Thursday, January 24, 2013

Professional Development Seminar: Facilitating Community Mosaic Projects - hosted by the Society of American Mosaic Artists


Facilitating Community-Based Mosaic Projects
Professional Development Workshop






Artist and educator Laurel True will be presenting a day-long seminar at the Society of American Mosaic Artists Conference, the American Mosaic Summit, in Tacoma/ Seattle this April.

" SAMA’s Education Committee has designed the American Mosaic Summit Educational Program to address three distinct areas of our member’s development as artists: technical mastery, artistic achievement, and career success. …'

This seminar will be of particular benefit to mosaic artists who would like to add a community component to their work, teachers, community organizers and anyone interested in community development and entrepreneurial training through the arts.


This seminar is part of conference programming and is open only to conference attendees.

Facilitating Community-Based Mosaic Projects 
with Laurel True
Thursday, April 11, 2013


Session 1: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 8:00am – 5:00pm
Hotel Murano: Cavallino

Cost: $270 (includes $25 materials fee)

Level: Intermediate



More information

Register as part of conference


 There are still spaces left in this information packed, professional development workshop.


 


WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:

This seminar-style workshop will focus on methodology and techniques for approaching community-based mosaic projects with participants of all ages and skill levels.  Students will come away from this information-packed workshop with the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead and facilitate successful, permanent projects that engage and inspire community.

Workshop will begin with a presentation of successful project models and lecture will include sample pedagogy for including and training community members in the creation of public art. Instructor will cover various approaches to community outreach, design development, sourcing locations and materials and recruiting project participants.

Lecture will include step-by-step instructions with complementary images describing multiple approaches to project coordination, management and creation with a focus on creating permanent artworks specific to host communities; needs, desires and location. Instructor will present mosaic-making approaches and techniques that can be employed with groups with any level of training. Class will focus on best practices for technical construction methods so that projects are durable, safe and long lasting.

Technical resources will be included in extensive class binder.

Additional topics covered will include:
  • Defining project goals and objectives
  • Approaching stakeholders and creating project proposals
  • Project planning, funding and budget creation
  • Project and time management techniques 
  • Working in and outside of a classroom setting
  • Professional development and entrepreneurial training for participants

Laurel will also be giving a presentation at the conference:

Community-Based Mosaics: Public Art and Social Practice
  
For early risers: 8:30 am on Friday, April 12
More info



Laurel True
Laurel True is a public artist, educator and community organizer specializing in sculptural and architectural mosaic projects. Her projects are focused mainly in urban and developing areas and she is committed to fostering arts education and entrepreneurship both in and out of the classroom. True is co-founder of the Institute of Mosaic Art in California and has lectured and taught internationally. In addition to maintaining a professional studio practice, True facilitates community-based mosaic projects in the US, Africa and Haiti through her organization, The Global Mosaic Project. Her work has been featured in independent and mainstream media, books and publications. She has created and facilitated hundreds of projects over the last 20 years, training thousands of project participants, students, apprentices and volunteers. She is a member of the Community Built Association, the Society of American Mosaic Artists, Americans for the Arts and the National Art Education Association.www.truemosaics.com www.globalmosaicproject.org








Saturday, January 5, 2013

January 2013 Newsletter



Happy New Year!

I wanted to send out an end of year newsletter that would include a short recap of my projects and activities in 2012, and to let you know what is on tap for 2013!

Mirebalais Hospital Projects in Haiti

This past year was largely defined by my partnership with public health organization Partners In Health, and I spent much of the year in Haiti.
Over the last 12 months, I worked with a team of Haitian artists, who I trained in mosaic techniques, to create a wonderful series of architectural mosaics for Partners In Health's newly built Mirebalais Hospital in Mirebalais, Haiti. Phase One of the project included the creation of a large mosaic mural and mosaic pavement inset in the entry of the hospital, and a seating area outside the Community Health waiting area.  Here is a cool story from PIH website about these projects.
Phase Two included an epic project which covers the Pediatric Ward and attached Children's Playroom with colorful mosaics inspired by children's drawings. Over 100 artists contributed to this project by making mosaic stars, birds, butterflies and fish for different areas of the ward and playroom. Almost 80 drawings by Haitian and American schoolchildren were used in the project, which included 12 mosaic murals, two entryway surrounds, two exit surrounds, a hallway connecting two sections of the ward and over 50 mosaic birds and butterflies floating up in between the beds and windows. I am so proud of my Haitian Ekip (Team) and so grateful to all the artists who participated with us!
These projects were funded through community-driven fundraising...Amazing!
A heartfelt THANK YOU to all those who participated in designing, making, funding, promoting, blogging about and otherwise supporting these projects! 

