NEWS / EVENTS / WEBINARS
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
The New England Mosaic Society
2024 All Member Juried Exhibition
Inspired By The Ages
at The Attleboro Arts Museum
Location: 86 Park St. Attleboro, MA 02703
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm
Exhibition Dates: April 10th – May 4th, 2024
Opening Reception: April 13th – 2:00-4:00pm
Creating Depth in a Mosaic Landscape
Date: April 3, 2024 | Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Michelle Sider, Mosaic and Mixed Media Artist, Detroit, MI
Register at: https://www.signupgenius.
Michelle Sider will present easy-to-follow tips and golden rules for creating the illusion of depth in mosaics. Based on over 40 years of teaching art, Michelle will clearly explain how to use color, composition, and other concepts to add the illusion of depth to your work.
This online presentation is free and open to New England Mosaic Society Members (NEMS) in good standing.
Walking Tour of Public Art in Natick with Carol Krentzman
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024 | Time: 10:00 am through lunch
Meeting Location: Court Street, Natick Center
Court street is accessible by car or by the Framingham Commuter Rail, Natick Center stop
Lunch Location: 97 Woodland Street, Natick, MA | Bring your own lunch.
Register at: https://www.signupgenius.
Join us for a tour of Carol Krentzman’s public art in Natick. Carol will show us her outdoor mosaics on Court Street and her stained glass windows in the nearby Morse Institute Library. From there we will travel by car to Carol’s house, 97 Woodland Street in Natick, to see her mosaic sculptures and to visit her studio. Please bring your lunch. We can gather to eat together in Carol’s backyard or in her studio, depending on the weather. This event will be held, rain or shine!
Potluck Brunch & Walking Tour of Cynthia Fisher’s Public Art Mosaics in Shelbourne Falls, MA
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024 | Time: 11:00 Potluck Brunch
Location: Big Bang Mosaics Studio, 15 Forgette Rd, Buckland, MA 413-625-8204
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024 | Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Walking Tour of Public Art Mosaics, Meet at Salmon Falls Artist Gallery, 1 Ashfield St, Shelburne Falls, MA
Please note: If you’re using a GPS for directions, put in Big Bang Mosaics rather than the address of Cynthia’s studio.
Cynthia Fisher is inviting NEMS members to visit her studio in Buckland, MA on May 11th for a potluck brunch followed by a walking tour of 20 mosaics that are on display in the village of Shelburne Falls.
These mosaics were completed in two projects in 2009 and 2023. Cynthia will explain how each project came about and how you can create a similar project in your own home town. Please plan to arrive at the studio at 11:00 AM to view the current project on her work table, a community mosaic for Worcester, MA. After brunch, we’ll go on the walking tour.
If you only attend the tour portion of the event, we will meet in Shelburne Falls at 1PM at the Salmon Falls Artist Gallery. You can park in the big parking lot on Ashfield Street. This is a walking tour so wear comfortable shoes, the tour will probably take an hour or more.
Register at
https://www.signupgenius.com/
NEMS Collaborative Mosaic Project with the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation
Date: June 1, 2024
Time: 11:15 am – 12:00 pm: “Unveiling” Ceremony and Back Story and Snack
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm: Tour of the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Lunch at one of Waltham’s many restaurants
Location: Charles River Greenway and Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation
Directions and Parking: Go to https://www.
Register at https://www.signupgenius.com/
The New England Mosaic Society (NEMS) collaborated with the staff of the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation to design and create three large panels (42” x 68”) installed adjacent to the museum entrance on the Riverway. The designs explore the positive and negative impacts of industrialization on the Charles River and the surrounding landscape over the last four centuries. The final project was a gift from NEMS to the museum and includes the work of over 100 sets of volunteer hands: skilled mosaic artisans, craftspeople, and community members.
Many of you participated in this project and this event gives you an opportunity to see the finished, installed mosaic panels as well as the labels and QR codes that give you the back story. We’ll meet on the Waltham Greenway in front of the museum at 11:15 am.
Following the viewing, we will have a tour of the museum and then can have a late lunch at one of the many restaurants in Waltham.
Important Note: There is no parking nor entrance to the museum on Moody Street. It is important to read the directions on the Museum’s website. The link is above. Turn onto Pine from Moody and go through the Movie parking lot. Park in the outside lot and follow signs to the Museum. You will need to walk across a bridge to cross the Charles River. Turn right after the bridge and you will be on the Charles River Greenway. Meet us outside the entrance to the museum.
The Story Behind the Mosaic, Celebration, by David Chidgey
Date: June 13, 2024 | Time: 7:30 pm eastern time
Location: Online via Zoom
Speaker: David Chidgey, Mosaic Artist, Art Glass Mosaics, Austin, TX
Register at:
https://www.signupgenius.com/
David Chidgey will be sharing the story and inspiration behind his award winning work, “Celebration”. The presentation will include the design process, methods, and the impact of life on art. Most recently, David’s mosaics have included the theme of brokenness from personal loss, healing, beginning anew, and celebrating life. David maintains a studio practice in San Antonio and enjoys sharing his passion for mosaics through teaching and exhibiting his work in Texas.
