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Summer 2012 • Volume 13 Number 3
Precious Cargo
Packing Your Work for MAI
Marian Shapiro
Artist-Explorer
Substrates
Choosing, Prepping, Sealing
Mosaics in India Lakshmi Vilas Palace
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eJournal for the Society of American Mosaic Ar tists
P re s i d ent ’s Colum n
It’s already halfway through July, so I hope
you’re all hard at work on your entries
for the 2013 MAI Exhibition in Tacoma,
Washington. How exciting it’s going to be to see the best of contemporary mosaic
art hanging in the Museum of Glass! Everything is shaping up to be an incredible
Photo: Richard Davis
experience of unmatched proportions in Tacoma, so start working on your travel
plans now.
And speaking of travel, our own Richard Davis of Washington state shares an
excerpt from his travelogue to view mosaics in India on pages 3-4. You can read the
entire story and see more photos on the SAMA website. We also hear from France’s
Detail from a mural at India’s Lakshmi Vilas Palace.
Story on pages 3-4.
Renée Malaval on page 5, and Australia’s Marian Shapiro is our featured artist on
pages 6-7.
sources about finishing the edges of your backsplash, sealing substrates, and planning
Inside Summer 2012
space for large-scale mosaic work. We even have tips on how to avoid damage to
President’s Column
Lead StorIES
Planning Space for
Large Work
Avoiding Damage
in Shipping
On the technical side, this Groutline issue is full of great advice from knowledgeable
2
mosaics during shipping, information that everyone who plans to enter the MAI
exhibition needs to keep in mind. Your work must arrive in good condition, ready to
hang or display.
10–11
12–13
others are beyond saving. At the Museum of Glass, damaged or ill-prepared work will
Departments
Inspiration
Mosaics in India 3–4
International
Secrets of Mosaic
5
Artist Profile
Marian Shapiro 6–7
Step By Step
Finishing Edges of a Backsplash 8
Ask a Pro
Sealing Substrates
9
SAMA NEWS
2012 Contributors Robin Brett Scholarship Winner
Volunteer Spotlight:
Christine Brallier
2013 MAI Call to Artists
SAMA Board and Staff
13
14
15
16
16
Several pieces that are either poorly constructed or insufficiently packed arrive
damaged yearly at MAI exhibitions. Some pieces are reparable but, unfortunately,
be returned, without discussion. Please pay very close attention to your construction,
hanging hardware, and packing. This scrutiny should be applied every time you
create a mosaic, whether it hangs in your own home or in the Louvre. Quality is key;
professionalism demands it. See the article on pages 12-13 to learn more.
There’s a little something in this issue for everyone, so sit back, put your feet up, and
enjoy your reading.
Shug Jones
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
Find us! facebook.com/americanmosaics
Follow us! twitter.com/americanmosaics
Join and learn more! americanmosaics.org
ON THE COVER : Detail of a mural at Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara, India. Photo by Richard Davis.
Story on pages 3-4.
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INSP IRATION
Mosaics in India
by Richard Davis
M
Photos: Richard Davis
osaics and India
bring one name
to mind—Nek
Chand Saini and
his Rock Garden
in Chandigarh. Using the Internet
and reference books, I tried to
find mosaic sites in the state of
Gujarat before traveling there in
January 2010, but had no luck.
However, during my travels, I’ve
learned that mosaics are to be
found if you look hard enough,
and Gujarat was no exception.
India’s mosaics can be divided
into four groups ranging from
the 1880s to present day. The first
group is religious, consisting of
A commissioned mural at Lakshmi Vilas Palace completed around 1890. Approximately 16 ft. x 10 ft. Composed of smalti, filati, and/or marble.
mosaics on temples and some
religious-themed murals scattered
throughout cities and rural areas. The second
group is found in residential floors. The
fourth group is represented by a completely
modern mosaic in Ahmedabad: an enormous,
computer-designed vitreous glass mural series
showing episodes from Gandhi’s life. This
mosaic is hundreds of feet long and covers the
walls of an underpass under the railway line.
In this excerpt, I’ll focus on the third group, a
type of mosaic at Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Baroda
(renamed Vadodara in 1974). These mosaics
are in the palace sections commissioned by
Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III between 1878
and 1890; they followed a design created by
the architects Major Charles Mant and Robert
Fellowes Chisholm. About four times the size
of Buckingham Palace, this enormous edifice
employed 12 Italian artist-craftsmen for 18
months. The mosaicists were from the famed
Venice and Murano Glass and Mosaic Company,
in operation from 1866 to 1909 and owned by
the English artist Edward Burne-Jones during
Temple to Unknown Gods (ceramic tile).
the period of the palace’s construction.
