The Chicago Mosaic School at 5 Years; Ahead of the Curve

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 15, 2009 --

Since Mosaic Arts are not taught in formal university programs, the technical information available to mosaic artists is often inconsistent, unreliable, and difficult to come by. In the nearly five years since its founding, the Chicago Mosaic School (CMS) has remedied this situation by becoming a vital and trusted resource for mosaic artists around the world. At CMS, professional artists, architects, beginners, and enthusiasts alike find an inspirational and creative environment that offers challenging educational and artistic opportunities through a wide range of workshops, lectures, gallery exhibitions, and community partnerships.

Beginner and multi-level classes are where students go to become familiar with standardized practices for the medium. Over the past five years, CMS has sifted through the myths and realities of materials, substrates, and adhesives to present students with time-tested advice (that will survive Chicago’s 30 degree temperature shifts!). Instructors can often be heard reminding a class, “If you don’t know, just ask!” Students in these classes also learn basic elements of design and composition while they develop their artistic voice.

For advanced students, CMS offers workshops on color theory, architectural installation, and micro mosaics. The most serious students can participate in a certificate program that combines technical knowledge, visual arts, and art history. Beginner or advanced, however, all students at CMS are taught by a faculty of formally trained artists who have exhibited widely and take pride in remaining a step ahead of trends in contemporary mosaic education.

Each academic year, CMS students are also offered opportunities to study with the most experienced professional mosaic artists. This year will bring workshops by Maggy Howarth, Sue Giannotti, Matteo Randi and Verdiano Marzi.

Visiting artists and CMS faculty offer students a supportive environment for taking risks and furthering their craft. In a recent five-day workshop titled Working Realistically: Perspective, Value, and Color, visiting artist Shug Jones challenged her students to see the world and their artwork in new ways. Amid piles of sketchbooks, photographs, collections of tools, and boxes of multi-colored stained glass, students practiced precision cuts and peered closely to find the most accurate colors for their mosaic. After the daily critique, students readily reworked troublesome areas. “It is very important,” Jones said, “that students feel they’ve learned something so they can do it again on their own.” That type of confidence is the hallmark of a school with aspirations to professionalize the field. To fulfill its mission of inspiring and encouraging an appreciation for mosaic arts, the Chicago Mosaic School has partnered with various organizations and community groups. For more information, go to www.ChicagoMosaicschool.com

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