakes collecting rocks and shells. At an early age, Sue began to take an interest in mosaics, and began studying them seriously after working 15 years as a professional stained glass artist. Since 2005, Coombs has studied with many great contemporary mosaicists at the Chicago Mosaic School. Her work has been exhibited in both international and national shows. Sue Coombs is a dedicated faculty member at The Chicago Mosaic School and has facilitated several large-scale mosaic murals in and around the Chicago area.

Casey Van Loon turned her attention to her great love of glass, color, form, and movement, after studying dance at Columbia College and performing professionally in Chicago for a number of years. As  senior stained glass artist at Botti Studio of Architectural Arts for well over a decade, Casey has worked  on numerous historical and original projects including the restoration of the Tiffany domes at the Chicago Cultural Center and the Art Institute, the recreation of the glass dome at the Plaza Hotel in NYC, and the worlds largest exterior glass mosaic at Tousaint Village in San Diego, CA. Her affiliation with the Chicago Mosaic school consistently renews her passion for mosaics and has fostered a new passion for teaching, inspired by a rich community of artists of all ages and abilities.

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Animal Portraiture in Mosaic Art with Andrea Taylor

Session 18: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Intermediate/Advanced
Price: $345 (Includes $50 Materials Fee)

 

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Animals are a popular mosaic portraiture subject matter and this is your chance to work with a master. In this workshop, which is a condensed version of one that Andrea has taught over the years, you will learn the process to create a portrait of a special companion (or non-companion) animal. You will learn the techniques to capture the spirit and personality of the selected animal in the mosaic medium. We will explore both direct and indirect methods of creating a portrait. Andrea will share her extensive experience and guide you in developing your own skills through a combination of lecture, Q&A, and independent hands-on creativity. You will learn about color and shading, lay patterns and andamento, opera, composition, and other aspects of design. You will also learn how to use the appropriate tools and materials during this workshop and will create your own animal portrait using art glass, adhesives and substrates suitable for interior display.

Participants will work with their own photos that will be approved by the instructor for suitability prior to the workshop. You may leave with a completed (ungrouted) project—dependent upon your individual working speed—or you will be provided enough glass to complete your project later, on your own. You may choose to do a more stylized portrait, which is a speedier process, or begin work on a more realistic representation. This session should particularly benefit those who already have some experience and are comfortable making mosaics using stained (art) glass using basic, glass-cutting tools, and who wish to honor a companion animal through their artwork, or to broaden their skills in representational mosaic art. Materials are included.

Biography

Andrea Taylor has been a mosaic artist since 2000, and her mosaic art spans large-scale murals to sculptures and jewelry, but her specialty is animal mosaic portraiture. Her award-winning work has been shown nationally and is collected internationally. Taylor’s mosaic pet portraits have been featured on the cover of SAMA’s Groutline and in mosaic books worldwide. Her primary professional experience outside of the art world is in technical instruction, conducting adult training programs since 1994, and teaching mosaic art since 2004. She has taught well over 1,000 adult students and countless children on various topics on the art of mosaic. Taylor is a past SAMA Executive Board Member and Education Committee Chair. She has served as Director of Education for Maverick Mosaics Art School and Studio. Andrea owns and operates Lark and Magpie Art Gallery and Studio, a creative destination located in the lakes district of northeast Wisconsin. taylormosaics.com

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An Introduction to the Paper-faced Reverse Technique with Gary Drostle

Session 20A: Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm  – SOLD OUT  
Session 20B: Wednesday, May 3 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Demo/Lecture/Some Hands On
Beginner/Intermediate
Price: $330 (Includes $10 Materials Fee)

 

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This course aims to introduce the techniques and benefits of the traditional paper-faced reverse technique method of constructing mosaics. The session will look at all aspects of making mosaics on paper—the technique favored by many large studios for the fabrication of large mosaic murals. This technique is simple, flexible, and versatile, and is particularly good for undertaking large mosaic murals that are to be made off site, working on community mosaics with a wide range of abilities, and creating floor mosaics that have a flat surface. Gary will cover every stage of the technique with a limited amount of hands-on practice and slides and demonstrations. Topics include choosing materials, which paper to use, making Pasta Amido glue, managing larger mosaics in smaller spaces, drawing on paper, fixing paper-faced mosaics.

Biography

London-based artist, Gary Drostle, has been a professional mosaic-maker for thirty years and has completed award-winning major commissions in the UK, USA, and South America. Gary is President of SAMA’s sister organization in the UK—The British Association for Modern Mosaic (BAMM), and is a regular lecturer at the Chicago Mosaic School. He has been awarded prizes at three of SAMA’s MAI exhibitions, and won the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) TileLetter Award for mosaic installation in 2011.  http://www.drostle.com

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Making Your Own Day of the Dead Skull with Carrie Reichardt

Session 21A: Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Session 21B: Wednesday, May 3 2017, 8:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
All  Levels
Price: $250 (Includes $60 Materials Fee)

 

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For the first time at SAMA and in the US, international artist and renegade potter, Carrie Reichardt, will lead a workshop for students in making mosaics using printed ceramic tiles. Each student will be able to make a personalized sugar skull to celebrate the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead, which will be described by Carrie as well as her experiences in Mexico. This workshop will guide you through the process of designing and fabricating internal artwork for display. Once completed, this is yours to take away and hang wherever you choose to add a little Mexican Magic.