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continu ed – INSP IRATION
Mango Hinguaro, the curator of a museum on the palace
grounds, provided this information, but he didn’t know who
had designed the mosaics. My friend John O’Brien, of the
British Association for Modern Mosaic, was kind enough to
look up and read an 1896 interview with Robert Chisholm that
I found in London’s Royal Institute of British Architects library.
John reported that a Mr. Hasjee, a local draftsman, probably
designed the mosaics, which the Italian mosaicists then
interpreted.
Made of smalti, the tiles were imported from Italy along
with Carrara marble and semi-precious stones. One spectacular
outdoor mosaic, approximately 16 feet by 10 feet and made of
smalti, features beautifully detailed, full-length portraits of men
and women wearing traditional costumes in a setting similar
to that of a celebration or festival; interestingly, the mosaic has
Christian overtones in the form of an angel. Also notable are the
necklaces made from custom glass cane, or filati, on the female
figures. The turbans worn by the men are skillfully modeled.
A number of life-sized female figures, draped in traditional
dress and set in a gold smalti background, adorn one of the
palace’s entrances. Some of the gold smalti apparently fell out,
and the figures have been repaired with inexpensive modern
gold-glazed ceramic tile. Inside the palace, a room currently
used to display weapons has an intricately cut geometric stone
floor.
Magnificent Durbar Hall is the pièce de résistance. This
reception room, larger than a football field, has a spectacular
mosaic floor composed of smalti and mother-of-pearl. Every
window is decorated with smalti in floral patterns. Most are
made of stained or leaded glass set into sculptural niches.
At press time, Indian newspapers report that this palace will
be turned into a Heritage Hotel, leaving the ability to visit these
mosaics unknown.
I can truthfully say that Gujarat, one of India’s most
economically developed and prosperous states, is a good
destination for the mosaic seeker, and the traveler will find
plenty of other arts and crafts between mosaic destinations.
A mosaic depicting a Christian scene at the Bible House in Ahmedabad.
Author’s Note: English spellings of Indian names vary depending on the source
of the information because the English name is likely transliterated from Hindi
or another Indian subcontinent language. For example, a Google search for
Lakshmi Vilas Palace will bring up the alternate spellings of Lukshmi Vilas Palace
or Laxmi Vilas Palace; the location will be spelled Baroda rather than the more
contemporarily used name of Vadodara.
Editor’s Note: This story is an excerpt from Richard’s complete travelogue. To read
the entire story, including more detail of the various types of mosaic and many
more photos, please visit the SAMA website.
Richard Davis is owner of Richard Davis Mosaics in Clinton, Washington, where
he creates fine mosaic art and installations. He is co-chair of SAMA’s Tacoma 2013
conference. Two of Richard’s architectural installations are included in the new
Mosaic Art Today published by Schiffer LTD. richarddavismosaics.com
An underpass by the Calico Museum of Textiles in Ahmedabad. Made of
vitreous glass tesserae, the modern-day mural (estimated completion
date 2000-2008) shows Mahatma Gandhi surrounded by various symbols.
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INTERNATIONAL
Revealing the Secrets of Mosaic
by Renée Malaval
The following guest editorial appeared in the third edition of Mosaïque Magazine, the French publication devoted to mosaic. Its
relevancy to SAMA’s mission of advancing the mosaic arts, and discussions with Mosaïque Magazine’s Administrative Director,
Gilles Antoine, resulted in our collaborating to share it with our members in this issue of Groutline. The editorial was translated into
English by Estelle Apparu; Elaine M. Goodwin provided a final reading. We hope you enjoy hearing about parallel efforts to elevate
mosaic art in other parts of the world. By working together—associations, individual artists, and media appreciative of our art form—
we can make our presence known in the larger world of art.
– Gwyn Kaitis
*Editor’s note: Quotation taken from a manifesto proposed by artist
Noah Fisher, the main organizer of Occupy Museums.
Photo: Courtesy of Mosaïque Magazine
S
o that the secrets of mosaic live, it is
necessary to continue revealing those
secrets to a large public. According to
P. Soulages, the craftsman knows what he is
going to make and how he is going to make
it, but the artist does not know where he might go.
We met artists and found them concentrating
on their particular tasks: working on material,
making objects, conceptualizing their thoughts.
We almost heard the noise of their movements, the
breath of the workshops where ancient movements
are reproduced, and the buzz of contemporary
laboratories. We perceived the quest of aesthetical
and ethical values.
In these pages, you are going to travel
in France, from Paris to Chartres and from
Paray-le-Monial to Overran; in Italy, to Ravenna,
where the second edition of the International
Festival of Contemporary Mosaic Art took place, and
to Spilimbergo; and then on to Québec, Moscow,
and Japan. Everywhere, artists have chosen the
language of mosaic to express themselves, to create
architectural works as well as easel works, sculptures,
videos, installations ...
