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Fall 2011 • Volume 12 Number 4

1 eJournal for the Society of American Mosaic Ar tistseJournal for the Society of American Mosaic Ar tists 1Table of ConTenTS

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LexingtonA Red-Carpet Welcome

Tools of the TradeWhat’s in Your Studio?

Surfing MadonnaThe Encinitas Enigma

Brooks Tower The Columbarium Commission

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eJournal for the Society of American Mosaic Ar tistseJournal for the Society of American Mosaic Ar tists

Shug Jones

In addition to being president of SAMA, Shug Jones is the president/founder of Tesserae Mosaic Studio, Inc., in Richardson, Texas, where she creates fine mosaic art and installations and offers classes and workshops. tesseraemosaicstudio.com

ON THE COVER: Detail of Tree of Life, by Brooks Tower, 2011. 8’H x 6’W. Marble, copper, quartzite, slate, gold smalti, glass tile, blown-glass shards, millefiori, smalti contorni, granite, travertine, and onyx. Story on page 4.

Find us! facebook.com/americanmosaicsFollow us! twitter.com/americanmosaics

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President’s Column 2

lead storYA Southern Bluegrass Welcome 6-7

dePartmentsinspiration: Mosaics for Military Families 3artist Profile: Brooks Tower 4regional: National Exhibition 5studio: Unexpected Tools We Can’t Live Without 8ask a Pro: What Is a Maquette? 9Book review: Studio Secrets: Mosaics 10in the news: The Surfing Madonna 11

sama neWsSAMA’s New Website 12 Volunteer Spotlight 132011 Contributors 142012 Conference 15SAMA Board and Staff 16

Brooks Tower’s commission for St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Oklahoma City appears in the inner courtyard’s east colonnade. Six columns with niches for urns are faced with 16-by-26-inch mosaic panels based on themes like grace and peace. A larger 6-by-8-foot panel at the end depicts the Tree of Life. All feature Brooks’ signature opus sectile method and captivate the senses with color, movement, and emotion.

Fall has finally arrived, bringing with it the colors of autumn and the fabulous all-new SAMA website! You’ll soon have an opportunity to explore it and check out the ways to inform yourselves and connect with fellow members.

An exciting new feature allows you to meet members from your region as well as those interested in working with the same materials (smalti, picassiette, stained glass, etc.); you can also discuss the projects with which you need help and talk to artists involved in public or community art. You’ll be able to create your own homepage and set it up as you choose. We’re excited, and we hope that you are, too.

And speaking of excitement, I can’t wait to get to Lexington, Kentucky! The land of Thoroughbreds and bourbon will become the land of mosaic artists when we arrive en masse in 2012 for the 11th Annual American Mosaic Summit. Lexington is rolling out the red carpet for us, and we will make them glad they did. Registration opens soon, so start making plans to attend. See page 15 for more information. Don’t be left out!

I hope everyone’s working on an incredible piece of art for submission to the 2012 Mosaic Arts International exhibition. The exhibit will hang in a spacious new gallery at the Lexington Center, where the conference will be held. The opportunity to submit to the largest all-mosaic exhibition in the world is one of your benefits as a SAMA member. The October 31 digital-entry deadline is fast approaching, so hurry to your studios and get to work.

While you’re making plans to join us in Kentucky, take a minute to peruse the class and workshop offerings not only at the conference but also everywhere in the United States and abroad. The list is updated continuously, so I’m sure you can find something to help you improve your mosaic knowledge and skills. Promotion, education, and community: that’s what SAMA is all about.

Happy mosaic-ing!

