thanks the Society of American Mosaic Artists for helping us ...

2007 Conference Program 

Welcome 

Desert 

Andamento 

6th Annual SAMA Conference 

Mesa, Arizona • March 21-24, 2007 

Marriott Phoenix/Mesa Hotel & Convention Center


Desert Andamento • 

Welcome to Mesa! 

It has been our extraordinary pleasure to put mosaic art in the forefront of the southwest art scene 

by organizing Desert Andamento in Mesa, Arizona for the SAMA 2007 conference. The locale was 

conceived as a conference site back in 2004 and has been slow to come to fruition as we waited 

for the construction of the beautiful new Mesa Arts Center with the Mesa Contemporary Arts 

gallery to house our exhibition. We think it was worth the wait and hope that you agree. 

The conference, Desert Andamento, was designed to give you a flavor of the southwest spirit and 

ambience. We have included some new elements in this year’s conference such as the Mosaic 

Marathon, which will leave behind a lasting mosaic legacy of the conference to be shared with the 

local community. The spectacular Mosaic Arts International 2007 exhibition represents the enormous 

diversity of SAMA’s member artists and is a tribute to the continuation of growth and imagination in this 

exciting medium. 

Our special concluding treat for the conference is the closing party at the Heard Museum, a long-standing monument to 

the cultural and fine art contributions of Southwestern native people. It has been the goal of Desert Andamento to piece together elements of 

education, hands-on learning opportunities, networking and community art collaboration grouted with humor, food and lots of fun to present as 

our mosaic gift to you. 

Please enjoy the conference and our desert community. 

Vicki Bess and Susan Jeffreys 

Conference Co-Chairs 

Table of Contents 

Schedule 3 

Announcements and Special Instructions 4 

Mosaic Arts International 2007 5 

Vendor Marketplace 6 

Mosaic Marathon 7 

Program Information 8 

2007 Contributors Roster 13 

Acknowledgements 14 

Map 15 

2 

Cover Artists: 

Brooks Tower 

Janet Kozachek 

www.AmericanMosaics.org 

Lori Greene 

Ellen Blakeley SAMA — P.O. Box 624, Ligonier, PA 15658



2007 Conference Schedule 

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 

Time Event Location 

7:00am – 7:00pm Registration Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom Foyer 

8:00am – 5:00pm Workshops Marriott Mesa, Mesa Convention Center and offsite 

5:00pm – 1:00am Mosaic Marathon Apache Room, Rendezvous Center 

Thursday, March 22, 2007 

7:00am – 8:00am Continental Breakfast Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom Foyer and Courtyard 


8:00am – 5:00pm Workshops Marriott Mesa, Mesa Convention Center and offsite 

9:00am – 5:00pm Mosaic Marathon Apache Room, Rendezvous Center 

12:00pm – 1:00pm Box Lunch Pickup 

12:00pm – 5:00pm Vendor Marketplace Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom DG 

12:00pm – 5:00pm SAMA Store Marriott Mesa Boardroom/across hall from Ballroom 

6:00pm – 9:00pm Mosaic Arts International Mesa Contemporary Arts Gallery In the Mesa Arts Center 

2007 Opening Night Party 

Friday, March 23, 2007 


7:00am – 8:00am Registration Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom Foyer 

8:00am – 10:00am 2007 Member’s General Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

Meeting and Scholarship 

Winners’ Presentations 

10:00am – 1:00pm Vendor Marketplace Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom DG 

10:00am – 1:00pm SAMA Store/ Registration Marriott Mesa Boardroom/across hall from Ballroom 


Conference Program Presentations 

1:00pm – 2:15pm Ilana Shafir Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

2:30pm – 3:45pm Janet Kozachek and Guests Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

4:00pm – 5:00pm Malena Perdomo Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

5:00pm – 5:30pm John O’Brien, BAMM News Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Volunteer Appreciation Sedona Room 

Reception for Volunteers and 

Board Members 

7:00pm – 9:00pm Sponsor Appreciation Dinner Mesa Convention Center – Main Hall 

Saturday, March 24, 2007 



8:30am – 12:00pm Vendor Marketplace Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom DG 

8:30am – 12:00pm SAMA Store Marriott Mesa Boardroom/across hall from Ballroom 

11:00am – 12:00pm Brown Bag Exchange Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom Foyer outside D 



12:30pm – 1:30pm Steve Aimone Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

1:45pm – 2:45pm Enzo Aiello Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

3:00pm – 4:15pm KEYNOTE: Sherri Warner Hunter Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

4:15pm – 5:15pm Raffle and Members Choice Award Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom ABC 

7:00pm – 11:00pm Closing Night Party Heard Museum 

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Announcements and Special Instructions 

Stay Hydrated! 