In October 2011, the “indignants of art” gathered
in front of the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New
York City to protest against “the temples of the elitist
culture controlled by 1 percent of the population.”*
Perhaps we should launch a movement of the
“indignants of mosaic” so that this art is definitively
referenced as a major contemporary art. Again and
again, we have to reveal the secrets of mosaic to a
larger public.
Renée Malaval is the publication director and editor-in-chief of the French-based Mosaïque Magazine.
Published quarterly, the magazine includes artist profiles, coverage of mosaic exhibitions and events,
and discourse on contemporary mosaic art. Maestro Verdiano Marzi serves as the publication’s artistic
director. Renée has been engaged in the creation of mosaics for more than 20 years. Her studio is
located in Pralognan (Savoie, France) and is part of the artists’ group Edel’Art.
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ARTIST P ROFILE
The Artist as Explorer: Marian Shapiro
by Nancie Mills Pipgras
I
’ve come to think of the award-winning Australian
artist Marian Shapiro as an artist-explorer. With a
background in fine art and theater, Marian came
to mosaic in 2003. Since I began following her
work, I’ve seen Marian go deeply into themes she
finds personally fascinating through multiple works.
Some of her themes have been decidedly technical:
How does one create the illusion of fabric with hard
materials? Or, what does color look like done with
these materials or with that arrangement? Others
have been more esoteric—characters from Greek
mythology, the organic nature of plants, even
the basic components of life itself. Marian has
facilitated this work through another sort of
exploration—the constant addition of new materials
and techniques to her mosaic palette. In this brief
article, we’ll look at three examples of Marian’s
thematic and technical exploration.
I must confess that I find all 10 of the Forbidden
Fruit sculptures utterly charming. Each one has a
distinctive personality born out of intriguing shapes,
lush materials, and an inherent joie de vivre that is
enormously attractive. Our “cover girl” Lilith is no
shrinking violet in her many vibrant shades of red.
Materials used here range from smalti to fabric that
Marian constructed herself from hand-dyed silk.
Photo: Marian Shapiro
Lilith—The Forbidden Fruit Series, 2007-2010
Lilith from The
Forbidden Fruit Series,
by Marian Shapiro,
2009. 17”H x 10”W.
Smalti, fused glass,
millefiori, Mexican
glass pebbles, beads,
wire, and silk paper.
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continu ed – arti s t p ro f i l e
Selene—Elemental Women, 2009-2010
In this series of four sculptures, Marian assigned the identity of a Greek
mythological character to each of the Four Elements. Selene, goddess of
the moon, represents Air as a cloak of white floating against a background
“embroidered” with delicately feathered shapes. Here, Marian integrated
natural materials to great effect, among them pearls, pebbles, and
quartz points.
Lifescape—The DNA Sequence, 2010-Ongoing
Soon now, Marian’s life will take a new turn as explorer as she and her
husband, David, leave their anchored life outside of Sydney to become
vagabonds. In their newly purchased RV, they’ll take six months to traverse
the Australian continent. I can’t wait to see how this journey inspires new
mosaic explorations for Marian.
Editor’s Note: See more of Marian’s work at dariandesign.com.au.
Photo: Richard Wilson
Nancie Mills Pipgras is editor of Mosaic Art NOW (MAN), which showcases mosaic’s most innovative
artists and thinkers via its website, Facebook page, Twitter, and a weekly newsletter, The BOM.
mosaicartnow.com
Photo: Marian Shapiro
Marian says, “The DNA series is inspired by the different ways in which
the fundamental code of life can be depicted.” Currently, this series consists
of eight works; in them, Marian often employs an interesting technique that
layers one image on top of another. In Lifescape, we see the double helix
formation of DNA twice: once on a foundation level in a pattern of smalti
and again in a raised covering of clear glass cut into the helix shape. The
resulting composition is intriguing.
Selene from Elemental Women, by Marian
Shapiro, 2010. 28”H x 8”W. Smalti, glass
pebbles, beads, pearls, wire mesh, textured
mirror, and quartz points.
Lifescape from The DNA Sequence, by
Marian Shapiro, 2010. 16”H x 24”W.
Mexican smalti, unglazed ceramic,
marble, and glass.
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step by step
Finishing the Edges of a Backsplash
by Debora J. Aldo
Before you finish a backsplash, there are a few things to
consider. This checklist ensures a smooth project and gives
pointers long before the finishing edges:
P
Measure the intended location of your backsplash—“measure twice,
cut once,” as the carpenter’s adage goes.
P
Make a template exactly the same size of the intended backsplash and
use it to build the backsplash. You can make the template from cardboard
or templast (available at contractor supply outlets). Take into account
electrical outlets, mirrors, and wall or sink faucets.