*You must be a New England Mosaic Society Member to sign up for this event
PAST EVENTS
Potluck Brunch, Materials Exchange, Show & Tell
Date: Sunday, January 21, 2024
Time: 11:30am – 2:00pm
Location: Cheryl Cohen’s Mosaics Art Center, 360 Woodland St, Holliston, MA
Registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4BAEAD2FA3FE3-46101159-potluck
*You must be a New England Mosaic Society Member to sign up for this event
Start off the New Year with a NEMS brunch. This in-person event will include food and time for socializing with your mosaic friends. Bring a dish to share. But, also bring an example of your work for show and tell and your mosaic questions for NEMS members to ponder. The ever popular materials exchange will happen at the brunch. Bring materials you have that you don’t use and swap them for something new. Please bring bags so you can bring your goodies home.
FYI, Cheryl has a refrigerator and a microwave, but no oven for reheating.
Reveal: My Mosaic Journey
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Time: 7:30pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Carole Choucair Oueijan, Mosaic Artist & Educator
Registration URL: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4BAEAD2FA3FE3-46704308-reveal#/
*You must be a New England Mosaic Society Member to sign up for this event
Internationally known mosaic artist, Carole Choucair Oueijan, reveals her life story from Lebanon to California and shares her mosaic journey. Carole will talk about how her background as a painter and water colorist has impacted her mosaics. She will also talk about the techniques she uses to achieve her painterly mosaic style. Her focus will be on the Byzantine Indirect Technique.
Unsettled Pieces: A Mosaic Exploration of Our Environment
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speakers:
Debora Aldo, Mosaic Artist & Owner, Pietredure Design, CT
Anabella Wewer, Anabella Wewer Mosaics
Registration URL: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4BAEAD2FA3FE3-46174291-unsettled#/
*You must be a New England Mosaic Society Member to sign up for this event
Three artists Debora Aldo, Anabella Wewer, and Nikki Sullivan have chosen mosaic as the common language to explore issues affecting the planet, each in her own style. Debora and Anabella will discuss the statement each mosaic is making about the environment.
Debora uses her signature material–pebbles–along with up-cycled contemporary materials, to infuse her lines with meaning. Nikki Sullivan and Anabella Wewer both use classical andamento to form their lines, but Nikki often uses a large found object as her focal point, while Anabella breaks down uncommon materials such as plastic into regularly sized tesserae.
Join us for this inspiring virtual mosaic exhibition filled with meaningful commentary on the environment.
Hidden Mosaics of Rome: A Virtual Tour
Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Time: 7:30pm
Location: This event has already taken place. It will soon be availble on our YouTube channel
Speaker: Suzanne Owayda, Owner, Mosaic Oasis Study & Supply, Arlington, MA
There are over 900 churches in Rome, many with amazing mosaics and paintings done by the masters. So where would one start if visiting Rome? In this presentation, we are going to zoom in and talk about St Paul’s Within the Walls, a beautiful but little-known church in Rome (one of the few “non” Roman churches in Rome). We will also talk about some of the hidden gems inside the Vatican Museum, and as a special treat, get an insider’s look at the Vatican Mosaic Workshop.
Webinar: Mosaic Murals and Public Art with Laurel True
Date: October 11, 2023 | Time: 7:00 pm eastern time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Registration: https://www.signupgenius.com/
In this hour-long presentation, longtime public artist and educator Laurel True will present several case studies that highlight the intersection of creative placemaking and community engagement in the public sphere.
Laurel will show examples of mosaic murals and architectural projects she and her teams have created that demonstrate various approaches to design development, planning, organization, and execution of public work.
Webinar participants will learn about aspects of working with civic agencies, percent-for-art programs, nonprofits, and commercial clients to create mosaic mural projects that foster mutual benefit for participants, stakeholders, and larger communities.
Laurel will also touch on:
• Essential aspects of the application, proposal, and creation process for public projects
• Understanding best practices and budget considerations for public work
• Relationship building
• Balancing the concrete stuff with inspiration, fun, and fulfillment
CALL TO ART
Application Deadline September 24th, 2023
Click Here to Apply
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The New England Mosaic Society
invites all members to participate in the
2023 All Member Exhibition
“That Time Of The Year”
The Wedeman Gallery at the Yamawaki Art and Cultural Center, Lasell University
Location: 47 Myrtle Ave, Auburndale, MA 02466
Exhibition Dates: October 4th – 28th
Reception: Saturday, October 28th, 2023 – 12:00pm-1:30pm (before the NEMS Annual Meeting)
This will be an all member non-juried exhibition.
All members who submit work will have a minimum of one piece included in the exhibition.
Both 2-D and 3-D work can be submitted, and size limitations will soon be announced.
The Call To Art will be open in June, and be an on-line process.
Entry fees will be decided soon and be announced.
Work must have been completed within the last year and comply with the theme, “That Time of the Year”.
A prompt for the theme could be; “When Autumn leaves seem to burst into flaming color, or the first snowflakes fall, or an important anniversary looms into view, we often think to ourselves, ‘It’s that time of year again’. We invite our members to approach this from any angle that may inspire them, from abstract work which conjures a sense of season, to imagery that one may associate with a specific time or event in their lives, (holiday, birthday, etc.).
Collaborative Projects of 2020 and 2023 Exhibition
&
The Mosaics of Karen Edlund & Richard Youngstrom
The Scandinavian Cultural Center
Location: 206 Waltham St., Newton, Massachussetts, 02465
Exhibition Dates: Sunday August 13th – Saturday, September 29th, 2023
Reception: Sunday, August 13th, 2023 – 4:00pm-6:00 pm
The New England Mosaic Society will be presenting the projects that were collaborations between two or more artists that participated in either our 2020 or 2023 programs. Showing both the final works as well as images of the works in progress, you will be able to see the fascinating results when artists work together to create a unique work of art.