Water Bottles and Hydration Stations 

The desert is a unique environment and it is possible to become dehydrated without realizing until it is too late. You will need to drink to prevent thirst, 

not just to quench it. To this end, every registered attendee will receive a re-usable logo water bottle, sponsored by MosaicSmalti.com. We will have 

approximately 10 water re-filling stations around the conference area. Please take the opportunity to refill your water bottles at these stations. 

You may want to write your name on your bottle as they are all alike. Keep it with you and hydrate regularly. 

Although it is very unlikely that anyone will suffer from dehydration at the conference, the signs of dehydration include: dry, sticky mouth, sleepiness 

or tiredness, thirst, decreased urine output, muscle weakness, headache, dizziness or lightheadedness. If you feel you are dehydrated, please contact 

one of the conference coordinators (Susan, Vicki, Chris, Dawnmarie, Deb). We will have some electrolyte water available. 

Meal Information 

Show and Tell Continental Breakfasts 

You're invited to bring your portfolios or photos of recent work to share at the Show-and-Tell Continental Breakfasts scheduled for Thursday 7:00am- 

8:00am, Friday 7:00am-8:00am, and Saturday 8:00-9:00am in the Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom Foyer. It's a great opportunity for networking and 

shoptalk. The breakfasts are complimentary for registered conference attendees and will be hosted by SAMA's Board of Trustees. Board members 

will be circulating in the room to answer questions and hear your comments. Only registered attendees may attend the continental breakfasts. 

Guests will not be permitted and neck wallets will be checked. 

Box Lunch Vouchers 

Your Box Lunch Vouchers are inside your neck wallet. We are sorry but due to the logistics of this service, additional Box lunches will NOT be 

available for sale during the conference and substitutions will not be allowed from your meal choice at the time of registration. Box lunches will not be 

provided without presentation of a voucher. Please be aware that there are SURPRISE GOODIES from our sponsors in the box lunches and some 

items are not edible! 

Mosaic Arts International 2007 Opening Reception 

6:00pm, Thursday, March 22, 2007 

Held at the fabulous new Mesa Arts Center, just a few minutes’ walk from the conference hotel. Private opening reception for SAMA members from 

6:00pm – 7:00pm (Food and cash bar available for SAMA members at that time). Public opening from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. (Snacks available). 

Part of the reception will be held out of doors. 

Sponsor Appreciation Dinner 

7:00pm Friday, March 23, 2007 

Dinner tickets will be in your neck wallet. Guest Dinner tickets will be in the neck wallet of the registered attendee who purchased the guest ticket. 

Registered attendees and guests with pre-purchased guest tickets for this dinner must present their Dinner Ticket with Meal Choice to your meal 

server upon request at your table prior to Dinner. Due to the logistics of this meal, substitutions will not be allowed 

from your meal choice at the time of registration. Meals will not be provided without presentation of Dinner Ticket. 

Closing Night Party at the Heard Museum 

7:00pm – 11:00pm Saturday, March 24, 2007 

The Heard Museum is an internationally acclaimed cultural heritage museum focusing on Native 

American Art and Culture. The Heard is a beautiful venue in central Phoenix with plenty of lovely 

outdoor spaces. The Museum will be open this evening only to SAMA members and guests. 

There will be dining, dancing and free docent-led tours throughout the evening sponsored by 

MAPEI Corporation. Please take advantage of this unique opportunity to see the museum in a 

fairly private setting. The Heard Museum Gift Shop will also be open. There is some excellent 

Native American art for sale as well as gifts for friends and family at home. The Heard Museum can 

be found on the web at www.Heard.org. 

Dinner will be Buffet style with dinner seating, so please consider boarding an early bus. A shuttle will be 

provided from the front of the Marriott Mesa Hotel. Look in your registration folder for the shuttle schedule. 

4



Announcements and Special Instructions 

Tesserae Exchange 

Get a Tesserae Surprise! Brown Bags will be collected throughout the conference at the registration area. When you turn in your bag, you will be 

provided a ticket to present on Saturday from 11:00am – 12:00pm outside Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom D to redeem your exchange! Please 

do not drop off bags that are torn or damaged and do not leave your bag without getting a ticket! 