P
Consider the materials that the mosaic will be adjoining: tile, mirrors,
or lighting.
P
To attach the backsplash, first locate the wall studs by tapping on the
wall or by using a stud finder. On drywall, attach the backsplash at
the studs. On masonry such as cinderblock, stone, or concrete, use
toggle bolts or other masonry hardware.
P
Appropriate substrates for wet areas are backer board or Wedi board.
Never use wood—it warps, even if prepped.
P
Plan to have at least two people on hand for the installation, and
schedule a minimum of half a day.
Photos: Debora Aldo
The images on this page show three ways I’ve addressed framing mosaic
backsplashes, from no frame to large border tiles.
Project 1: This backsplash has no frame. I colored
thinset to match the paint on the walls and to cover the
edges of the glass. I used acrylic-fortified thinset instead
of grout because it’s waterproof and has better flex. This
vine bathroom mosaic, installed in 2010, is made of
Blazestone, transparent smalti, and other glass tile.
Project 2: I created and installed this backsplash in 2011
for a residential client. Made of stained glass and high-fired
porcelain ceramic, it measures 38 inches high by 53 inches
wide. The glass tile border coordinates with the wall paint.
The tile, added to the substrate around the mosaic before
installation, is the same thickness as the depth of the mosaic.
Project 3: This work was created in 2009 for
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The show’s
designers wanted a large, prominent border. The
mosaic is the width of the stove, so I subtracted the
width of the border tiles from the total width of the
project to arrive at the mosaic’s dimensions.
Debora Aldo has been making mosaics since 1997, creating commissions for clients from coast to coast. A Connecticut certified teaching artist, she travels internationally, teaching
mosaic enthusiasts. pietreduredesign.com
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ASK A P RO
Choosing and Preparing the
Appropriate Substrate
by Bonnie Fitzgerald
Q. What are some guidelines for choosing the right substrate?
Interior Mosaics
Wood and Medium Density Fiberboard
(MDF) are porous and should be sealed
with either a paint primer (available at
hardware and paint stores), a fifty-fifty
mixture of PVA glue and water, or diluted
acrylic paint. To provide extra grip, score
the surface with a utility knife before
sealing. If glass is your choice for tesserae,
a white or pale gray surface will keep the
colors true. A scratch coat is recommended
for a thinset adhesive. MDF and most wood
products are not suitable for exterior works.
HardieBacker Board is a quarter-inch,
no-mesh board product produced with
James Hardie´s proprietary cement
formulation. It is not suitable for water
areas. A cementitious product, it accepts
thinset well.
Glass or Plexiglas as a substrate allows
light to pass through tesserae. Choose an
appropriate thickness for your project.
Plexiglas is a shatter-resistant alternative to
glass. No sealing is needed.
Exterior or
Interior Mosaics
Wedi Board is composed of Styrofoam
encased in mesh and cement. Sturdy and
lightweight, it cuts easily with a utility
knife. It’s excellent for mosaic artwork,
both interior and exterior. Wedi board is
cementitious; sealing is not needed.
Cement Backerboard is a superior
base for interior and exterior construction
applications (floors, showers). It’s produced
with Portland cement, alkaline-resistant
fiberglass mesh, and lightweight
aggregate.
Aluminum Honeycomb is a honeycomb
sandwiched between fiberglass epoxy
faces. Created for the aerospace industry,
it’s extremely strong and can be used
outdoors. It may be cost prohibitive, but it’s
excellent for large-scale projects. Give it a
scratch coat of thinset for extra grip.
Marine Grade Plywood is good
for exterior works. Use thinset as your
adhesive, and apply a scratch coat.
Think outside the box—almost any
object can become a mosaic substrate.
It just needs proper preparation and the
appropriate adhesive.
Bonnie Fitzgerald is the owner of Maverick Mosaics Art School & Studio in Vienna, Virginia and author of 300+
Mosaic Tips, Techniques, Templates and Trade Secrets (published by Trafalgar Square Books; available October 2012).
maverickmosaics.com
Photos: Stephanie Fitzgerald
A. The appropriate substrate is essential,
and the combination of your tesserae
choice, adhesive, and substrate must work
together. Key issues to consider are water
exposure, interior or exterior display, and
the weight of the substrate and mosaic if
hung on a vertical surface.
A porous substrate surface must be
sealed because this type of surface allows
fluids or gases to pass through. By properly
preparing your substrate, you create
conditions for an optimum mechanical
bond with the tesserae, adhesive,
and substrate.
Here’s a quick glance at the most
commonly used substrates for mosaics and
their suggested preparation.
Top: Wood and Medium Density Fiberboard
are porous and should be sealed.
Middle: Score your substrate with a utility
knife for extra “tooth” (grip).
Bottom: A white or pale gray primer,
available at home stores, will keep glass
tessarae colors true.