Carrie will bring 30-centimeter, aluminum, sugar skull templates, and a selection of printed tiles and ceramic mixed media that can be used in this project. In addition, students will have the chance to submit an A5 (jpeg) of images and/or words to Carrie, who will print them onto tiles and bring them to be used on their own Day of the Dead sugar skull mosaics. All student tile requests for printing on a tile must be submitted by by February 28, 2017.

Students are expected to bring all their own cutting tools and tile nippers, and they can bring favorite tiles, glass, or objects they might wish to include in the mosaic.

Biography

Carrie Reichardt is a craftivist whose work blurs the boundaries between craft and activism, using the techniques of ceramic and mosaic to create intricate, politicized works of art. Carrie trained at Kingston University and achieved a first class degree in Fine Art from Leeds Metropolitan. In 2015, she spent two months as the International Visiting Artist at The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Carrie has been involved in international community and public art projects for over two decades. She has designed and consulted on large-scale mosaic murals and completed public projects that celebrate local communities in Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Her most recent ceramic installation was for the facade of the Victoria and Albert Museum, whilst her Tiki Love Truck, a ceramic-adorned vehicle, was the star exhibit inside as part of the critically acclaimed Disobedient Objects exhibition. carriereichardt.com

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SOLD OUT Manifesto for a Dynamic Mosaic with Giulio Menossi

Session 22A: Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm 
Session 22B: Wednesday, May 3 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Hands On
All Levels
Price: $365 (Includes $45 Materials Fee)

 

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Mr. Menossi will instruct the workshop based on his ideals and thought processes and additionally, he will share methodology from other mosaic artists, giving students the opportunity to learn various techniques, and then choosing the one that best utilizes their creative process. There will be special emphasis on tesserae placement and color valuing of your mosaic. You will choose from a pre-determined design or you can bring one of your own. Students will need to bring their own tweezers and nippers.

Biography

Giulio Menossi is an internationally recognized master mosaic artist who lives and works in Udine in northeastern Italy.  His training, under the tutelage of Maestro Domenico Colledani, started in the mid-1970s in Milan. That city’s vibrant cultural and artistic community captivated Menossi and exerted a profound influence on him. Maestro Menossi’s talent and passion for the art of mosaic have earned him an outstanding reputation not only for his copies of ancient mosaics and for his portraits, but also for his “dynamic mosaics,” which he developed through long and painstaking research. Throughout his artistic career, Maestro Menossi has participated in regional, national, and international exhibitions, receiving many awards and distinctions. Since 2009, Maestro Menossi has offered courses in his Udine laboratory, and abroad, to mosaic enthusiasts from around the world. About Giulio

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The Composition with Maestro Verdiano Marzi – SOLD OUT

Session 23: Thursday, May 4, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
Intermediate/Advanced
Price: $395 (Includes $75 Materials Fee)

 

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In this full-day course, Maestro Verdiano Marzi will lead participants through the educational process of the composition of the mosaic. Beginning with a presentation, Maestro Marzi will give a theoretical introduction on what composition is, followed by the hands-on portion of the workshop. During this time, students will begin dry-laying their components and the surrounding compositions, followed by Marzi’s suggestions for improvements for the work. Once compositions have been discussed individually, participants will complete their mosaics. The final portion of the workshop will cover of cleaning the mosaic as well as a critical discussion by Marzi about works in progress.

Biography

Verdiano Marzi’s love of mosaic dates back to his childhood in Ravenna, where he was born in 1949. He attended the State Institute of Art for Mosaic, a hub for future mosaic artists. The great Renato Signorini had a workshop in Ravenna where Marzi worked until Carlo Signorini, Renato’s son, took over. Marzi moved to Paris in 1973.

Marzi’s creative projects include large-scale public mosaics (Val de Lille metro station, the Bourgoin-Jallieu High School in Isere, and the Villars Secondary School in Denain, France). His first solo exhibition was at the Venice Biennale in 1986 and he participated in the Fourth Moscow Biennale—Special Projects with a Russian architect in 2011. His recent American solo exhibitions were at the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago in 2015, and at The Museum of Biblical Art, Dallas, TX, in 2016. Maestro Marzi is a committed and dedicated teacher who has worked with students from around the world. He created the innovative mosaic workshop at the Musée du Louvre and has travelled to Dharamsala, India to create art with Tibetan children. He has taught and inspired artists in Moscow, Paray-le-Monial, Burgundy, Bastelica, and Corsica. Marzi conducts annual workshops and seminars in the US at The Chicago Mosaic School. He lives and works in Paris, France. More about Verdiano