SAMA Store 

Marriott Ballroom Boardroom 

Thursday, March 22 

Friday, March 23 

Saturday, March 24 

12:00pm – 5:00pm 

10:00am – 1:00pm 

8:30am – 12:00pm 

This year the SAMA Store will feature a new version of an old favorite! We have ordered all new SAMA Logo Aprons! Perfect for teaching, 

demonstrating or just showing your SAMA pride while creating your mosaic magic! You will also be able to buy from SAMA’s library of Exhibition 

Catalogs, Groutline back issues, mosaic guide books, posters and several collectible logo items from past conferences. Discount shipping will be 

provided on orders placed to be shipped after the conference! Renew your membership, update your contact information or just stop in and say “Hi!” 

We are going to be located outside the Marriott Mesa Ballroom in the Boardroom and open during the Vendor Marketplace hours. 

Raffle 

Saturday, 4:15pm - 5:15pm 

Marriott Ballrooms A,B,C 

Last year in Chicago, thousands of dollars worth of goodies donated by our generous sponsors and vendors were raffled off at our most successful 

raffle ever! It is fun and exciting and is the best way to wrap up an inspirational day of presentations with your mosaic friends both new and old! 

Again this year, Orsoni Smalti Veneziani has donated a gift certificate for a master in mosaic one-week course and six nights at Domus Orsoni 

valued at approximately $1,800! 

A Gift Bag for You 

New for 2007! Everyone's a winner at this year's raffle. For the first time, every conference attendee who comes to Saturday's big raffle event will 

receive a take-home Gift Bag stuffed with mosaic goodies and freebies, all courtesy of SAMA's great sponsorship family. You'll receive product 

samples, product literature, money- saving product coupons, magazines, brochures, catalogs and other promotional items. Don’t leave without it! 

Mosaic Arts International 2007 

Mesa Contemporary Arts 

at the Mesa Arts Center 

1 East Main St 

Mesa, AZ 85201 

+1 480 644 6501 

www.mesaartscenter.com 

Mesa Contemporary Arts Gallery hours (admission $3.50): 

Tuesday – Wednesday, 10:00am – 5:00pm 

Thursday – Saturday, 10:00am – 8:00pm 

Sunday, Noon – 5:00pm 

Held in conjunction with SAMA's annual conference, the juried exhibition presents the best in contemporary 

mosaics from SAMA's diverse international membership. Mosaic Arts International 2007 will be held 

March 20 - April 29th at the beautiful Mesa Contemporary Arts Gallery at the new Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona. 

Always a highlight with the visiting public, the exhibition unites compelling materials, innovative design and masterful 

technique currently explored by artists working in the medium. $5,000 in awards are presented, including Best in Show. 

Categories include 2D, 3D, Large-Scale Interior and Large-Scale Exterior mosaics. 

Lynne Chinn and 

Shug Jones 

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Vendor Marketplace 

Thursday, March 22, 2007 through Saturday, March 24, 2007 

Marriott Ballrooms D and G 

Thursday, March 22 

Friday, March 23 

Saturday, March 24 

2007 Vendors 

ArtNetwork 

Brownian Bee Press 

Chicago Mosaic School 

D&D Tile 

di Mosaico 

Garden Candy 

Gemini Saw 

Glass Accessories Int’l 

Institute of Mosaic Art 

Matteo Randi Mosaics 

McIntyre Tile Company 

Morton Glass Works, Inc. 

Mosaic Details 

12:00pm – 5:00pm 

10:00am – 1:00pm 

8:30am – 12:00pm OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 

Mosaic Outpost 

Mosaic Rocks 

Mosaic Smalti 

Mosaic-Tile.com 

Mosaictools.com 

Orsoni Smalti Veneziani 

Santa Theresa Tile Works, Inc. 

Smalti.com 

Stained Glass Shop 

TeaMac, Inc. 

Venture Tape 

Warner Crafts 

WitsEnd Mosaic 

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Mosaic Marathon 

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 5:00pm – 1:00am, Apache Room, Rendezvous Center 

Thursday, March 22, 2007, 9:00am – 5:00pm, Apache Room, Rendezvous Center 

Many SAMA members are interested in public art mosaics and as a part of the Mesa Conference we'll be tackling the topic in a new and ambitious 

way. Longtime SAMA member Kim Emerson has agreed to lead two workshops on large-scale architectural mosaics. Kim has been the recipient of 

SAMA’s "Best Architectural" prize for the past two year SAMA juried exhibitions. Prior to the Mosaic Marathon, SAMA members taking Kim's public 

mosaics workshop in Mesa will begin fabricating a series of five panels Kim designed after meeting with our "client”. 

Our generous corporate sponsors will be providing the necessary materials, which include Quarry Ceramic Tile, hammers and hardies, mosaic tape, 

substrates, thin-set and grout. We'll be following Kim's method of face-taping the design and thin setting it to panels. 