The exhibit will also include mosaics by Richard Youngstrom and Karen Edlund. This commemorative exhibit recognizes the major contributions these deceased artists made to NEMS and the larger mosaic community.
Webinar: View the 2023 Collaborative Project Mosaics
Webinar Date: September 19, 2023 | Time: 7:30 – 8:30 pm eastern time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Register at: https://www.signupgenius.com/
Join us to view the mosaics created for the 2023 Collaborative Project. If you weren’t able to view the exhibit at the Scandinavian Living Center (exhibit open till September 29, 2023), this is your opportunity to see the mosaics.
This interactive webinar features all the images including half images created by one artist and then images of the finished mosaic created by the other artist on the team.
When your image comes up in the presentation, we will ask you and your partner to unmute yourselves to discuss the process you used to determine your design and materials. You can talk about how you overcame the challenges you faced and comment about the experience.
Mosaics below by Cathleen Newsham and Carrie Fradkin
Community Project With The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation: Three Mosaic Panels for Waltham’s Riverwalk
The New England Mosaic Society is working with the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation to create three large outdoor mosaic panels for the Riverwalk leading to the museum. The mosaic panels will explore the impacts of technology on the Charles River and its surroundings. Join us to help tile the river, the sky and the background of the panels. No experience necessary, all ages welcome. This project is being funded by a grant from the Waltham Cultural Council.
Choose one or all of the following dates:
Date: July 24, 2023 | Time: 5:00 – 8:00 pm
Place: Scandinavian Cultural Center, 506 Waltham
St, Newton, MA
Date: August 9, 2023 | Time: and 12:00 – 3:00 pm
Place: Waltham Community and Cultural Center,
510 Moody St, Waltham, MA | Room 106-107,
Entrance on Beech St. Ring left doorbell to enter.
Date: September 23, 2023 | Time: 11:00 – 1:30 pm
Place: Charles River Museum of Industry and
Innovation, 154 Moody Street, Waltham, MA |
IMPORTANT: There is no museum parking nor
entrance at 154 Moody. Please read the directions
and parking instructions on the museum website.
Using Apoxie Sculpt & Paste In Mosaics (A Demo)
Date: June 7, 2023 | Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Register at: https://www.signupgenius.
Speaker: Linda Biggers, Mosaic artist specializing in mixed media and egg shell mosaics, Upstate, NY
APOXIE® SCULPT, a two-part synthetic clay, is a wonderful medium to use with mosaics. It can be used as an adhesive and to sculpt a substrate, tessera or mosaic elements.
What is Apoxy Sculpt and how do you use it? Linda will present a slideshow of work she created using Apoxie Sculpt. Next she will show the differences between Apoxie Sculpt and Apoxie Paste.
Linda will then give a demo showing us how to:
- Mix Apoxie Sculpt and Paste
- Create colors and tints
- Use Apoxie Sculpt in molds
- Clean up tools
She’ll also discuss cutters, safety concerns, and where to purchase Apoxie Sculpt.
The Stanford Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Commission: The Making of Two Mosaic Floors with Gary Drostle
Date: May 25, 2023 | Time: 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Location: Online via Zoom
Register at: https://www.signupgenius.
Speaker: Gary Drostle, Award-winning and internationally-recognized mosaic artist specializing in Mosaic and Mural Art for Architecture and Landscape, London, England
Gary will take us through every stage of his two-part commission for the Stanford Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, CA including design, fabrication and installation.
Each commission: A Walk Along the California Sea Shore and A Trail Through The Redwood Forest, included the design of a bespoke terrazzo floor which linked into a series of porcelain mosaic floor panels.
The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto won the Hamilton Prize for Art in Healthcare in 2019.
New England Mosaic Society Webinar Series
Demystifying Commissions : Should You Fear or Embrace Them?
This webinar has already taken place, but to see a recording, go to this link on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz60Liz2Xss
Date: Tuesday May 9th, 2023
Time: 7:00pm Eastern Time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Dianne Sonnenberg is an internationally-recognized artist specializing in fine art mosaic and sculpture, Austin, TX
Thinking about creating mosaic art for others can seem intimidating and overwhelming. If you’ve never accepted a commission for a custom work of art, you may wonder:
- What kinds of commissions are out there?
- How do you find clients?
- What if your best friend/auntie/neighbor wants you to “make something for them”?
- What options are best for design presentations?
- How much do you charge? HOW do you figure that out?
- Negotiating the details seems hard!
- What happens after you say YES??
Join experienced artist Dianne Sonnenberg as she clarifies the commission process. Learn about different types of commissions, how to go about the process from start to finish, how to manage the paperwork and finances, working with clients of all kinds, and what to do when challenges arise.
Dianne has worked with a wide range of clients over her career, expanding her scope of experience. You will gain valuable information that you can use in your own art practice, with plenty of time for Q&A after her presentation.
