Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were great! As I write this, I am off on vacation until Feb. 5th, so i wanted to get the website updated and let you know that I won’t be available by phone, email, or Facebook during that time. “Talk” to you when I get back!

Now…on to “What’s up in the Mosaic World?”…

“NEW NEWS”: NEW LOCATION FOR TMG!:

After a wonderful year in my Glendale “Workshops” building space, I have decided that it would be best for me to eliminate the costs of rent, etc. and move my operations to a more cost-effective but larger (!) space in the West Lakewood area, allowing me to keep costs low and be more accessible for open studio time and the Mosaic Supply Shop. I hope that this will work for you and that I can continue to have your support at this new location. I will provide the address and directions if you are coming to a class, open studio time, or the Mosaic Supply Shop.

CLASSES:

2013 will bring many ongoing and new classes here at TileMosaicGirl. We’ll be starting off the year with a much-awaited “Beginner’s Mosaics” class; two Sundays; March 17 & 24 from 1:00-4:30 pm each day. Cost is $75 for the class, with a $25 required kit fee. The class is set up now for online registration and space is always limited, as I limit the number of students to (6) for plenty of individual attention. For more information or to register, go to:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5299928228

I have not set dates and times for classes following the move and the Beginner’s class, but I would love to hear from you about what classes you are anxious to take and see next in the lineup: Tempered “Crash” Glass Mosaics, Mosaic Jewelry, European Ceramic Tile Mosaics, Making a Mosaic Table, Continuing Mosaics, Outdoor/Garden Mosaics, etc, etc. Please contact me with which ones you’re especially interested in, and in what order!

MOSAIC SUPPLY SHOP:

Come on over and get your hands on all the supplies you need to get started on your mosaic projects for the New Year! I’ve got a bunch of different grout colors in stock, as well as NEW and re-stocked colorants and European ceramic tiles, and lots and lots of tesserae and mosaic jewelry supplies! Contact me after Feb. 5th to schedule a time to come by the Glendale location in Februrary or the new Lakewood location starting the 2nd week of March! I can almost guarantee you that my supplies are less expensive, available in lower quantities with no order minimum, and incur no shipping costs if you shop in person, vs. online and/or with local mosaic and craft suppliers!

ANNUAL MOSAIC CONFERENCE:

As always, if you can do it, I absolutely recommend going to the annual national mosaic conference, put on by SAMA; the Society of American Mosaic Artists. This year, it’s in April in Tacoma, WA, by the amazing (I’ve heard!) Museum of Glass. For more information, see: www.americanmosaics.org

TERRIFIC MOSAIC CLASS OPPORTUNITY IN FEBRUARY:
I’m pleased to share that there is an incredible opportunity to train with a nationally known mosaic/mixed media artist right here in our own backyard! Laurie Beth Zuckerman is a phenomenal artist whose work concentrates heavily on fantastic mosaic “memory jars” and elaborate mixed media altars, including those featured at this year’s El Dia de Los Muertos exhibition at the Longmont Museum of Art. I first became enamored with Laurie’s art through her work in the books “Art Making and Studio Spaces” and “Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions” by Lynne Perrella.
Another fantastic mosaic artist, Susan Wechsler, will be hosting a weekend “Memory Jug Workshop” with Laurie at Susan’s studio South of Longmont. Susan has a great space, where you can see lots of her amazing work up-close and personal. The workshop is February 16-17 and I will be going. Come join me and others for a great weekend! For more info., see: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FlHHR-XZz-I/UNIlaoHiVkI/AAAAAAAADEs/MJVJ2-ZpDzs/s1600/Memory+Jug+WORKSHOP+2013.jpg

MOSAIC EXHIBIT INVITATIONAL, OTHER EXHIBIT OPPORTUNITIES:

Keep making those mosaics and honing your skills and put some in a show or exhibit to show them off this year! One exhibit you might want to keep on your future calendar will be a regional mosaic exhibition from Colorado Mosaic Artists. This will be a “juried” exhibition (which means you’ll have to enter your pieces and see if they are accepted), but it is fairly low-cost and should receive some good exposure. I’m not sure of the location, but I do know it is scheduled for September-November, so I would think the application deadline might be at least by July 1st, if not earlier. I will pass on more info. as soon as I receive it.

To find out about other local and national shows and exhibits, I recommend getting on the mailing lists of:

https://www.callforentry.org/
And http://denverarts.org/subscribe/subone/subscribe/241

My Accepted Design Proposal for "Tails of the Painted Cats"

My Accepted Design Proposal for “Tails of the Painted Cats”

TAILS OF THE PAINTED CATS:

I may or may not have shared much yet in regard to my participation in the Cat Care Society’s “Tails of the Painted Cats” event. My design for a “Frida Kat-Lo” cat was accepted among the 21 other finalists to design larger-than-life size fiberglass cats, in the same way that “Cow Parade” or horses or pigs or buffalo have been featured in other events throughout the country. This will be the third year for this hugely popular Denver event which tours the cats around to 3-4 monthly (indoor) destinations in the Spring and early Summer and culminates with a benefit dinner and auction in July. You can see a pic of my “Frida Kat-lo” design above and all of this year’s designs can be found at: http://denvercatcare.blogspot.com/2012/10/meet-2013-tails-of-painted-cats-artists.html?m=1

I’m taking this opportunity with this public art benefit piece to once again share my process so that you can learn from my mistakes! I’m chronicling each step of the process in prepping, painting, adding sculptural elements, mosaic’ing and finishing off my dear Frida. I haven’t been able to get any of it posted yet, but I hope to very soon. If you’ve heard about things like “Apoxie Sculpt” or “Clay Shay” you won’t want to miss this detailed Step-by-Step! “She” won’t be done until late February/early March, so check back for ongoing updates! Once I get some things uploaded, you can find the series here on my How-To’s page.

If you’ve had enough of shopping for the holidays, but need a great idea for birthday, anniversary, wedding shower gifts, TileMosaicGirl GIFT CERTIFICATES are always available! Gift certificates can actually be used toward classes or supplies; the recipient’s choice! This is a great way to edge that reluctant person you know into taking a workshop or class with you! Available in any dollar amount and can be made to include class fees only or class + materials kit fees. Just contact me and we can arrange the entire thing through email! I can send you a pretty e-version or an even nicer paper version through snail mail!

As always, if you need some input, information, direction, referrals, or advice on a mosaic project, feel free to email me and I’ll be glad to help!
THANK YOU so very much for all your support, patronage, and inspiration!

Krystie Rose  🙂