We will be donating the finished panels to Southwest Human Development, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of creating a positive future 

for young children. To learn more about SWHD go to http://www.swhd.org. The mosaic panels will be mounted on the exterior wall of SWHD’s 

four-story building in Phoenix. We hope to have the entire project completed and installed at SWHD on Sunday. The MOSAIC MARATHON will be 

held in an adjoining facility to the Mesa conference hotel. Once the workshops are over on Wednesday, March 21, the Marathon will begin. We will 

offer two-hour volunteer shifts throughout the evening and plan to finish the panels at some point on Thursday. 

This is a free activity (except for Kim’s workshops) designed as an opportunity for members to work on a large project in small groups. Not only will 

this be a wonderful networking and relationship-building experience for our members, but it’s also an opportunity for SAMA to leave a beautiful 

mosaic legacy with our host city. 

In addition to having the guidance of Kim Emerson we have invited "Special Guest Artists" to visit with Marathon participants while they are working. 

These "special guests" are working mosaic artists and mosaic instructors. What a wonderful opportunity to get to know conference attendees whose 

paths may not otherwise cross with yours! 

There will be a spectator viewing area and cash bar available during the Marathon. 

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2007 SAMA Member’s Annual General Meeting 

Including presentations from 2006 Robin Brett Mosaic Scholarship winners 


8:00 AM – 10:00 AM 

Marriott Ballroom A,B,C 

You won't want to miss this year's 2007 General Meeting! You'll be 

energized by our annual update on SAMA's many accomplishments 

in the past year. You'll be inspired by presentations from our two 

Robin Brett Mosaic Scholarship recipients on the workshops they've 

attended. You'll be informed about the status of the organization 

and plans for the future. Designed to be fun and interactive, 

this year's Meeting will have plenty of surprises. 

Be there or be square! 

My Journey to Mosaic 

By Ilana Shafir 


Ilana Shafir 

1:00pm - 2:15pm 

Marriott Ballroom A,B,C 

In a story of how art and life are intricately intertwined, Ilana’s presentation entitled “My Journey to Mosaic” will reflect on her career of more than six 

decades, beginning at age 17 in Sarajevo, in the former Yugoslavia, and continuing to this day. Ilana will talk about different periods of her life and 

draw parallels between her biography and artistic work, beginning with early oil paintings and portraits that she made years before she enrolled as a 

student at the Zagreb Art Academy, and conclude with her newly built mosaic garden, which is adjacent to her house and studio in Ashkelon, Israel. 

Her lecture will begin with the documentary, “The Worlds of Ilana Shafir”, which was filmed both in Croatia and in Ashkelon. A holocaust survivor, Ilana 

will share her life story, talk about the experiences that influenced her artwork, and reflect on how her artwork helped her overcome challenges in her 

life. Ilana’s retrospective account of her artistic journey will convey the idea that every stage in an artist’s development plows the ground for the next 

stage in a long journey that cannot be foreseen. Each phase is like a stepping-stone, essential for making progress. This session should particularly 

benefit artists who wish to pause for a moment from their daily artistic pursuits to reflect on their own creative journey. This lecture is sure to inspire 

everyone, at all artistic levels and age groups. 

Ilana Shafir was born in 1924 in Sarajevo, former Yugoslavia. Ilana was a student at the high school for architecture, when her studies were 

interrupted by the Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia. After the war, Ilana was able to begin her studies at the Zagreb Art Academy from which she graduated 

in 1949. Shortly thereafter the family immigrated to Israel to finally settle in Ashkelon. For years, Ilana was a dedicated art teacher and later founder 

and director of the Ashkelon Art Center, a flourishing educational institution with multimedia studios. Since 1980, Ilana has been an active participant 

in the growing community of mosaic artists throughout the world and is often invited as a guest speaker at national and international mosaic 

conferences. She is a member of AIMC (International Association of Modern Mosaic Artist, Ravenna, Italy) and a member of SAMA (Society of 

American Mosaic Artists). 

Ilana's work has been recognized in various venues. Her mosaic "Gate of The Souls" received the Curator's Choice Award at the inaugural exhibition 

of SAMA held in 2002 in Orangeburg, SC. Another mosaic, "In the Deep," was recognized as the Best Large Scale Contemporary Work at the SAMA 

exhibition at the Eleven Eleven Gallery in Washington DC. Recently, Ilana's poster won the award for the category Mosaic as Art at the poster 

exhibition in Melbourne, Australia, held in 2005 at the AIMC Conference. In 2004, Ilana's mosaic "Worlds" was installed in the lobby of the Ashkelon 

Center for the Performing Arts and was recognized in a gala ceremony in which the documentary "The Worlds of Ilana Shafir" was premiered. 