New England Mosaic Society Webinar Series
Second Annual Make It Mosaics Q&A with
Bonnie Fitzgerald and Kim Wozniak
This webinar has already taken place, but to see a recording, go to this link on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ6Ay97oGNg
Date: Tuesday April 25th, 2023
Time: 7:30pm Eastern Time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Bonnie Fitzgerald, Maverick Mosaics, VA and Kim Wozniak, Smalti.com, MD
In this webinar, you’ll learn tips and techniques from mosaic pros Bonnie Fitzgerald & Kim Wozniak. Kim and Bonnie will be Zooming in to share a bit about their backgrounds and to answer whatever questions you have about your mosaic journey. You’ll have the opportunity to ask about adhesives, techniques, color theory or whatever burning questions you have about your work. And you’ll get valuable tips you can put to use immediately. Don’t miss this lively and informative webinar!
New England Mosaic Society Webinar Series
Piecing Us Together: Connecting Through Art in a Time of Need
Date: Tuesday March 28, 2023
Time: 7:00pm Eastern Time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Kate Kerrigan, Kate Kerrigan Mosaics, Redmond, OR
Using art as a way to connect, Kate Kerrigan drove 25,000 miles across the country in her Subaru, for a total of seven months, visiting family and friends in a total of 38 states. She has recently completed the final piece, a fabric woven by all of the people who have touched her life. It is comprised of the small mosaic works by the hands of 552 people. Learn more about her motivation, process and vision for this epic project.
New England Mosaic Society Webinar Series
Jacki’s Girls
Date: Thursday, February 23rd, 2023
Time: 7:30pm Eastern Time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Jacki Gran, Jacki Gran Mosaics
Jacki Gran, an accomplished mosaic artist, is known for her beautiful long-neck, large-eyed girls. She’s completed 36 girls in mosaic and will talk about her mosaic journey; how she started, what led her to create the girls, and how her style developed as her skills improved.
Potluck Brunch, Materials Exchange, Show & Tell
Date: Sunday, January 29, 2023
Time: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Cheryl Cohen’s Mosaics Art Center, 360 Woodland St, Holliston, MA
Register: https://www.signupgenius.com/
Start off the New Year with a NEMS brunch. This in-person event will include food and time for socializing with your mosaic friends. Bring a dish to share. But also bring an example of your work and your mosaic questions for NEMS members to ponder and share their wisdom. In addition, we’ll have a materials exchange. Bring materials you have that you don’t use and swap them for something new. Please bring bags so you can bring your goodies home.
New England Mosaic Society Work Along Session
Mosaic Abortion Quilt
Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Time: 7:00-8:00 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Register: https://www.
Seattle Mosaic Arts has created an opportunity for people across the country to demonstrate their connection to the issue of abortion access through mosaic. They are creating a quilt of mosaic triangles, color-coded to show how participants are connected to the issue. You can find more information here: https://www.
New England Mosaic Society Webinar Series
The Roman Rules of Mosaic Making And Introduction to Andamento
Date: Saturday, October 1, 2022 Time: 11:00 am Eastern Time
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Helen Miles, Mosaic Artist, Teacher, Author
The presentation will focus on the ancient principles of mosaic making as they have been applied since Roman times. Firstly, we will look at the rules regarding the sizing and placing of tesserae with examples from ancient mosaics. These rules largely have relevance to traditional mosaics but are also useful when making contemporary abstract pieces. We will then look at the concept of andamento. I will explain the ancient opuses or ways of laying the background of a mosaic, as well as the idea of using andamento to achieve a sense of flow or movement within the mosaic. Finally, the term andamento is often used to refer to the idea of line building in mosaics so we will finish with an explanation of how to achieve successful lines in a contemporary mosaic.
Speaker Bio
Trained in Greece, Helen Miles has more than 20 years of experience designing, making and teaching mosaics. As a mosaic artist Helen believes in the importance of understanding the fundamental principles of the ancient art and the joy and the creativity that can be found in pushing the medium in new directions.
Helen’s first book about mosaics, Mosaics: Ancient Techniques to Contemporary Art, is due out in March 2023. She teaches mosaic classes from her studio in Edinburgh, Scotland as well as residential courses in Greece.
Date: 10/01/2022 (Sat.)
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm EDT
Location: Online Via Zoom
The New England Mosaic Society
invites all members to participate in CALL FOR ART
NEMS All Member Exhibition
with “Members’ Choice” Awards
Centennial Gallery, Peabody, Massachusetts
Location: Centennial Gallery at the Musculoskeletal Center, 4 Centennial Drive, Peabody, MA, 01960
Exhibition Dates: August 8 to September 17, 2022
Reception: Sunday, August 14, 2022 – 3:00pm-6:00pm
1st Place: Shawn Newton
Maaa!?!?
2nd Place: Laurie Frazer
Trapped Below Tide
3rd Place: Jess Regelson
U.S.A. Map
4th Place: Beth Klinger
Circuits
5th Place: Cynthia Stanton
Grade School
“Mosaics Today: Ancient Art Through a Contemporary Lens”
Juried Exhibition
July 2 to Dec 4, 2022
Location: Fuller Craft Museum, 455 Oak St, Brockton, MA 02301
Reception: Saturday August 27th, 2022, 3:00pm – 5:30pm
All friends and family are invited!