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Most of us who live in the Washington, D.C., area are touched in some way by military families. To show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice, Maverick Mosaics Art School & Studio offers pro bono art workshops for military depen-dents, spouses, and veterans, and complimentary Summer

Art Camp tuition for children of military service members.Creating a Mosaic of Military Families (CMMF) came about thanks to the

Virginia Commission for the Arts. Maverick Mosaics submitted an applica-tion to their matching grant program for emerging arts programs. Much to my surprise, I received a telephone call from their Top Dog. Wow, a phone call, not a rejection letter! This was exciting. They called our idea “fabu-lous,” and they said the Commonwealth of Virginia “absolutely” wanted to support the program. They stipulated that Maverick Mosaics had to raise money to match the grant, a big challenge in our current economic climate.

Because a local street fair was just around the corner, I thought it might be a good venue in which to test the waters. My instructors, students, and family donated not only their time but also their treasures as prizes for our

Becca and Raleigh, two girls from military families, enjoy Art Camp at Maverick Mosaics.

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Mosaics for Military Families BY BONNiE FiTzgERALD

first CMMF Raffle. We sold more than $500 in raffle tickets and received an anonymous gift of $1,000. It was a good weekend, and we’re well on our way to our goal of $10,000. The raffle is now on the Maverick Mosaics Facebook page, and our next drawing will be on November 11, Veterans Day.

Two military children received sponsorships to attend Summer Art Camp this year; these kids experienced a work-ing art studio and were given the opportunity to express themselves in new ways. This fall we’ll host an adult mosaic workshop for a group whose spouses are deployed. We’re working with the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation services at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to identify participants.

We’re also making greeting cards that feature images of mosaics created by Maverick’s instructors and students. These cards, along with handwritten notes from Maverick’s friends, neighbors, and students, will be sent to military personnel abroad through Operation Pinecone, a grassroots nonprofit organization whose volunteers assemble gift and care packages for service members.

Mosaics are a perfect platform for community building. We’re helping to create a new community of mosaic lovers while supporting those who sacrifice daily and dearly for our freedoms. To purchase raffle tickets, make a donation, or learn more about Creating a Mosaic of Military Families, please visit our Facebook page.

Bonnie Fitzgerald is a mosaic artist and the owner of Maverick Mosaics Art School & Studio, an educational facility located in metropolitan Washington, D.C. maverickmosaics.com

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Brooks Tower AN iNTERViEW BY BARBARA COOTS

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BC: Did learning the art of opus sectile come naturally to you?

BT: I had tiled four or five bathrooms and laid a slate floor, built a fire-place—all things that required cutting tile or stone. Finally, in the midst of a period of general upheaval in my life, I bought a wet saw and started experimenting with it. In a year or two, I had developed my own tech-nique. It was only when I started showing my work online that other mosaicists informed me that what I was doing would probably be called “opus sectile.” Learning to mosaic has never come naturally to me. Much of the time it’s proven to be very difficult, and contrary to some impulses and traits that I possess.

BC: What are some of your working habits?

BT: Since childhood I’ve kept farmers’ hours, working only in the daytime unless I’m fighting a deadline. Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes I talk, sometimes nothing. I’ve always worked alone, except for a brief time when my wife helped with the first church commission. I have never worked on more than one visual art project at the same time.

BC: One of your latest commissions appears in a columbarium at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Oklahoma City. What’s a columbarium?

BT: It’s a place where cinerary urns holding cremated remains are kept. The term derives from the Latin columba, meaning “dove,” and originally referred to the compartmentalized housing for doves and pigeons—an evocative derivation. The columbarium is part of a total reworking of the inner courtyard under the direction of the architect Hans Butzer, who de-signed the Oklahoma City bombing memorial. The columbarium was the special project of George Back, a kind and gentle soul who was the dean at St. Paul’s at that time.

BC: How did the setting figure in to your compositions?

BT: I tried to stay very conscious of who would be viewing this art and the profundity and solemnity of the moments for those who would be viewing the panels. I know those moments. Dean Back wanted to be sure that the art wouldn’t be lonely. He didn’t want to impose, or even suggest specific imagery, but it had to “feel right” to him.

BC: Do you have a favorite piece from this commission?

