Architectural Workshop – Institute of Mosaic Art

I’ve recently returned from a very last minute, very quick trip to the States. It was great, the highlight being a workshop with Laurel True in her studio in Oakland (Institute of Mosaic Art). It was my first mosaic class and reassuring in many ways since I am self taught. I also got a serious heads up on architectural applications – always nice! It is all common sense really, but most of which I didn’t think through as thoroughly, some I didn’t even think of. So in that sense invaluable…

The workshop was a technical class on permanent applications (think floors and splashbacks etc…) everything from the design phase through to finishing. Certainly the area I want to get into. It was fantastic!!!

The space was pretty amazing. Situated across the bay from San Francisco in a part of Oakland referred to as Jingletown. It’s a far cry from what it was like when I lived there. The whole Bay Area has undergone some major gentrification. In any case, it’s full of mosaic. Everywhere I went I saw it. It’s very exciting…

I also got to meet Joseph Norris (see post below). He was teaching a Public Art class. In fact I had a hard time choosing between the two classes but figured grants etc in the US wouldn’t be the same approach here, so chose the Architectural one. He was lovely and certainly has alot of public art up his sleeve.

Anyway, the whole point of the trip was to spend Thanksgiving with family. The kids had a blast with their grandparents and cousins. I went to SF for a few days for the class and to spend time with some friends. It was really great. I love hanging out with friends you don’t see often, but when you do it’s as if no time has passed. The visit has also opened up a new opporutnity to create someone’s website – very exciting!!! I’m yet to talk with the client but fingers crossed it will work out.

Tomorrow will be my first market stall day at the Old Bus Depot Markets, formerly known in my heyday as the Kingston Markets for which I am not allowed to refer to them now that I am a market stall holder! I am nervous, only because I worry I won’t sell anything, but alas that is to be expected. I figure it is all exposure and putting myself out there. Something will work out in the end. If not then I will have ALOT of mosaic around my home and garden, haha.

Oh, I was also payed a lovely compliment on my work by a woman called Donna from Darwin who found some of my stuff on Flickr. It’s really lovely to get good feedback. You can look at it here. It’s a very interesting and concise blog. There’s so much information on it, I don’t know how she finds the time!!! This is what I mean though: mosaic artists are VERY passionate people!