Pick up art date: Dec 7-9, 2022
Best in Show: Kimberly MacDonald,
Prior Authorization Denial
Technical Distinction: Anabella Wewer
MMXX
Artistic Distinction: Pamela Stratton
Ravenna Dreams
Juror’s Choice: Sandra Basile
Portrait (a copy)
Juror’s Choice: Kimberly MacDonald
Pillow with Sleep Data 2019-08-09 22228-0813
New England Mosaic Society Webinar Series
Alejandra Martin: How Nature Informs My Creative Process
Speaker: Alejandra Martin, Mosaic Artist, EL Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina. She is internationally known for her vibrant, 3D mosaics.
Translator: Cecilia Kremer, Chromatile
Host: Emily Bhargava, NEMS Program & Education Committee Co-Chair
The beauty of Patagonia, its flowers, the diversity of its landscape, and its vegetation inspires Alejandra visually and spiritually when she creates mosaics. Nature is the recurring theme of her work. Nature’s contrasting textures guide Alejandra in the creation of shapes and her choice of colors. For Alejandra, depicting nature in mosaics goes beyond creating a landscape, it goes deeper into the relationship between man and nature. Alejandra will discuss several of her mosaics and how nature guides her in the process.
New England Mosaic Society
“Little Gems 2022”
All Member Exhibition
Cape Cod Cultural Center, 307 Old Main St, South Yarmouth, MA 02664
Exhibition Dates: April 26th to May 21st
Reception Date: April 29th
The New England Mosaic Society is returning to the Cultural Center of Cape Cod for an exhibition of small works. This is an All Member Exhibition and will highlight the diverse creative talents and styles of all of our members.
Work-Along Session: Hanging by a Thread, A Mosaic for Afghan Women
Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Join us for a work-along session featuring Madeleine Turgeon, one of the creators of the Hanging by a Thread Mosaic Project for the Equality of Afghan Women. This international collective work, featuring the diversity of Afghan textile designs, will be “woven” in a huge scarf. Learn more about the project at
https://www.facebook.com/mosaicforafghanwomen/photos/pcb.110177068098815/111047978011724
Madeleine Turgeon, a visual and mosaic artist from Quebec Canada, will talk about the project, then describe the process and materials needed to create your mosaic. She will show us an example of an Afghan textile WIP and will then demo her technique using the direct method with thinset on mesh. We’ll have a short Q&A session, then you can work on your project.
Not signed up to participate in this project? It’s easy. Send an email to mosaicforafghanwomen@gmail.com with your first name, last name and country. You’ll receive an email with more information.
Virtual Tour of the New York City Subway Mosaics
Date: March 10, 2022 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Cathleen Newsham, Mosaic Artist and Owner, Modern Mosaic Arts, LLC
Do you know there are over 600 mosaics installed on subway platforms in the five boroughs of New York City? Professional mosaic artist Cathleen Newsham will give you a sneak peak of her upcoming tours (which are starting again in March after a two year hiatus), and talk about her ten year journey through this amazing underground art museum with the largest collection of mosaics in North America.
Cathleen will also answer any questions about the tour at the end of the presentation.
Please note, if you missed last year’s presentation, be sure to add this to your calendar! The presentation will contain many of the same images presented in 2021, but will also include several new mosaics. This presentation will not be recorded.
Click here to sign up
4 Artists, 1 Mosaic: A Mosaic for Boston Healthcare
Date: March 14, 2022 | Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Speakers:
Audrey Markoff, SOWA Mosaics https://www.facebook.com/sowamosaics/
Mia Schon, Mosaic with Mia https://www.mosaicwithmia.com/
Cecilia Kremer, Chromatile, https://www.chromatile.com/
JoshuaWeiner, https://www.joshuawiner.com/
Four New England mosaic artists will talk about their collaborative mosaic, Boston Tree of Life. They will discuss how they were able to collaborate on the design, while still preserving their own style, perspective and experience. Using a variety of tessera, Cecilia, Mia, Audrey and Josh created a cohesive piece while leveraging everyones’ unique mosaic language. They will talk about the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. The finished mosaic will be proudly displayed in the South End Community Health Center for patients and staff to enjoy.
Click here to sign up
Make it Mosaics Q&A with Bonnie Fitzgerald & Kim Wozniak
Date: April 21, 2022 | Time: 8:00 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
In this Q&A session, you’ll learn tips and techniques from mosaic pros Bonnie Fitzgerald & Kim Wozniak. Kim and Bonnie will be Zooming in to share a bit about their backgrounds and to answer whatever questions you have about your mosaic journey. You’ll have the opportunity to ask about adhesives, techniques, color theory or whatever burning questions you have about your work. And you’ll get valuable tips you can put to use immediately. Don’t miss this lively and informative webinar!
Click here to sign up
NEMS Online Webinar Series, February 15, 2022:
Gila Rayberg: My Practice in Mosaic Portraiture
Location: Online via Zoom
Speaker: Gila Rayberg, Mosaic Artist, Gila Mosaics Studio
This event has already taken place but you can see the webinar recording at this link: https://youtu.be/01Ye9DBs6vM
Gila Rayberg takes us on her journey from freelance musician and educator to mosaic artist. Gila Rayberg has received numerous awards for her expressive and whimsical mosaic portraits, many made with up-cycled crockery and dishes. In this webinar, Gila will share examples of her mosaic portraits discussing her process and materials. In addition, she’ll present a behind-the-scenes case study of her portrait of John Moskal, Master of Horse on the wall of The Ruins. She’ll take us step-by-step from sketching the cartoon, through the fabrication process, shipping for installation, and her visit to the Ruins Project, post-installation.