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Towards a New Perspective on Non-Western Mosaics and Their Legacies 

A panel discussion of Non-Western Mosaics 

Janet Kozachek, Artist, SAMA Past President (Moderator) 

Diana Pardue, Curator of Collections, Heard Museum 

Dr. Mikelle Smith Omari-Tunkara, University of Arizona 


2:30 PM to 3:45 PM 

Marriott Ballroom A, B, C 

By serendipity or by design, the influence of Greco-Roman, European traditions has been set aside by some mosaic artists in favor of traditions that 

are more familiar to Asia, Africa or Native America. What inspires these artists to risk creating art that may only truly be understood by a narrow 

audience? How do these artists explain their work? What are the building blocks of these mosaics that aren’t typically seen? Are they less 

commercial and more intimate? What makes a work “non-western?” How can their mosaics challenge our own imagination and creative work? 

How do we learn to integrate non-western source material into our own mosaics? 

These questions and others will be explored through a sampling of artists working from an interest in the mosaics of other cultures or from the 

vantage point of being of a non-western culture themselves. This paper will present the audience with a look at how the building blocks of mosaics 

in non-western art differ from the use of “tesserae” as we know them in the context of Greco-Roman understanding, creating a narrative that is often 

less decorative and more informative. 

Janet Kozachek holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Parsons School of Design, a graduate certificate in Chinese Art from the Beijing Central Art 

Academy and her undergraduate degree in Art and Science from Douglas College. Ms. Kozachek has an extensive exhibition history and her mosaics 

and paintings are in numerous public and private collections. She has been working in mosaics for fourteen years and has a special interest in the 

mosaics of non-western cultures. Janet Kozachek is the co-founder of the Society of American Mosaic Artists and served as the first president from 

1999 to 2002. www.janetkozachek.com 

Diana Pardue is author of Shared Images: The Innovative Jewelry of Yazzie Johnson and Gail Bird, 2007 and The Cutting Edge: Southwest Jewelry 

and Metalwork, 1997. She has written articles about jewelry for Ornament and American Indian Art magazines and for a Phoenix-based monthly news 

magazine Frontdoors. She is curator of collections at the Heard Museum, where she has worked since 1978. 

Dr. Mikelle Smith Omari-Tunkara is a full professor of the History, Methods, and Theory of African and African Diaspora Arts at the University of 

Arizona, Tucson where she has taught since 1991. She holds an MFA in Painting and Printmaking from WSU, Pullman and a Ph.D. in Art History from 

UCLA. She has published and lectured nationally and internationally. Her most recent book, Manipulating the Sacred: Yoruba Art, Ritual and 

Resistance in Brazilian Candomble, was published in October 2005 by Wayne State University Press. Please visit her web site 

/www.u.arizona.edu/~aasp/ 

Mosaics in Mexico: Fabrication, Techniques and Studio By Malena Perdomo, Kolorines Export Manager 


4:00 PM to 5:00 PM 


This session will share the experiences of a family-owned business, founded in 1949, as manufacturers of mosaic smalti. This presentation will be 

divided into three portions. The first will give a brief history of the company and how it was founded under the influence of Murano Masters. It will 

include the story of the migration of skilled Fruili mosaic artists and the foundation of the first mosaic studio in the American continent to manufacture 

its own smalti. The second portion of the presentation will describe the birth of their own style of manufacturing and describe the Mexican smalti with 

their characteristics, applications and techniques. The final portion of the presentation will focus on experiences, challenges and growth throughout 

the years, spanning different muralists in the 1960’s to contemporary artists and architects. 

Malena Perdomo is one of 6 children of Manuel Perdomo, co-founder of Mosaicos Venecianos de Mexico. She has been working in the company 

for 22 years and is dedicated to working with English speaking artists. Malena is responsible for providing quotations, delivery dates, samples, 

production of special colors and techniques to meet the artist’s budget restrictions. She is available for communication with the artist during the 

mosaic production and installation process, either by scheduled visits to the artist studio or by means of digital photographs. Malena was trained by 

Luigi Scodeller, a Fruili mosaic artist from the Gino Avon Mosaic School in Spilimbergo, Italy and artistic director of the Perdomo Mosaic Studio. 

9





The Spiritual Language of Design By Steve Aimone 


12:30 PM to 1:30 PM 


The Spiritual Language of Design explores and discusses the meaning of abstract art (non-objective arrangement). It asks and answers the 

following question: What can a design express when it does more than simply 1) describe the visible world, 2) convey a literary narrative or 

3) serve a utilitarian purpose? 