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Working with Smalti with Mireille Swinnen – SOLD OUT

Session 24: (2-Day Session)
Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm AND Wednesday, May 3 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center
Workshop: Hands On
All Levels
Price: $485 (Includes $60 Materials Fee)

 

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This workshop should particularly benefit those who want to learn how to render a realistic image in a painterly style in mosaics using smalti and gold smalti. Our goal is to learn to choose the right colors and to cut the right shapes to render the image chosen by the student. In order to do so, we will study the theory of color, the principles of andamento, the power of mixing colors, and mixing tesserae sizes. Big and small pieces of smalti will be available in a myriad of colors in order to stimulate the students’ creativity and to empower their work. The instructor will coach each student individually to meet their specific needs to complete the task. The instructor will provide Montolit nippers, project prints, substrates, glue, tweezers, and spatulas needed for each project. One hammer and hardie will be on site to facilitate those in need of cutting down large smalti pieces.

The student will go home with a (near-) finished 8-by-8-inch mosaic that will be treasured forever, and a much better understanding of how to obtain appealing results while working with smalti.

Biography

Mireille Swinnen is Belgian by nationality but has lived abroad all her adult life, including four years in Washington, D.C., and three years in Los Angeles. She runs a mosaic studio in Belgium during three months in the summer and teaches specialized workshops in California the rest of the year. Mireille’s preference is to use smalti and gold smalti in a figurative, painterly style, utilizing many big chunks so the work becomes very sculptural. Her work has been selected for various shows and exhibits and she received a Members’ Choice Award at MAI Philadelphia, in 2014. About Mireille

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Building Relationships with Material: An Urban Foraging Adventure with Rachel Sager

Session 25: (2-Day Session)
Tuesday, May 2, 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm AND Wednesday, May 3 2017, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Off-site
Workshop: Hands On
All Levels
Price: $525 (Includes $100 Lunch, Transportation & Materials Fee)

 

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Foraging is not just for the woods and riverbeds! Join Rachel Sager as she leads you on an urban adventure into the landscape of the City of Detroit. This special, two-day intensive will start with a field trip into pre-scouted, safe areas of the city to find mosaic-worthy material. The urban landscape is an often overlooked, but always rich and exciting source of good material for the intrepid mosaicist—ceramic, brick, stone, glass, and other serendipitous finds await you as you learn to see with the eyes of a scavenger. After your morning field trip, you will bring your bag of material back to the work space and the second phase of the workshop begins. The hammer and hardie are key to this type of mosaic learning. Breaking down raw material into the shapes of tesserae that we need to communicate in our language, will be the second, important focus of this workshop.

Rachel’s signature “intuitive andamento” teaching style will also be a part of your learning experience. Composition takes a back seat to technique. Do not expect to take home a finished masterpiece. You will be here to understand the nature of given materials, learn their secrets, and exploit their strengths. You will break down the line into its purest form; talk about shape, size, space, and direction. You will watch an informative and entertaining slide show of images that will help you to see what is possible between the relationship of raw material and your hammer.

Being new to the hammer and hardie is perfectly acceptable to be a part of this class, but you must bring your own hammer and hardie (we provide the base) and be willing to spend most of your time in active cutting. If you are challenged with repetitive wrist or hand work, you may not be able to get the most out of this focused class. Thinset mortar will be the adhesive and you should expect to work hard, have fun, and get dirty.

For the adventurous artist, this unique offering gives you the opportunity to experience an authenticity outside of the conference environment. Over the years, Rachel has learned that “areas where the earth has been disturbed” are hot spots for good foraging. The city of Detroit, with its history of upheaval and drastic change, presents us with a unique opportunity to work outside of the shopping cart and make our own rules regarding material. Materials, transportation and Panera Box Lunches are provided. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty!

Biography

Rachel Sager: Artist. Teacher. Speaker. Writer.  Rachel works on the cutting edge of the contemporary mosaic fine art movement—her innovative work has been represented in cities throughout the US and internationally, and has been awarded multiple bests of show in juried exhibitions. Her Marcellus Shale Series stands as a true Pittsburgh success story, and her work is collected with passion by private clients and corporations all over the world. Rachel’s commitment to the classical language of mosaic paired with her intuitive andamento style has shaped a strong voice in the mosaic world. She brings these classical techniques home to the “here and now” of the present American mosaic movement. Rachel proudly hails from the foothills of Appalachia and passionately preserves her storytelling, hillbilly roots, as she weaves the colorful tales of family, nature, self-reliance, humor, and the legacy of coal through the lens of mosaic. Whether she is digging into the earth of her native Pennsylvania or traveling the world as a teacher and speaker, her mission to “build the line” in mosaic continues to inspire new generations of mosaicists. http://www.rachelsagermosaics.com

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