NEMS Online Webinar Series, January 19, 2022:
Behind the Scenes:
A Large Scale WIP for the City of Tamarac, FL
Date: January 19, 2022 | Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Speaker: Cynthia Fisher, Mosaic Artist, Big Bang Mosaics
In October 2018 Cynthia signed a contract to create a splash pad mosaic and amphitheater wall mosaic mural for the city of Tamarac, Florida. She is working with art consultants Beth Ravitz and George Gadson who selected her to be the lead artist for the commission. In her presentation Cynthia will explain the various stages of working on large scale mosaics, some trials and tribulations along the way and share lots of images of the process.
This webinar has already taken place but to see a recording of it, click here for the YouTube video
“Take Me Away!”
A NEMS juried, virtual exhibition!
The Virtual Reception took place on June 3rd, 2021
The New England Mosaic Society is excited to introduce our first ever themed exhibition! The theme of this exhibit, “Take Me Away!”, comes from our current feelings of isolation and the need to travel. The travel restrictions of COVID have us reminiscing of where we have been, and dreaming of the next place we want to explore. “Take Me Away!” must incorporate the theme and be inspired by images you have taken on vacation or places you look forward to going when COVID is behind us. For some, the place you choose as your subject matter could be across the globe, and for others it could be down the street. For some it could be a landscape, for others it could be a portrait, or any interpretation of where you would love to be. It could be realistic or abstract. The theme is open to your interpretation. When completed, this exhibition will be a collection of memories, inspirations or future visions. This exhibition is a juried exhibition.
Timeline:
February 26, 2021 – Call for Art Published
March 18, 2021 – 8:00 Call for Art Q&A, Application & Image Requirements Review
May 1, 2021 – Application Deadline
May 15, 2021 – Notification of Accepted Work/Awards
June 3rd, 2021 – “Live” Date and Virtual Reception 7:00
Jurors:
We are so excited to have mosaic artists Yulia Hanansen, Karen Kettering Dimit and Cherie Bosela joining us as the jurors for this exhibition! Read their bios in the Call for Art. They will also be showing us some of their most recent work at the Virtual Reception.
NEMS Work Alongs
Date: March 15, 2021 | Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Location: Online Via Zoom
Date: March 21, 2021 | Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Location: Online Via Zoom
Date: April 9, 2021 | Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Location: Online Via Zoom
Date: April 25, 2021 | Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Location: Online Via Zoom
View Mosaics from the Collaborative Project
Virtual Tour: Mesmerizing Mosaics
The Tree of Life Project:
18 Mosaic Artists Respond to the Shooting at the Pittsburg Synagogue
NEMS Gear Project
Click Here for The Application
Click Here for The Call To Art
The Ruins Project is a long-term mosaic art installation amidst the ruins of a former coal mine in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Located on the Great Allegheny Passage, this outdoor mosaic museum attracts artists, students, and travelers from all over the world.
And now, you have the chance to make a bit of history by mosaicking gears that will be installed on the gear wall at the Ruins Project! Rachel Sager, mosaic artist and owner of the Ruins Project, has agreed to dedicate a portion of the gear wall to gears mosaicked by members of the New England Mosaic Society (NEMS). NEMS will be recognized as a contributor to the project rather than individual members.
The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham, MA has donated twenty gears to members who can pick up the gears in Waltham; available on a first come—first served basis. Gears are also available online on Etsy.com and ebay.com, flea markets (check out the one in Hollis, NH), antique stores (not high end), thrift shops, junk yards, and perhaps even in your attic or garage.
The Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation expressed interest in creating a virtual exhibit with the mosaicked gears. If we do this, it will be in February/March and the installation at the Ruins Project will be in late spring. Rachel has volunteered to do the installation. However if we want to put together a team to do onsite installation, that is an option. More on this later.
Members’ Online Exhibit Spring 2020
Guided Virtual exhibition now available to view! Click here for YouTube link
Click here to Explore Exhibition Further on your own
Guided Virtual exhibition now available to view! Click here for YouTube link
Or explore more on your own at our Virtual Gallery – https://www.artsteps.com/view/5e7e2a69f74412182c7d23cf
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE EXHIBITION CATALOG
The New England Mosaic Society would like to announce our Members’ Online Exhibit Spring 2020, a virtual art show to present and share our mosaic art. During this tough time while COVID19 spreads throughout the country, we’d like to find a way to connect, support each other, and come together as a community. While this is a challenging time for many, we hope that this also an opportunity to use your artwork as a comforting and creative outlet.
We realize that the online viewing experience cannot replace a physical art show. However, since the exhibit will be online, it also gives us the opportunity to have higher exposure than our usual exhibitions. We are depending upon members to help spread the word about the show to a wider community through everyone’s social media platforms.
With your application, each member can submit up to three recent original works. Please do not include submissions previously exhibited in a NEMS show. From your submission, the jury will select one to two pieces for the show. Artwork will be judged on technique, composition, design, and use of materials.
We will carry on the tradition of recognizing excellence in mosaics by offering awards. The awards will be chosen by the judges, except for the People’s Choice award which will be selected by the visitors to the exhibition.