BT: Grace is definitely my favorite among the smaller panels. I like the reeds in back. I like her nostril. I like the baby’s fingers. On the other hand, the Tree of Life was a very long journey and was all encompassing while it lasted. When I see the large panel now, I feel the care and devotion that it required from me.Barbara Coots is editorial director of 2B Custom Publishing, the team that works with SAMA to put Groutline together each quarter. Learn more about Brooks at brooks-tower.com.

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Grace, by Brooks Tower, 2011. 24”H x 16”W. Marble, travertine, smalti, and gold B-cut smalti. This work is part of a series of seven pieces inside the east colannade of the inner courtyard at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Oklahoma City.

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Breaking Records in Cape Cod BY ED KiNSELLA

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By any measure, the National Mosaic Exhibition on Cape Cod was an unqualified success. More important, because most viewers had never before seen mosaic art exhibited in a fine art gallery, many residents—and thousands of visitors from around the world—received an education in the power, versa-

tility, and beauty of contemporary fine art mosaics. Word of mouth was instrumental in the exhibit’s success; visitors returned with friends in tow to marvel at the mosaic art.

Historic Highfield Hall in Falmouth, Massachusetts, an 1878 hilltop estate that has been transformed into Cape Cod’s cultural and artistic hub, hosted the exhibit from July 20 to September 4, 2011. The Highfield Hall staff celebrated the event as the best fine art exhibit ever held there. Public interest began high and remained steady throughout the six-week run. More than 300 people attended the opening, a number that broke attendance records, and even the last days of the show brought almost 200 visitors per day. Highfield Hall’s typical opening draws about 60, and waning days usually see only a trickle.

Opportunities to learn about mosaics began with Sonia King’s open-ing reception lecture and continued with five weekend workshops, a film, and a bus tour of local public mosaics. Lynn Moor, Cape Cod artist and owner of MosaicSmalti.com, opened “Smalti Heaven” for those who wanted to stock up on antique Venetian smalti.

Linda Dadak and Jim Bowen, Cape Cod mosaic artists and teachers, organized and curated the exhibit. From several hundred entries they selected works by 52 artists. The jurors, Lynn Moor and Lynne Chinn, awarded two prizes: Best Representational went to Michelle Eckhart’s Early Spring in the Peach Orchard, and Best Abstract to Sonia King’s Permafrost. Public ballots cast during the exhibit’s first few weeks selected Shawn Newton’s Waiting for the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Mosaic Oasis, Suzanne Owayda and Betsy Rodman’s mosaic studio and supply business in Arlington, Massachusetts.

The exhibit was a first for Highfield Hall, but it won’t be the last. Linda and Jim were invited back for a second exhibit, likely to be in 2013. To capitalize on the exhibit’s astounding success and unsurpassed public interest, Jim, who is director of Cape Cod Mosaic Workshop, has agreed to begin a mosaic school on site at Highfield Hall. He’ll teach classes and invite nationally celebrated artists to offer workshops. Contact Jim for more information at capecodmosaicworkshop.com.

Ed Kinsella is a SAMA volunteer board member who leads the Sponsorship Committee. Contact Ed at [email protected] to become a SAMA sponsor or to donate to strengthen SAMA’s future.

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Pamela Stratton and Valerie Bretl were among the 52 artists represented at the National Mosaic Exhibition. Above are Valerie’s Beach Day (2010; 26”H x 30”W; marble, granite, travertine, and onyx) and Pamela’s Inner Canyon (2011; 30”H x 23”W; Mexican and Italian smalti, marble, iron, pyrite, and aragonite).


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A Southern Bluegrass WelcomeBY TERRi PuLLEY

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Lexington, Kentucky, is ready to roll out the red carpet for the 2012 conference of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, the American Mosaic Summit, February 29 – March 4. Attendees are sure to enjoy a true southern bluegrass

welcome! Rich in history and horses, bourbon and bluegrass, Lexington is a delightful mix of southern hospitality and sophistication.