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stu dio
Planning Space for Large Work
by Shug JoneS
Chances are that at some point, you’ll be asked to create a large-scale work.
How in the world will you be able to accommodate such a project in your available workspace?
Case Study: Mosaic Floor
Photos: Shug Jones
Last year, we received a commission for a 258-square-foot marble mosaic floor in opus sectile. This was our first opus sectile and we
had to obtain extra equipment, including several wet saws. Even with more than 750 square feet in our main studio area, we needed
seven staging areas to accommodate the many different steps the project required, as explained below.
Stage 1, Materials: Boxes of 16-by-16-inch and 16-by-8-inch
marble tile sheets; four-wheeled cart for moving boxes of tile to
Stage 2.
Stage 2, Drawing: One 8-by-2.5-foot table. Using Prismacolor
pencils to prevent the marks from washing off while cutting
on the wet saws, one person drew the three shapes used in the
design onto the tiles.
Stage 4, Counting: One 8-by-2.5-foot table and a
dry-erase board. We counted the shapes and marked
numbers on the dry-erase board to track progress.
We knew that we needed 231 sections, which
totaled 11,088 petals, 5,544 four-pointed stars,
and 1,848 circles.
Stage 3, Cutting: Four set-ups that included a 4-by-2-foot table and a wet
saw with or without a stool. Four people cut the various shapes needed
for the mosaic and placed them in plastic shoeboxes; we then moved
these to Stage 4.
Stage 5, Assembly: We placed two 8-by-2.5foot tables end-to-end. We then set out
laminated templates covered in mesh for
gluing the marble cutouts. After setup, we
cut the sections apart, labeled them with a
number on a piece of blue tape, and flipped
them to finish drying. Approximately 15
sections could fit on the tables at one time.
To conserve space, we configured stages
2, 4, and 5 as one large area of four tables set
end-to-end and side-to-side.
Stage 6, Layout: In a separate room,
we laid the sections (pieced together
as they would be at installation) on
the floor. At this point, we could
place and fit any section anywhere in
the mosaic. The numbers provided
us with a count of sections finished,
not for assistance with installation.
Continued on page 11
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continu ed – stu d i o
Photo: Shug Jones
Stage 7, Completion: When the mosaic
was complete, we cleared the large
combined staging area and formed
an assembly line. There we assembled
boxes, cut sheets of insulation foam for
cushions in the bottom and top of each
box, cut rectangles of plastic drop cloth
to use as dividers between sections,
loaded the boxes, and taped and
labeled them. We then transferred the
boxes to a shipping pallet and shrinkwrapped the entire project together,
ready for delivery.
SAMA President Shug Jones partners with Julie Dilling in Tesserae Mosaic Studio, Inc., in
Richardson, Texas, where they have created mosaic installations as small as 4 square feet
and as large as 456 square feet. tesseraemosaicstudio.com. Contributors: Rhonda Heisler
(rhondaheislermosaicart.com); Leanne Freibeig (Smashing Glass Mosaics).
Rhonda Heisler at work on the first section of Balancing
Act, a five-panel mosaic mural commissioned by Seabourn
Cruise Line. She used opaque stained glass on a sheet
of Fibrelam substrate. This panel is 72”H x 37”W, and the
mural’s finished size is 6’H x 15.6’W.
Photos: Leanne Freiberg
Other artists with smaller studios have found creative ways to
accommodate large projects. Rhonda Heisler, of Rhonda Heisler Mosaic Art in
Skillman, New Jersey, is fortunate to have a large basement studio, complete
with high ceilings and plenty of natural light from good-sized windows, where
she can arrange her work in dedicated areas for creating, grouting, cutting,
and storage.
“For solutions to working on large-scale projects, my suggestion is to
go modular,” says Rhonda. “Flexibility is key.” She uses several 6-by-3-foot
plastic-topped folding tables purchased from an office supply store. “Invest
a lot of time in planning out the design for the project,” she advises. “In my
experience, you can always figure out a way to create your project in the
studio space available to you.”
Rhonda created one mural that consisted of five panels of rigid Fibrelam.
“By working panel by panel and keeping the panel no more than 40 inches
wide, you can always move around the table as you work so you don’t have
to stand bent over the mosaic for long periods,” she says. “That kind of work is
back breaking!”
Leanne Freiberg, of Smashing Glass in Allen, Texas, recently completed her
first large commission. She’d been working in a section of her garage without
benefit of heating or cooling. Since the project would span the space of a
year, she needed to move it into the house. An empty bedroom provided the
perfect solution.