Mosaic Collaborative Project: A Team Approach to Creating a Diptych
For the Call to Art Application, Click Here to Download
Register by Sept 12, 2020
Team up with another mosaic artist to create two original mosaics. Each person starts work on a mosaic and completes one half. Then you swap mosaics with the other person on your team. Your teammate finishes the mosaic you started. The challenge for the second person is to decide whether to continue and compliment the style of the first mosaicist, or contrast. This is an interesting way to work as it disrupts your usual flow and you have to respond to what is there. You get to keep the mosaic you started.
The finished mosaics will be featured at the kickoff of the NEMS Virtual Annual Meeting scheduled in the fall. The show will be a collection of the mosaics created by the collaborative project and is not juried.
Many thanks to BAMM (British Association for Modern Mosaic) and to Marian Shapiro for coming up with this idea!
The NEMS PinchPals Project with Bonnie Fitzgerald
Bonnie Fitzgerald of Maverick Mosaics led a series of three online workshops in August and September of 2020 for a limited number of NEMS members interested in creating mosaics that express what PinchPals (pinched clay figures) stand for: support, compassion, optimism, look out for others and reinforcing an understanding that “at our core we humans are all the same”.
Questions or want additional information? Contact Bonnie Fitzgerald at bonnie@maverickmosaics.com
To learn more about Bonnie and her mosaic artwork and teaching visit www.maverickmosaics.com
CLICK HERE to view the YouTube video of the Final Project Presentation
Overview:
Karen Edlund, a founding board member of the New England Mosaic Society, was a powerhouse in the world of public health and reproductive health, community organizing and community building. She meant so much to so many people. Since Karen’s passing in November, her husband Phil has been thinking of ways to create a mosaic in her memory. He would like to have the mosaic on Irving street where they lived together for many decades in Somerville, and would like it to be somewhere where it can be seen by passers-by. The plan is to turn the street itself into a mosaic path, with colorful mosaic stones and pavers made in Karen’s memory placed at the bases of the city trees all along the street.
Timeline:
We’d like most of the stones to be completed by June 30th, so that they can be in place for the summer.
Size:
There is no official size limit, but keep in mind that the stones will be placed around the bases of city trees in Somerville, so they can’t be too big to move or so big that they’ll block passage on the sidewalk. If you choose to mosaic a paver, please choose a small one, no larger than approximately 8”x 8”. Please also think about the final weight of the stone and how you plan to get it to Irving Street.
Materials:
The stones will be displayed outside, so they have to be frost-proof. In case you haven’t done very many exterior mosaics, here are a few key tips for making outdoor mosaics that will last:
• Outdoor mosaics must be made on a frost-proof substrate (something that won’t expand and contract) like cement or stone
• There are many options for how to make the stones. You could make a false stone from EPS and cover it with fiberglass mesh and cement to make a stone that’s lighter-weight than a real one, you could use a cast cement paver from somewhere like Home Depot, or choose a real stone to decorate.
• The tesserae must be frost-proof, either made from glass, stone or exterior tiles
• Tesserae must be attached using a frost-proof adhesive like thinset or silicone (not mastic)
• Grout will help to further weather-proof the design
The Process:
1. Sign up using the Signup Genius link.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4BAEAD2FA3FE3-create
2. Choose a frost-proof substrate.
3. Make your mosaic using a frost-proof adhesive and grout it
4. Connect with Emily to figure out a plan for drop-off, pick up or shipping. Email Emily at
emily@connectionlab.org . We can pick up the finished products if you’re not too far
from Somerville (while staying 6 feet away), and the USPS offers a few sizes of flat-rate
boxes that don’t cost more to ship if they’re heavy, so you could plan to make a stone or
paver to fit into one of them.
Below are a few photos of some outdoor-safe substrates and a simple example on a real stone.
It’s about 5 inches across and 3 inches high.
NEMS Online Webinar Series, May, 2020:
Introduction to External Mosaics
Speaker: Bonnie Fitzgerald, is the founder and owner of Maverick Mosaics in Vienna, VA. She is dedicated to providing mosaic education through workshops and art travel.
This Webinar has already taken place. To view the YouTube recording, CLICK HERE.
This webinar will be beneficial for anyone interested in creating mosaics for outside applications. Bonnie’s presentation kicks off with a picture presentation and comprehensive review of all materials suited for exterior applications including glass and ceramic. Selecting substrates, materials and adhesives that will endure weather year round is the secret to successful exterior mosaics and all aspects will be covered and discussed. The picture presentation will show lots of fantastic exterior works by artists from around the world. Q&A following.
NEMS Online Webinar Series, April, 2020:
Tiffany Mosaics at Ayer Mansion
At Home with Louis Comfort Tiffany: Tiffany Mosaics at the Ayer Mansion
Speaker: Jeanne M. Pelletier, Preservation Advisor, Campaign for the Ayer Mansion, Inc.
This Webinar has already taken place. To view the YouTube recording, CLICK HERE
While known today primarily for his elaborate lamps, favrile vases, and magnificent stained glass, Louis Comfort Tiffany was in his day also a sought-after interior designer, pioneering the concept of the house and home as a cohesive artistic masterwork. An amazingly versatile artist with an equally powerful ego, Tiffany applied his design skills successfully to a wide range of media, including mosaic, metalwork, plaster, woodwork, furniture, and architecture, as well as stained glass. Entrepreneur and art-collector Frederick Ayer and his second wife, Ellen Banning Ayer, scandalized Boston society by bringing this innovative New Yorker to Boston to design their exotic new residence. In this presentation, Preservationist Jeanne M. Pelletier explores Tiffany’s ground-breaking interior and exterior mosaics on Tiffany’s sole surviving residential commission, Boston’s Ayer Mansion, built in 1899-1902.