The crux of the message is that visual arrangements serve as metaphors for realities that are internal and/or transcendent. We’ll discuss how design 

mirrors our emotional, psychological and spiritual lives. For example, we’ll see how visual rhythm echoes rhythms permeating all of life; discuss how 

symmetry and asymmetry present feelings of balance that mirror the equilibrium essential in all living things; and see how underlying shapes can be 

used to create designs that mirror structural arrangements found in nature. 

The presentation will include images from a wide variety of art media, including a range of mosaic works. It will include rich and diverse quotes from 

major 20th century artists. 

This session will benefit those wishing to 1) broaden their understanding and appreciation of abstract art, and 2) appreciate the ways in which abstract 

principles can be applied to strengthen their designs (representational and non-representational), regardless of media. There will be time at the end of 

the presentation for a question and answer session. 

Steven Aimone (M.F.A, Brooklyn College) is an artist, fine arts instructor and independent curator who has taught numerous design workshops and 

courses to a wide variety of audiences: professional artists and craftspeople, college students, museum patrons and school teachers. Aimone has 

taught painting, drawing and design at both Western Carolina University in North Carolina and Stetson University in Florida. He is the author of 

DESIGN! A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists and Craftspeople, published by Lark Books. His own works have been the subject of solo 

exhibitions in New York City, Florida and North Carolina. He now teaches, lectures and furnishes critiques through Aimone Art Services, which 

publishes an online Critique of the Month at www.aimoneartservices.com. 

Roman Mosaics: Painting for Eternity By Enzo Aiello 


1:45 PM to 2:45 PM 


Last summer Enzo was invited by Karen Ami to run a Roman Mosaic workshop at The Chicago Mosaic School. He was very surprised at the interest 

of the students for this charming and mysterious art. The goal of this presentation is to examine aspects of Roman Mosaics in depth that were only 

briefly mentioned in that Chicago class. 

Enzo has specialized in the art of mosaic for almost twenty years after starting his career in 1987 at the Vatican Studio of Mosaic in Rome. Mosaic art 

is one of the most refined artistic techniques and in order to understand the meaning of the “tessera” we will study the “philosophy” of mosaics that 

developed along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. 

Topics in this presentation will include the relationships, the influences and the competition between mosaic art and painting during the centuries. 

The course will address the different “opus” as well as the figure in Greek-Roman mosaic art. 

Additionally, the passage from the “floor” to the “wall” in Roman Mosaics, which was the real beginning of the competition between mosaic art and 

painting will be discussed. Finally, the course will explore the wonderful opus vermiculatum in the “Casa del Fauno” in Pompeii. 

This presentation should particularly benefit those who want to learn how to put together the tesserae of mosaic art history. 

Enzo Aiello is an artist of mosaic. He was born in Vibo Valentia, Italy, in 1963. He received his BFA from the Accademia Delle Belle Arti, Roma, Italy 

and continued his education at the Vatican Studio of Mosaic, Vatican City, Italy, the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli, Spilimbergo, Italy, and the Albe Steiner 

Studio, Ravenna, Italy. During the last twenty years he has been commissioned to restore a number of well-known ancient mosaics in European and 

American Collections. Enzo also has many original mosaic installations in various countries around the world. He currently lives and works in both 

Rome and New York and is involved in teaching mosaics as well as creating original works and restoring antique mosaics. Learn more by visiting his 

website, www.mosaicartcourses.com. 

10



Keynote Presentation 


HAND & HEART: Outdoor and Outsider Mosaics By featured Keynote Speaker, acclaimed author, Sherri Warner Hunter 


3:00 PM to 4:15 PM 


Much of the commission and community built work that Hunter is involved with results in outdoor mosaics. When she started to develop this work 

15 years ago, it was only natural to look at what was done before and how the materials, processes and look of outdoor mosaic work have evolved 

over time. 

Various works created throughout the centuries and by different civilizations have had a significant impact on Hunter. She’ll present some of the 

images that have had a bearing on her own work and that of other mosaic artists in recent years. 

In addition to what she finds inspiring in academic and traditional avenues, she will also share what she has learned from nontraditional resources – 

primarily outsider artists. Their work hasn’t been created by traditional methods, but through a more instinctive process where the hand and the heart 

work together to manifest an outdoor mosaic. Monuments and environments created by individuals with no art training or by others who have taken 

what they’ve learned and processed it in wonderfully quirky ways, provide inspiration for Hunter and hopefully, you too. 