After securing a used drafting table on which to work, she set up shelving
where she stored her colorful tesserae in clear plastic boxes. She even placed
several bowls of variously colored tiles interspersed with bright candy on
the windowsill to provide inspiration. She created her 5-by-9-foot mural on
three sheets of 5-by-3-foot Wedi board, one at a time. When the panels were
finished, Leanne leaned them against the wall in her studio, aligning them so
that she could view the entire mosaic at once. When it was time to assemble
the panels, she used her downstairs dining room table.
“I realize that having a large open space and a huge table that fit the entire
piece would have been ideal, but that’s not what I had,” says Leanne. “I made
the best of it, and it worked out just fine!”
She adds these encouraging words: “Whatever space you have, be it a
garage, a small house office, or a commercial building, you can make your
workspace your own. Be creative, innovative, and make it a place to go every
day for inspiration.”
Photo: Rhonda Heisler
Working with What You Have
Top: Work progresses on Leanne Freiberg’s large-scale
mosaic commission in her appropriated upstairs
bedroom-turned-studio.
Bottom: The finished commission installed! Bridge to
Salvation, by Leanne Freiberg, 2011. 5’H x 9’W. Glass tile,
smalti, ceramic, stone, china, and gems.
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Lead Story
Preparing Your Work for
Shipping and Showing
by Karen Ami and Gwyn Kaitis
Plan now to create and ship a durable work for our important exhibition beginning January 2013 in Tacoma, Washington.
A work of art worthy of showing in a major museum introduces mosaic art to a new audience and represents the best in
contemporary fine art. Creating a work that’s relevant, durable, and correctly packed requires advance planning.
Mosaic Arts International (MAI) features mosaic fine art, sculptural, and architectural works. If you are entering a piece for
the first time, please don’t be intimidated. Juried exhibitions are unpredictable; selections vary with the juror panel and the
number of the works chosen. Even so, some mosaics selected for MAI have been the artists’ first pieces. DO submit excellent
photographs of your work. Poor photography will prevent your mosaic from being selected even if it’s worthy of showing.
Creation
Of course, creating your piece is your first consideration. So you have
an idea for a mosaic—now what? Begin with careful construction. The
durability of a fragile mosaic will be an example to other artists and will
be scrutinized by our peers. Thoughtful construction will make all the
difference for your work’s survival during shipment to Tacoma. Think of
your mosaic as the puck in a hockey game. It gets thrown into a truck,
bounced around, turned upside down and every which way, shaken to
and fro, slid over rough pavement, tossed onto a dock, and then stacked
with all the other deliveries. Not a pleasant vision, but one that we need
to plan for.
Choose the substrate and adhesive with the best mosaic practices
in mind. If there’s only a little adhesive holding your tesserae to a
flimsy substrate, your work is unlikely to survive shipping even if
it’s well packed. See Ask a Pro on page 8 of this issue, or have your
questions answered online in the SAMA Café. This is crucial. Works that
arrive damaged at the Museum of Glass will not be displayed. In past
exhibitions, SAMA or the artist repaired mosaics damaged in shipping,
but the Museum of Glass requirements are more stringent.
Packing and Shipping
Art must not only be professionally shipped but also arrive in good
condition. You can do it yourself, or you can hire an art shipping service.
Get advice from your local UPS store or shipper. Consider double—or
even triple—boxing your mosaic; for extra safety, place protective foam
between each layer. After wrapping your mosaic in a protective layer of
bubble wrap or foam cut to shape, put it in a box. Place protection in the
bottom of a slightly larger box; place the boxed mosaic into this one and
insert protection around each side. Do the same with another larger box
if you plan to triple box. Insert the required documents and repacking
instructions. Use postal-grade tape to seal all edges and flaps of the
outer box. Finally, mark the box “Fragile” on all sides.
Other shipping ideas include having an Airfloat box made to the
dimensions of your artwork (airfloatsys.com) or crating your work in
Mistakes to Avoid
Observations from Previous MAI Shows
• Slippery substrates and glues that cause
areas of the mosaic to slide off and into
the box
• Substrates that are flexible (too thin or not
made for heavy mosaic work)
• Sculptural substrates that are not
reinforced, that are made from inferior
grade foam (florists’ foam), or that are not
properly attached to their bases
• Too little adhesive, which can cause
cracks, breaks, and missing tesserae.
• Flimsy packing boxes and not enough
packing material around the work
• Foam peanuts—do not use these! Ever!
Galleries and museums hate them (what
an awful mess).
• No packing protection on the INSIDE
edges of the box or crate
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sturdy wood. Your art is valuable and unique. Don’t take chances
by skimping on the shipping. Also, even with the finest packing,
shipping artwork can be tricky, so we highly recommend insurance
coverage.
Display
Upon the mosaic’s safe arrival, the next step is hanging the piece.