A very special thank you to Seattle Mosaic Arts for their significant contributions to the project, to Heath Ceramics for donating much of the tile and to Ecole de Choix and Sunnyside Schools and art teachers Blondel Joseph and Lois Keller for facilitating the children's drawing sessions.


See more images on the Mosaics for Mirebalais Hospital Facebook page.
One of the legacies of this project was the creation of the Mirebalais Mosaic Collective, made up of the guys I trained during these projects. Through their new collective we have begun to create commissioned projects for clients in the United States and in Haiti!

The Global Mosaic Project

Since much of my public art practice has largely taken on a community-based approach, I decided to continue this work under the auspices of The Global Mosaic Project. The Global Mosaic Project partners with other organizations and businesses for various projects which bring art education, entrepreneurial training and neighborhood beautification to communities around the globe.
My aim is to get public art out into the world, especially in developing and urban areas, and to foster creative expression through cross-cultural, community-based projects and programs. 

 

The Global Mosaic Project has been BUSY this past year! 

 Check out my previous blog post for a visual recap of these cool projects.


In addition to the projects at Mirebalais Hospital, Global Mosaic Projects were also created for the New Orleans Healing Center, Dalton School, Brooklyn Community School, Seattle Mosaic Arts, Timkatec Orphanage in partnership with Sow A Seed in Haiti, multiple projects with Art Creation Foundation For Children in Jacmel and more. 
I have been working with Art Creation Foundation For Children in Haiti on a project called Mosaique Jacmel, an ongoing project which has involves the creation of large-scale mosaic murals throughout the city of Jacmel.  Through my role as lead consultant and project facilitator for Mosaique Jacmel, I have continued to train youth in mosaic techniques, offer professional development training and create new programs for craft development and product design.
New programs in 2013 for The Global Mosaic Project include the development of the Studio Program at ACFFC, focusing on entrepreneurial training for young adults transitioning into the workforce. 

 

2013 Global Mosaic Projects include

Projects in Mirebalais, Jacmel and Port au Prince, Haiti, New Orleans, Central America and India...

We are actively fundraising for many of these projects!

To support the Global Mosaic Project's 2013 programs and projects, please consider an end-of-year donation. 
It is through donations that our projects are subsidized, so we don't have to rely on funding being squeezed out of the already stretched organizations we partner with. Our projects have a major impact in communities we work in.  (You can earmark your donation for a specific project, or donate to our general fund.)
Here is a convenient link to DONATE through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Altas. 
Check out the Global Mosaic Project Facebook page.

More in 2013

Announcing the launch of Global Mosaic Project Tours

The Global Mosaic Project will be partnering with several sustainable tour companies in the upcoming year to host destination community mosaic projects in locations around the globe.
Combining mosaic making and voluntourism, Global Mosaic Project Tours offer a chance for participants to contribute to the enhancement of the visual landscape of our world through the creation of community-based public art. 

Upcoming Trips:

January 2013: Costa Rica
March and July 2013: Jacmel, Haiti
June 2013: Provence, France
October 2013: Cape Coast, Ghana

Our July Jacmel trip is featured in CNN Travel's "52 Things To Do in 2013"! (#30)

True Mosaics Studio

This past year True Mosaics Studio created commissioned projects for Gregangelo's Velocity Circus in San Francisco, ABC Veterinary Clinic in San Ramon, CA and several private commissions. I am currently working on designs for a mosaic mural at Ochsner Children's Hospital in New Orleans in collaboration with ceramic artist Jan Bear.
I offer educational programming in mosaic techniques and offer professional development seminars both nationally and internationally. 

Here's what on the schedule so far for 2013:

 

Mosaic Classes with Laurel True

New Orleans School of Art and Craft
January 26-27 Tools and Techniques For Mosaics (Intermediate)
March 2-3 Beginning Glass Mosaics

El Saieh Gallery, Port au Prince
March 15  Introduduction to Traditional Setting Techniques
March 16-17 Introduction to Contemporary Mosaics

Seattle/Tacoma
April 10 Facilitating Community Mosaic Projects Seminar at SAMA Conference
More info 

You can keep up to date on my evolving teaching schedule on my Blog and on the True Mosaic Studio Facebook page.

Other news

Sequin wall hangings made in Haiti by Valentine Valris, designed by Laurel True and cute African fabric aprons made in Ghana by Vickie Dzeklov.



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Copyright © 2013 True Mosaics Studio, All rights reserved.
 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

The Global Mosaic Project: A Look at Our 2012 Projects!

Happy New Year from The Global Mosaic Project!

Since the inception of the Global Mosaic Project, we have accomplished so much!
****
At the end of 2011, Laurel True formed the Global Mosaic Project, an organization that grew out of more than 20 years of creating and facilitating community-based and public projects through her company, True Mosaics Studio.