Sherri Warner Hunter has exhibited her award winning artwork across the country. Since moving to Bell Buckle, TN in 1994, Hunter has concentrated 

on large-scale public commissions and community built projects. Her work is included in numerous private collections and can be viewed publicly 

at the Nashville International Airport, TN; Memphis Shelby county Public Library, TN, and the TigerTown shopping complex in Opelika, AL. 

Hunter is the President of the Community Built Association, a national organization of professional designers, architects and artists who work with 

communities to design and develop volunteer based projects. Her participation with community based projects include the mosaics at Turtle Grove, 

Albany, GA; the Salvation Army Area Command Center’s Stepping Stone Park, Nashville, TN; “The Gathering” for the Oasis Center, Nashville, TN, 

as well as numerous projects with schools and their local communities 

Hunter is also known for teaching concrete sculpture and mosaic workshops in her studio in Tennessee and around the country. She has authored 

two books on working with concrete, Making Concrete Garden Ornaments and Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden, both published by 

Lark Books. Visit her website at www.sherriwarnerhunter.com. 

Workshops 

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 & Thursday, March 22, 2007 

SAMA is making history this year with a record number of workshop sessions over a two day period. Over 230 conference attendees will participate 

in a total of 27 workshops with 19 instructors. This year we have focused the workshops to address three distinct areas of development that will be 

instrumental in advancing the careers, businesses and artistic achievements of our members. 

Announcements 

There may be limited openings in workshops upon arriving in Mesa. Please check the listing of open workshops at the Registration area. Walk-In 

Workshop seats will only be available to registered conference attendees, not guests. Walk-in workshop registrations will need to be paid in full prior 

to the beginning of the workshop. 

Workshop participants should arrive on time to all sessions. The transportation to Nina Solomon’s workshop will pick up in front of the Marriott Mesa 

45 minutes prior to the start of her workshop. 

The following workshop location has changed from the original Program Brochure. 

Louis Weiner’s Photographing your Mosaics has moved to The Marriott Mesa hotel’s Sedona Room. 

Sonia King's Mosaics 101 has moved to Arizona Ballroom A 

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Workshop Schedule 

Session 

Code Workshop Title Date Time Location 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 

(See Location Map Page 15) 

1 - PWW-1 Photographing Your Mosaics by Louis Weimer Wed. 3/21 8am – 12pm Sedona Room 

2 - PWTAI-1 DESIGN for Artists and Craftspeople by Steven Aimone Wed. 3/21 & Thurs. 3/22 8am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom E 

3 - PWAM-1 Preparing a Professional Art Portfolio, by Karen Ami and Lori Greene Wed. 3/21 3pm – 5pm Cholla I-II 

4 - PTAM-2 Preparing a Professional Art Portfolio, by Karen Ami and Lori Greene Thurs. 3/22 1pm – 3pm Cholla I-II 

5 - PWHG-1 Creative Community Collaborations: Fabulous Clay Techniques, Wed. 3/21 8am – 12pm Pomeroy 

by Helen Helwig and Niki Glen 

6 - PTK-1 Mosaics 101, by Sonia King Thurs. 3/22 1pm – 5pm Arizona Ballroom A 

7 - PWB-1 Design for Mosaics, by Emma Biggs Wed. 3/21 8am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom B 

8 - PTB-2 Design for Mosaics, by Emma Biggs Thurs. 3/22 8am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom B 

9 - PWP-1 Basic Elements of Mosaic Faces, by Michele Petno Wed. 3/21 10am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom A 

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

10 - BTW-1 Art of Business Accounting and Taxation, by Ruth Wunsh Thurs. 3/22 9am – 12pm Cholla I-II 

11 - BWT-1 Business of Mosaics: Doing What You Love and Making a Living at It, Wed. 3/21 8am – 3pm Arizona Ballroom C 

by Laurel True 

12 - BTT-2 Business of Mosaics: Doing What You Love and Making a Living at It, Thurs. 3/22 8am – 3pm Arizona Ballroom C 

by Laurel True 

TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT 

15 - TWW-1 Architectural Installations Using Mesh: Out of Your Sketchbook and Wed. 3/21 8am – 5pm Superstition North 

Onto the Wall, by Kim Wozniak 

16 - TWS-1 On-Site Pebble Mosaics, by Nina Ilitzky Solomon Wed. 3/21 8am – 5pm Artist’s Studio 

17 - TTS-2 On-Site Pebble Mosaics, by Nina Ilitzky Solomon Thurs. 3/22 8am – 5pm Artist’s Studio 

18 - TWH-1 A Lighter Base for 3-D Mosaics: Polystyrene Forms and Wed. 3/21 8am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom F 