Use strong hanging mechanisms (such as D-rings) that screw into
the mosaic or are designed for the frame, and make sure you use
proper framing. Eye screws and small hardware won’t hold heavy
mosaics, especially when screwed into a frame made of MDF,
pressboard, or porous wood. Wrap picture-hanging wire of the
appropriate strength for the work’s weight securely between the
D-rings. Do not lift or transport the work by holding the wire—it
will weaken the tension and the wire itself. Hanging mechanisms
that fail result in broken frames; mosaics that fall off the wall
sustain damage that prevents them from remaining on display.
Okay, time to start that mosaic. Remember, ask questions first.
Do a little research. It’s heartbreaking to put your heart and soul
and many hours into a work that could break in transport or fall off
the wall. So get cracking, hammering, or whatever you need to do,
because the exhibition deadline will be here before you know it!
FALL 2012
C
VISITING ARTIST
WORKSHOPS
M
Elder Jones
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Karen Ami, SAMA’s president emeritus and founder of the Chicago Mosaic School,
has been the SAMA exhibitions chair since 2006 and loves critical discourse about
contemporary art. She is the mother of three outstanding human beings and maintains
her family, work, and studio life in Chicago. chicagomosaicschool.com and
artamiba.com
Concrete Carving Workshop
September 7–9
Sue Giannotti
From Inspirations to Tessellation
September 20–23
4x4x4x4x4x4
November 15–18
Please visit
chicagomosaicschool.com
for more information
about these workshops and more!
773-975-8966
Sherri Warner Hunter
Mosaic Totems
November 7–11
New Classes! with
CMS’ Artist in Residence
Matteo Randi
Tools, Cutting and Materials
September 21–23 or December 7–9
Power Tools
November 3–4
Gwyn Kaitis serves as SAMA’s vice president and chair of the public relations and
marketing committee. She is a mosaic artist in the Chicago area and a founding faculty
of the Chicago Mosaic School. jolietmosaics.com
ch ica g omos a ics cho ol . com
Advancing Education in Classical & Contemporary Mosaic Arts
Thank you to our 2012 contributors
Bron z e C irc l e
The Chicago Mosaic
School
P resi d ent ’ s C irc l e
LATICRETE International
&
Smalti.com
&
Perdomo Smalti
Mosaicos Bizantinos
The Institute of Mosaic Art
G o l d C irc l e
WitsEnd Mosaic
Piece, Love & Smalti &
Dynasty Smalti
S i lver C irc l e
SAMA Board of Trustees
Maryland Mosaics
MosaicArtists.org
MOSAICO–Houston &
Nizza Mosaic Studio &
Gallery
Tesserae Mosaic Studio
JeanAnn Dabb
Benefactors
Ed Kinsella
Jacki Gran
Sonia King, Mosaic Artist
F rien d s
Airfloat Systems, Inc.
Arizona Tile
Austin Mosaic Guild
Barbara King
Debbie Immel
Dianne Crosby
Glass Accessories International
Mosaic Oasis
Tiny Pieces
Yvonne Allen Clay and Mosaic
G ift Bag C ontri b u tors
DiamondTech
SWH Art Studio, Inc.
Uroboros Glass
Weldbond Universal Adhesive
Larry Kezele/Ruth Hunt – IK candy
P orce l ain T essera
Donor
Karen Gilboux
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sama ne ws
Robin Brett Mosaic Scholarship Winner
Kathy thaden
S
AMA contratulates Kathy Thaden, owner of Thaden Mosaics in Golden, Colorado, on
winning the 2012 Robin Brett Mosaic Scholarship. She will use the $2,000 award to
attend either the “Designing and Making Mosaic” class at West Dean College in the UK,
or “Hammer & Hardie Intensive” workshop at the Chicago Mosaic School.
“I’m including more and more materials in my work, such as mixed tesserae and ungrouted
materials,” said Kathy, who began her mosaic business in 2003. She is eager to learn new cutting
techniques. At press time, she was teaching a class, “Exploring Modern Mosaics” at Ghost Ranch
in New Mexico. Kathy has worked extensively in abstract mosaic art and sculpture. She will be
working on a large 2D installation later this summer.
Kathy’s entry was selected from a total of seven applications. SAMA appoints a three-person
Panel of Reviewers each year to review screened applications and select a winner. One of the
criteria for choosing a winner is determining that “the artist will benefit from a special, pivotal
opportunity at this point in her career,” said Julie Dilling, chair of the scholarship committee.
Thanks to the 2012 panel: Carol Davy of Miami, Darcel Deneau of Detroit, and Kim Emerson of San Diego. Julie said that every year, the
panelists agree that the process is much more challenging than they expect. Applicants represent a “showcase of the very best of SAMA
mosaic artists,” she said.
Entries for the 2013 competition will be accepted beginning in April of next year. Please visit the SAMA website to read more about the
Robin Brett Mosaic Scholarship.