Participate in a Community Service Project
Emily Bhargava is creating two sculptural tree trunk seats for a small new butterfly garden in Somerville, MA. She would like help in creating and mosaicking the frost-proof cement seats. This would be a perfect opportunity to learn about the process of creating 3D weather-proof styrofoam mosaic bases and mosaicking with thinset.
All are welcome to help. Two cement and four mosaic tiling sessions (using thinset) are also scheduled. Because the weather isn’t always on our side in January, March or April, we’ll work in Emily’s garage studio in Somerville, MA. Snacks and good music will be provided.
THIS HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
NEMS Online Webinar Series:
The Best Adhesives for Your Mosaic Projects
Speaker: Tami Macala, Mosaic Artist, All Cracked Up Mosaics, Founder of the Santa Barbara School of Mosaic Art and Mosaic Arts Online
This webinar has already taken place. To see a recording click on this link: ADHESIVES WEBINAR
Which is the right adhesive for your project? Which adhesives work best with which substrates? How do the materials impact the adhesive you use? Tami will talk about an array of adhesives she works with; which ones are good for different environments and which work better with specific tesserae. She’ll focus on Weldbond, MAC, other silicone-like glues, mastic and thinset including Laticrete’s new 257 Titanium. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.
NEMS Online Webinar Series
New Mosaics on the NYC Subway System
Speaker: Cathleen Newsham, mosaic artist and owner of Modern Mosaic Arts, which specializes in the design, fabrication and installation of architectural mosaics for commercial and residential clients. Cathleen is also a mosaic educator and conducts comprehensive tours of New York City’s subway mosaics.
This webinar has already taken place. To see a recording click on this link: SUBWAY MOSAIC WEBINAR
The New York City subway system is an immense underground museum with the largest collection of mosaics in North America. As a professional mosaic artist, Cathleen will be explaining the process of how some of the newer mosaics were designed, fabricated and installed, giving participants insight into the complex process of creating a large-scale smalti mosaic mural. Question and answer session to follow. Information on how to sign up for future tours will be given at end of webinar.
NEMS Online Webinar Series: The Skills You Need for Public, Community Projects and School Residencies
This Webinar occurred on Tuesday, November 19th, 2019. If you missed it, click on the link below to view the webinar in it’s entirety:
To VIEW WEBINAR, Click Here and you will be brought to YOUTUBE to view the webinar
Speaker: Deb aldo, Principal at Pietre Dure Design
Debora Aldo has been a professional mosaic designer, fabricator and installer since 2005. Over the years, she has created dozens of architectural mosaics, some of which will be featured in this presentation as an overview to give viewers a sense of what is required to do these types of projects. Debora will talk about how she acquired her skill set; the positive and problematic issues that arise doing commission architectural work, and will discuss how to facilitate school or community projects. There will be a Q&A following the presentation.
NEMS Online Webinar Series: How I Made It – SOHO Penthouse Gold Mosaic & Marble Floor
Speaker: Cathleen Newsham, Creative Director & Founder, Modern Mosaic Art
This Webinar occurred on Tuesday, May 21st. If you missed it, click on the link below to view the webinar in it’s entirety:
To VIEW WEBINAR, Click Here and you will be brought to YOUTUBE to view the webinar
Cathleen Newsham will provide a step by step description of how she created this stunning floor mosaic for a New York City penthouse. Unusual and complex in both fabrication and installation, her approach to problem solving and construction issues will help mosaic artists at all levels understand the challenges of architectural mosaic work and how to approach even the most perplexing project. The tools and materials used will be discussed and participants will have a chance to ask Cathleen questions following the presentation.
NEMS Online Webinar Series: How I Made a 3-D Sculptural Mosaic Garden Bed
Speaker: Carol Krentzman, Artistic Director & Founder, Mosaic Art Institute of Natick
This Webinar occured on Tuesday, March 26th. If you missed it, click on the link below to view the webinar in it’s entirety:
To VIEW WEBINAR, Click Here and you will be brought to YOUTUBE to view the webinar
Carol will take us through the process she used to make her 3-D garden sculpture. She’ll discuss how she sculpted the foam and covered it with mesh, concrete and tile. She’ll talk about the challenges this project presented and how she overcame them to create a bed that is approximately 4’x 5’x 2′ and weighs about 500 lbs.
NEMS Online Webinar Series: All About Substrates and Adhesives
This Webinar occured on Tuesday, February 26. If you missed it, click on the link below to view the webinar in it’s entirety:
To VIEW WEBINAR, Click Here and you will be brought to YOUTUBE to view the webinar
Featured Speaker: Lou Ann Weeks, mosaic artists and cofounder of Skeew.biz, a mosaic supply company that specializes in mosaic backers, co-producer of Mosaic Technique Videos, and editor of I-CMosaics.com. How do you know which substrate (backer) is the right one for your project, and what is the right adhesive? There are so many to choose from, and in this webinar, Lou Ann will help you make the right decisions. You’ll learn what criteria to consider before you start mosaicking. She’ll bring it all together and answer your questions during a Q & A period at the end of the webinar.