"Global Mosaic Projects have positively impacted many communities this past year, from Seattle to Central Haiti. In the past 14 months, projects and trainings have directly served almost 750 participants of all ages and helped bring dozens of public art pieces to local and international communities. These projects have impacted economic development, offered art education and provided participants with opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration, creative exploration, team building, and collective healing."

- Laurel True, Founder/ Director

Please enjoy a visual recap of some of our recent projects and stay tuned for updates about our 2013 projects!


All project designs by Laurel True, except where noted.

 Mosaic Projects at Mirebalais Hospital in partnership with Partners In Health, Mirebalais, Haiti

Tropical Flowers Mural in entry waiting area 
(14' x 9")


PIH Inset logo at main entrance to hospital
Mirebalais Mosaic Team: (l to r) Mario Jeudi, Denis Bolivard, Laurel True, Osner Jean Louis and Cassius Smith

Mosaic Seat Wall outside Community Health waiting area
(20' x 10')


Multiple Mosaic Projects in Pediatric Ward at Mirebalais Hospital

Entrance to Pediatric Ward (1 of 2)


Tree of Life over nurses' station (1 of 2)

Detail


Flower Mural based on children's drawings (1 of 6)
(4' x 8')

Birds and Butterflies made by participating mosaic artists from the US and France (50+) 
Designs based on drawings by schoolchildren from Ecole de Choix in Mirebalais and Sunnyside School, Los Angeles, CA. Thank you to art teachers Blondel Joseph and Lois Keller for facilitating drawing sessions.

Bird and Butterfly Artists participated in a community-based fundraising effort to support the Mosaic Artwork Fund. Thanks to all Artists and those who sponsored them!


 Children's Playroom in Pediatric Ward (all four walls)
Boats, birds and animal designs were based on children's drawings. 
Paintings inside giant flowers by Harold St. Louis, wall backgrounds by Tony Nozero.




Star and Comet Constellation Mural around exit (1 of 2)
Over 40 artists participated in a Make A Star For Haiti Fundraiser, hosted by Seattle Mosaic Arts, by making stars and comets or sponsoring artists. Thank you so much to SMA and Star/ Comet Artists and Donors!



My Amazing Mirebalais MosaicTeam (left to right): 
Johnsky Chrispin, Cassius Smith, Mario Jeudi, (Laurel True), Osner Jean Louis and Denis Bolivard



Carruth Cellars Urban Winery Community Mosaic Project, Solana Beach, CA 
 


Community Mosaic Mural Project at Dalton School, NY, New York
Designs for this mural were based on drawings by students from Dalton School.



Mural done in Facilitating Community Projects Professional Development Workshop in Brooklyn for Brooklyn Community School

Mural done in Mosaic Mural Making Intensive Professional Development Workshop at Seattle Mosaic Arts


 Mural done in Facilitating Community Mosaic Projects Professional Development Workshop at Norma Yuskos Studio in Encinatas, CA for Sunnyside School.
Design by Lois Keller


Timkatec Orphanage Community Mosaic Mural Project in partnership with Sow A Seed,  Petionville/ Port au Prince, Haiti
  
 


 Sow A Seed Foundation's Holiday Event for orphaned children, Port au Prince, Haiti 


Mosaic Memorial at Oasis Hotel, Petionville, Haiti
The Mirebalais Mosaic Collective's first project after Mirebalais Hospital!
Created by Johnsky Chrispin, Cassius Smith, Mario Jeudi, Osner Jean Louis and Denis Bolivard with not much help at all from Laurel True ;)




Projects with Art Creation Foundation For Children, 
Jacmel, Haiti

Professional Development Training with ACFFC Mosaic Team

Craft Development: Mosaic Bottles

 Project Proposals and Planning
Bench design by Fedno Lubin

Community Mosaic Projects with ACFFC in Jacmel that were part of
Mosaique Jacmel
Laurel True and The Global Mosaic Project supported design development, training and professional execution on these Mosaique Jacmel Projects with ACFFC youth

BWEN Neighborhood Mural 
Mural design by Bruno Renee

Bassin Bleu Mural
Mural design by Bruno Renee  and ACFFC

A Day at the Beach Mural at Congo Plage
Mural design by ACFFC Youth 


La Belle Haitienne Mural
Mural design by Bruno Renee 
Add caption


The History of Coffee in Jacmel Mural
Mural design by Bruno Renee 



Haitian Flag Mural
Mural design by Papouche 


Art Creation Foundation For Children Building Facade 2012
Mural design by Papouche

We can't wait to do more projects in 2013!
  

 What a great year!


For more information, please visit GlobalMosaicProject.org and be sure to check out our Facebook page!
To make a tax-deductible donation to The Global Mosaic Project, and support our ongoing work, please go to:

If you are interested in partnering with the Global Mosaic Project, please contact GlobalMosaicProject at gmail

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