Bluegrass Airport will welcome conference guests with its two mosaic installations. In the main terminal entry on the second floor, more than 800 horses prance in a stunning marble-and-granite concentric circular floor mosaic that features pedigrees of the famous Kentucky Derby winners. And Big Blue, a mosaic rendition of the renowned Thoroughbred racehorse Big Lex, will greet visitors at the Information Center. To create Big Blue, John “Zig” Zeigler and Sam Noelscher, of Lexington’s Zeigler Stained Glass, laminated both painted, fired glass and stained glass squares to a 4-by-8-foot clear sheet of glass with UV-cured epoxy resin.

ALL-AMERiCAN ROOTSLexington began in 1775 as McConnell Springs, a

militia campsite named for William McConnell, leader of the frontiersmen. Upon learning the news of “the shot heard ‘round the world” at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, McConnell renamed the site “Lexington.” A steady influx of pioneers swelled Lexington into a major agricultural, economic, political, and educational center in the western frontier. The first university west of the Allegheny Mountains was founded in Lexington in 1780. Transylvania University was the first to offer academics in medicine and law, and the first to house a library in the western frontier.

LiBATiONS, ANYONE?Bourbon’s reign as king in Kentucky began more than

200 years ago with centuries-old secret family recipes from Ireland and Scotland. The karst (limestone) terrain springs and oak hardwoods make this the ”Bourbon Capital of the World.” Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail winds through historic towns where six distilleries nestle in the

Top: Horses in the snow; middle: Mary Todd Lincoln House; below: Bourbons of the Bluegrass

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rolling green hills. Marker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, and Four Roses offer tours and tasting.

Does Lexington have vineyards? Yes! John Dufour, a Swiss immi-grant, founded the country’s first commercial vineyard and winery at a bend in the Kentucky River in 1799. Today, the Lexington area is home to eight award-winning vineyards. Talon Winery and Vineyards offers a tasting room in an original 18th century farmhouse. Visitors can stroll through the lush vineyard and the acres of gentle hills dotted with red-roofed barns. THE LANguAgE OF LEgENDS

“Horse Capital of the World” is another title Lexington is proud to claim. Historic Keeneland Race Track, the Kentucky Horse Park, and several famous Thoroughbred horse farms are just a few miles from Lexington’s Convention Center. Kentucky Horse Park also houses the American Saddlebred Museum, the International Museum of the Horse, and the Al-Marah Arabian Horse Galleries.

Hollywood, no stranger to Lexington, has taken advantage of the gorgeous horse farms and scenery for film locations. The movies Secretariat, Seabiscuit, and Dreamer were shot at Keeneland Race Track. Rock Hudson had a home here, William Shatner raises American Saddlebreds on his farm near Lexington, Sam Shepherd and Jessica Lange owned a horse farm nearby, George Clooney was born and raised here, and Johnny Depp still visits his mother here.

ART MATTERSAn extensive collection of fine art is housed in The Art Museum

on campus at the University of Kentucky at Lexington. The collection includes works by Julien Dupré, Willard Leroy Metcalf, Gilbert Stuart, Rembrandt, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Milton Avery, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Ansel Adams, and Cindy Sherman. Visiting mosaic artists will also want to see the giant marble-and-granite mosaic on the exterior of the original Albert B. Chandler Medical Center, installed when the center opened in 1965. Students in the university’s sculpture, ceramics, and arts administration programs will be joining SAMA con-ference attendees in workshops and seminars, and as event volunteers.

The mosaic Peace Art Garden Sign, commissioned by The Bluegrass Community and Technical College, an affiliate of the University of Kentucky, is installed in a small garden at the main entrance to the administration building on the Leestown Road Campus. The sign is 24 by 36 inches and is made from Mexican smalti and stained glass. The artist is yours truly.

