Sunny San Diego
Mosaics in America are changing. Experimental mosaics are filtering through our nervous system. I attended the Society for American Mosaic Artists annual conference in San Diego last week, (March 25-29). I came away very impressed with the level and quality of work. Ancient techniques rub shoulders with contemporary and improvisational compositions in well-executed and thoughtful work. The recent explosion of mosaic instruction has put traveling masters at such schools as the Institute of Mosaic Art, along with the growth of European and Mexican smalti foundries now offering workshops, such as the famous Orsoni and Perdomo families, respectively.
A portrait from Perdomo Workshop in Cuernavaca, MX
Broken tile shards are now mainly seen in murals and community projects, as ‘fine art mosaics’ employ high-end materials such as fused glass, dichroic glass, golds, smalti, marble, semi-precious stones, minerals, and handmade ceramic pieces .
Glass "tortillas" from smalti.com
Oro Bianco, by Luz Mack-Durini
Brooks Tower's narrative panel included mice skeletons.
Ilana Shafir's work, known as spontaneous mosaics, employs a vast selection of materials, including her daughter Leah's gorgeous, layered ceramics.
Double Entendre: Night Shirt by Julie Richie, got a Juror's Award
A presentation from James and Drew Hubbell added gravitas to the conference programming with the humble perspectives from this father & son duo whose creative pursuits have shaped a new way of thinking about architecture and right living.
Other conference highlights ~
Being escorted to rooms in an electric golf cart
Hotel Carpeting
Galactic Footwear