– Barbara Coots
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SAMA NE WS
Photo: Lin Schorr
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Christine Brallier
Christine stands before the completed mural installed in the
reception room of The Nest, a Lexington, Kentucky non-profit
center for women, children, and families. More than 100
volunteers worked on the mural at the 2012 Mosaic Marathon.
2012 Mosaic Marathon Lead Artist
When Terri Pulley asked Christine Brallier to lead the 2012 Mosaic Marathon design project, Christine knew it was a once-in-alifetime opportunity. She had already created several mosaic murals representing children and families. The Nest, a Lexington
non-profit center for women, children, and families, was a natural choice for a Christine Brallier design.
Christine designed a mosaic triptych for The Nest’s reception room. Ready to Fly features the tulip poplar—Kentucky’s state tree—
and adult and baby goldfinches. “The design symbolizes the families who use The Nest’s resources and encouragement to develop
skills for a healthy lifestyle,” Christine says. “When they’re confident and self-sufficient, they’re ready to fly.”
Along with a generous donation of Mexican smalti from Kim Wozniak of WitsEnd Mosaic, and grout from LATICRETE, Christine
credits the “tremendous support” of mosaic friends. Linda Vaden-Martin coordinated more than 100 volunteers to work on the mosaic;
the project took more than 40 hours to complete.
When the sanded grout Christine had selected online looked different up close, Matt Adamson, LATICRETE Technical Sales
Representative, saved the day by going beyond the call of duty to secure an alternative grout color. Christine chose LATICRETE’s epoxy
grout, an amazing product. Having never used it , she called on Kelley Knickerbocker, the undisputed “Queen of Epoxy Grout.” Kelley
gave a quick tutorial and led the troops through the grouting of the triptych.
Says Christine: “It was quite something to see my designs created in mosaic by so many hands. It was a proud moment. What an
incredible group effort, and what a fabulous community we have. I’m so lucky to be part of it.”
A SAMA member since 2006, Christine attended her fourth conference in Lexington. She eagerly looks forward to Tacoma. Learn
more about her at cbmosaics.com.
– Donna Post
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Join the
Society of American Mosaic Artists
Dedicated to Educating, Inspiring, and Promoting Excellence in Mosaic Arts
Visit our website and select “JOIN” to learn about five membership levels, and to use our
secure online registration. americanmosaics.org
SAMA Board and Officers
President
Shug Jones
Vice President
Gwyn Kaitis
Secretary
Yvonne Allen
Treasurer
Ruth Wunsh
Membership Director
Jacki Gran
Board of Trustees
Yvonne Allen
Karen Ami
Julie Dilling
Jacki Gran
Debbie Immel
Shug Jones
Gwyn Kaitis
Ed Kinsella
Sharon Plummer
Donna Post
Terri Pulley
Staff
Executive
Director
Dawnmarie
Zimmerman
Operations
Manager
Chris Forillo
Volunteer
Coordinator
Donna Post
WebMaestra
Dawnmarie
Zimmerman
Conference and
Special Projects
Graphic Artist
Tim Stassines
Advertising Sales
and Traffic
Chris Forillo
Groutline STAFF
2B Custom Publishing
Design Director
Barbara Dybala
Editorial Director Barbara Coots
Associate Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor
Theresa Brander
Karola Brookshire
Jennifer Blakebrough-Raeburn
Advertising Sales Chris Forillo
[email protected]
Groutline is published quarterly to promote mosaic
art in the United States and abroad.
©2012 Society of American Mosaic Artists.
Reproduction or distribution prohibited without
permission.
SAMA Patron Members
Denise Hartl Bavier
and Charles Bavier
The Institute of Mosaic Art,
di Mosaico
Ed Kinsella
Jane O’Donnell
Drucilla Perez-Tubens
Kathy Scherr
Michael Welch
Teddy Wong
Kim and Jesse Wozniak
Donna Young
Drews Mosaics
Maryland Mosaics, LLC
Mosaic Rocks!
Tile Mosaic Maker
Smalti.com
Mosaic Art Source
Address: P.O. Box 624, Ligonier, PA 15658-0624
Editorial queries may be sent to [email protected]
Articles 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.
Save the Date!
American Mosaic
Summit 2013
April 10 – 13, 2013
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma Convention Center,
Hotel Murano, and the Museum of Glass
Make your plans now for this exciting
journey! Visit the SAMA website for more
information.
Registration will open December 1, with
program details coming in October.
Call For
Artists
The Exhibition Committee is
finishing off the 2013 Prospectus
for the Mosaic Arts International
Exhibition to be held at the
prestigious Museum of Glass,
January 26 – April 14, 2013!
The deadline for submission is
October 19, 2012
What’s the Latest?
americanmosaics.org