Bluegrass horse farm tours, hospitable wineries, the Bourbon Trail, historic homes, engaging art museums, and colorful galleries are all waiting to be explored in Lexington. Why not extend your stay after the conference and experience southern hospitality? Remember, the South starts in Kentucky!

Terri Pulley, the 2012 conference host chair, serves on SAMA’s Board of Trustees and is visual arts chair of Gateway Regional Arts Center. Her many accomplishments in film, music, and video include six radio hits and a song on the movie soundtrack of Sweet Home Alabama. She is a mosaic artist and owner of Lone Talisman Eclectic Artistry and Lone Talisman Music (ASCAP). lonetalismaneclecticartistry.com

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Unexpected Tools We Can’t Live WithoutBY KARiN gERSTENHABER


i can’t live without dry-erase markers on my studio table. Yes, I have an assortment of pens, pencils, and markers, and they all have their place, but my dry-erase markers are indispensable. I just barely touch the surface of glass where I want to make a cut, nip it, and then swipe the mark off with my finger. No mess, no fuss. Keeping

an assortment of colors around means there’s always one that will show up on my selected color of glass.

My attachment to multicolored dry-erase markers prompted me to wonder about the other unusual and unexpected items my mosaic friends may be employing, so I surveyed SAMA members. The results are intriguing and sometimes entertaining, but all are useful. I suspect that most of these tools don’t make an appearance on traditional supply lists or vendor inventories, but it seems they’re widely available.

George Fishman borrows from the bathroom. “I use a shaving mirror with a swivel head and expanding arm that’s mounted on the ceiling above my work table,” he writes. “By shrinking the reflection, it helps me view the work in progress from a distance, blurring details and giving a sense of what’s going on in the big picture. It also flips the view left to right (like looking in the bathroom mirror), which can further help assess whether the composition is working well. Looking at your piece upside down is useful, too.”

Carol Shelkin gets resourceful with leftover carpet stair treads. She lines several up on her table, rubber side up, to stop the glass from sliding around. Scoring is a cinch and clean-up, too, because she can pick up one section at a time to rid it of glass shards.

Susie Curry is a big fan of compartmentalized plastic candy dishes, which can be found at craft stores for less than $10. She says these stackable dishes keep materials separated and close at hand; they’re also very portable.

Sharon Plummer can’t live without her cotton gloves. Unable to wear latex, nitrile, or neoprene, she relies on these gloves as liners for latex gloves. Cotton improves her comfort and makes her efforts more effective as she manipulates grout over and around oddly shaped tesserae. Frequently listed as inspection gloves or liners on supplier websites, they cost about a dollar a pair.

I received so many wonderful tips that I divided the responses into two articles. Be sure to stay tuned for Part 2 in the next issue of Groutline! If you’d like to share your ideas, email [email protected].

Karin gerstenhaber’s love of mosaic art began nearly five years ago. She is active with the Austin Mosaic Guild and is excited about her new role as a SAMA board member.

Karin in her Austin, Texas, studio.

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The Maquette BY KiM EMERSON


Q. I’m proposing a three-dimensional, large-scale mosaic for a public art project and am required to submit a ma-quette with my presentation to the selection committee. What’s a maquette, and how do I make one?

A. Creating a maquette for large commissions is my favorite part of the project. “Maquette” is the French word for a scale model of an unfinished architectural work or sculpture. The maquette is a powerful tool illustrating the artist’s vision for the project.

The process of building a maquette involves more than creating a sketch; it’s an exercise in which artists must think through their ideas in 3-D. When I construct a maquette from materials such as toothpicks and foam core, I gain the confidence to work through what I might actually build in real life. It’s an invaluable visual for the contractors and engineers helping me build the project. Before production begins, the maquette gives information that assists in defin-ing costs, calculating the square footage of materials, planning installation, drawing up timelines, and spotting previously unforeseen issues.

In my studio, I have a large drawer full of weird, fun stuff: cardboard, shish-kebab skewers, fabric, Sculpey clay, you name it. After I measure or realize the dimension of the project and overall site, I decide on the scale of the maquette. Using an architectural scale, I typically make my maquettes measuring 1 inch = 1 foot 0 inches. If the proposed project area is quite large, I scale it down to 1/2 inch = 1 foot 0 inches or less. I always attach the design elements to a foam core or wood base along with a label stating the title, the artist’s name, and the scale.

If it’s an exterior installation, I use plastic foliage to represent trees and plants to soften the appeal. I paint the mosaic portion of the project in watercolor because this medium best expresses the light and transparency of mosaic. If it’s a three-dimensional sculpture, I may paint the scaled sculptural element with a liquid medium made to be painted over when dry.

You will find that the more you learn from building a maquette, the more intimately you’ll know your project. And with that comes greater satisfaction in creating and completing it.

Kim Emerson has been making mosaics for public and private spaces in the United States since 1991, and she’s been a SAMA member since 2003. She says, “I’m always more in love with the next potential project yet to be born than I am with the last project completed.” kimemersonmosaics.com

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Kim Emerson with her maquette for Oceanlife, Sun & Waves, built for the City of San Diego, California.

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Studio Secrets: Mosaics by Verdiano Marzi and Fabienne GambrelleBY JEANANN DABB

studio secrets: mosaics by Verdiano Marzi and Fabienne Gambrelle

First published in Paris, 2005English edition published by Search Press Ltd., Tunbridge Wells, 2010

120 pages, numerous color illustrations, from $20.00 to $29.95ISBN 10: 1844485064 / ISBN 13: 978-1-84448-506-2

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Many of us came under the spell of Verdiano Marzi at the 2010 Chicago conference. This review renews that brief association and, for others, serves as an introduc-tion to the dynamic award-winning artist.

Born in Ravenna, Marzi trained at the State Institute of Art for Mosaic and the studio of Renato Signorini before moving to Paris to study at École des Beaux-Arts. Marzi has spent much of his career in France, and numerous commissions and courses have prompted travel around the globe. See Sophie Drouin’s “Artist Profile,” Mosaic Art Now, No. 2, 2009, pp. 24–27, for further biographical details and a wonderful first-hand account of Marzi’s impact as a teacher.

The book’s table of contents outlines four main divisions and additional sections, including “A Visit to the Workshop” and “Projects.” An introduction summarizes the artist’s history, and a glossary defines mosaic terms. I was particularly drawn to the workshop section; Marzi’s studio in the Paris suburb of Bagnolet appears to be a fascinating environment. The hammers and other tools Marzi has collected over the years, each one having its own particular advantage or purpose, intrigued me. One feature I associate with Marzi’s work is his supreme control in cutting and placing tesserae; the photos provide a better sense of how he achieved that skill.

A bird sculpture spans the first two divisions of the book; the authors document the phases of design, selection of materials, and direct-method creation. Division three covers the direct method on mesh and division four, the indirect method on paper. Photographs and a brief text outline essential steps as two more projects, a marine-theme frieze and an ancient Roman-inspired tabletop, are completed.

Additional projects, some with short descriptive texts by Gambrelle, are illustrated in the book’s final section, which concludes with more photos and technical advice about the bird sculpture in the “Basic Techniques” division. Tidbits of practical advice and philosophical insights are interspersed throughout the text. Readers may find it helpful to research local sources for name-brand materials recommended, such as Kerabond and Sika latex.

For those of us who have not yet had the pleasure of attending one of Marzi’s courses, Studio Secrets: Mosaics is a tantalizing hint of even more “secrets” yet to be revealed by Maestro Marzi.

JeanAnn Dabb, a former SAMA board member, teaches art history at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She studies historic and contemporary mosaic art.


Surfing Madonna: Art or Graffiti?BY MiCHELLE HAMMOND

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On a busy boulevard in the city of Encinitas, California, there once was a plain cement wall underneath a train bridge. Thousands of drivers passed by each day without a second thought. But that changed on April 22, 2011, when a large, stained-glass mosaic of Our

Lady of Guadeloupe riding a surfboard, which featured the words “Save The Ocean,” suddenly appeared.

In a matter of days, speculation about the meaning, origin, and artist of the piece was rampant not only within the small city of 60,000 people but also internationally. When the Surfing Madonna became the focus of attention for media and city officials, the mosaic, which under city law met the technical definition of graffiti, was targeted for removal. There was also concern that allowing a religious symbol on public property could trigger lawsuits. In response to the removal plans, Mark Patterson, age 58, identified himself as the artist behind the mosaic, a self-described “random guy with an artistic vision, who believes in saving the ocean.”

“It was sort of an industrial spot that no one really cared about at all, and to put something incredibly beautiful there, for me, seemed perfect,” Patterson said of the bridge, as quoted by Jonathan Horn in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

It took nine months to build and two hours to install; with the help of a friend one Friday afternoon, the Surfing Madonna was revealed to the world. Although Patterson had intended the mosaic to be a gift to the community, he soon had to engage an attorney to help navigate the resulting legal issues. Concerns ranged from the removal cost to claims that the installation and/or removal might have caused structural damage to the bridge. In the end, the mosaic was safely removed; Patterson footed the bill and paid a fine.

At the end of August, the Surfing Madonna had not yet found a new home. After receiving many offers for the piece, Patterson is still deciding on the best place for the mosaic and its message. But the question surrounding whether society should allow, encourage, or discourage art installations such as the Surfing Madonna remains. What’s the best way for society to encourage public works of art such as this? Do you think the city of Encinitas made the right deci-sion? Share your thoughts on the SAMA Facebook page.

Michelle Hammond is a San Francisco Bay–area artist and writer; she has a new studio in North Carolina. mirasoldesigns.com

The 10-foot-square, rock-and-stained-glass mosaic on plaster board shows Our Lady of Guadaloupe riding a surfboard. An image of St. Juan Diego, the child who saw the Virgin, is on the board’s nose.

Launching Soon! Be on the Lookout for SAMA’s New Website and Online Member Community!

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http://www.tilecreator.com


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Suzan Germond“I was one small part of a much larger effort,” says Suzan Germond. But what a part she

played! As a member of the Austin Mosaic Guild, Suzan graciously stepped up to the plate to take on the responsibilities of coordinating the 2011 Mosaic Marathon. Quick to state that she couldn’t have done it without help, Suzan says, “You think it’s one person doing it all, but it’s a whole wheel of people. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Sharon Plummer procured all the materials; Kim Wozniak and her son and daughter constructed the frames for the design. “Having a design artist, in conjunction with someone to resource the materials needed, and a structural person, made it a collaborative effort,” Suzan says. Anne Crossley and Stephanie Shroyer, who worked alongside Suzan, assisted volunteers at the three tables, ran for food, and did anything needed to get the job done.

PeopleFund, a non-profit institution that provides home and small business loans to people left out of the financial mainstream, were the delighted recipients of the mosaic, a three-leaf design that beautifully complements their new building. A “HUGE” number of hours went into the marathon, and more than 150 volunteers participated. Although smalti and colored thinset were new to many of the participants, they appreciated the learning experience.

A SAMA member since the beginning, Suzan looks forward to the 2012 conference in Lexington, where she’ll most likely volunteer again. –Donna Post

VOLuNTEER SPOTLigHT

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s a m a n e W s

THANK YOu TO OuR 2011 CONTRiBuTORS

B r O n z E C I r C l E Jacqueline Iskander Mosaics

MosaicArtistsOrgMOSAICO Houston &

Diamonds Art Forever MosaicsPiece, Love & Smalti

Tesserae Mosaic Studio

B E N E FA C TO R S Austin Mosaic Guild

JeanAnn DabbEd Kinsella

Sonia King Mosaic ArtistJoyce Ward

P R E S i D E N T ’ S C i R C L E LATICRETE International

Smalti.com and Perdomo Smalti Mosaicos Bizantinos

G O l D C I r C l EInstitute of Mosaic Art

Mosaic Rocks!Plum Art MosaicsWitsEnd Mosaic

S I lv E r C I r C l EThe Chicago Mosaic School

SAMA Board of Trustees


TOP 10 THiNgS TO KNOW ABOuT THE 2012 AMERiCAN MOSAiC SuMMiT

s a m a n e W s

1. Where: Lexington Center in beautiful Lexington, Kentucky2. When: February 29 – March 4, 20123. Registration: Opens November 14 at 12noon!4. Hotel: Hyatt Regency Lexington 5. Hotel Reservation Deadline: January 27, 20126. Mosaic Arts international Dates: March 1 – April 30, 20127. Deadline to Apply to MAi: October 31, 20118. Link to MAi Prospectus 9. Volunteers: Please email [email protected]

10. Vendor Marketplace and Sponsors: Email [email protected]

The mosaic gods have blessed us with a very special partner for the 2012 conference: The University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts. They will help produce the conference and the Mosaic Arts International exhibition at the new Lexington Center Museum and Gallery. Another benefit unique to this destination is its affordability, which is a welcome break for all of us in these tough economic times. Get a taste of the hospitality and flavor of Lexington by reading 2012 Host Committee Chair Terri Pulley’s article on pages 6 and 7.

Make your Hyatt reservations today! Call (800) 233-1234 and ask for the Society of American Mosaic Artists rate ($129-139 nightly) or go to hyatt.com and provide group number “G-SAMA.” Learn more by visiting americanmosaics.org.

Join the Society of American Mosaic Artists Visit our website and select “JOIN” to learn about five membership levels, and to use our secure online registration. americanmosaics.org

PresidentShug Jones

Vice PresidentGwyn Kaitis

SecretaryYvonne Allen

Interim Treasurer ruth Wunsh

Board of TrusteesKaren AmiDianne CrosbyJulie Dilling Karin Gerstenhaber Jacki Gran Debbie Immel Ed Kinsella Sharon Plummer Donna Post Terry Pulley

Advisory Board Kim Emerson Brian Felix

staff

Executive Director Dawnmarie zimmerman

Operations ManagerChris Forillo

Membership DirectorYvonne Allen

Volunteer CoordinatorDonna Post

SAMA Patron Members

The Austin Mosaic Guild The Austin Mosaic guildKaren Ami The Chicago Mosaic SchoolDenise Hartl Bavier The institute of Mosaic ArtRobin Edenfield StainedglassTile.comJacqueline Iskander Jacqueline iskander MosaicsKathy Scherr Maryland Mosaics Andrew Simmons TileCreator SoftwareJoyce Ward Joyce WardMichael Welch Mosaic Rocks!Teddy Wong Tile Mosaic MakerKim Wozniak Smalti.com

Editorial queries may be sent to [email protected] and opinions expressed in Groutline represent the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of SAMA, its board of trustees, or the membership as a whole. Advertisements are purchased and do not imply endorsement by SAMA, its board of trustees, or its members.

GrOuTlInE STAFF 2B Custom PublishingDesign Director Barbara Dybala

Editorial Director Barbara CootsAssociate Editor Theresa BranderManaging Editor Karola BrookshireCopy Editor Jennifer Blakebrough-Raeburn

Advertising Sales Chris [email protected]

groutline is published quarterly to promote mosaic art in the United States and abroad.

©2011 Society of American Mosaic Artists. Reproduction or distribution prohibited without permission.

Address: P.O. Box 624, Ligonier, PA 15658-0624

SAMA Board and Officers


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