Polymer Fortified Concrete, by Sherri Warner Hunter Wed. 3/21 8am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom F 

19 - TTH-2 A Lighter Base for 3-D Mosaics: Polystyrene Forms and Thurs. 3/22 8am – 5pm Arizona Ballroom F 

Polymer Fortified Concrete, by Sherri Warner Hunter 

20 - TTD-1 A Master Class in the Indirect Technique, by Gary Drostle Thurs. 3/22 8am – 12pm Superstition North 

21 - TTD-2 A Master Class in the Indirect Technique, by Gary Drostle Thurs. 3/22 1pm – 5pm Superstition North 

22 - TTHA-1 Grouting, Substrates and Adhesives, by Yulia Hanansen Thurs. 3/22 8am – 12pm Sirrine 

23 - TTHA-2 Grouting, Substrates and Adhesives, by Yulia Hanansen Thurs. 3/22 1pm – 5pm Sirrine 

24 - TWA-1 Andamento and Texture in Roman and Byzantine Mosaics, Wed. 3/21 8am – 12pm Superstition South 

by Enzo Aiello 

25 - TWA-2 Andamento and Texture in Roman and Byzantine Mosaics, Wed. 3/21 1pm – 4pm Superstition South 

by Enzo Aiello 

26 - TTR-1 Roman Holiday: A Hammer and Hardie Workshop, by Matteo Randi Thurs. 3/22 8am – 12pm Superstition South 

27 - TTR-2 Roman Holiday: A Hammer and Hardie Workshop, by Matteo Randi Thurs. 3/22 1pm – 5pm Superstition South 

28 - MM-1 Large-Scale Outdoor Mosaic Workshop, by Kim Emerson Wed. 3/21 8am – 12pm Apache Room 

29 - MM-2 Large-Scale Outdoor Mosaic Workshop, by Kim Emerson Wed. 3/21 1pm – 5pm Apache Room 

Bus Tour Helen's Fabulous Public Art Bus Tour Thurs. 3/22 9am - 12pm Departs from Marriott 

12



2007 Contributors 

President’s Circle Sustaining Contributors 

MAPEI Corporation – Closing Night Party at the Heard Museum 

po2 Associates, Inc. – Opening Night Party at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center 

Silver Circle Sustaining Contributors 

Laticrete International, Inc. – Opening Day of Mosaic Marathon and 

materials donor for Workshops 

Mosaic Rocks! – Friday Box Lunches 

Mosaic Smalti – Insignia Water Bottle 

SAMA Board of Trustees – Show-and-Tell Continental Breakfasts 

The Chicago Mosaic School – Neck Wallets 

WitsEnd Mosaic – Thursday Box Lunches 

Bronze Circle Sustaining Contributors 

Airfloat Systems – Presentation: Roman Mosaics—Painting for Eternity and 

SAMA Member discount/Gift Bag enclosure 

Artful Crafter – Exhibition Postcard and Unrestricted Gift 

D&D Tile – Full-Day Workshop – Sherri Warner Hunter (Wednesday) 

di Mosaico – Presentation: The Spiritual Language of Design and Gift Bag enclosure 

Gemini Saw Company – Full-Day Workshop – Steve Aimone (Wednesday) 

Institute of Mosaic Art – Keynote Presentation and Gift Bag enclosure 

McIntyre Tile Company, Inc. – Full-Day Workshop – Emma Biggs (Thursday) 

Monster Mosaics – Presentation: Mosaics in Mexico—Fabrication, Techniques and Studio and Gift Bag enclosure 

MosaicArtistsOrg -– Exhibition Poster 

Mosaic Mercantile – Full-Day Workshop – Emma Biggs (Wednesday) 

Mosaic-Tile.com – Full-Day Workshop – Steve Aimone (Thursday) 

Ranco – Full-Day Workshop – Sherri Warner Hunter (Thursday) 

TeaMac, Inc.– Two Half-Day Workshops – Laurel True 

Venture Tape Corp. – Unrestricted Gift 

Warner Crafts – Presentation: Towards a Perspective on Non-Western Mosaics and Their Legacies 

WeldBond Universal Adhesive – Two Half-Day Workshops – Sonia King and Yulia Hanansen and Gift Bag enclosure 

Benefactors 

Liquid Nails ® Adhesives – Refreshment Breaks 

OpioMosaique – Presentation: My Journey to Mosaic 

Partners 

Arizona Tile – Mosaic Marathon Workshop sponsor and materials donor for Mosaic Marathon and Workshops 

Cinca – Half-Day Workshop – Gary Drostle (Thursday morning session) 

Meshmount Paper and Tape – Gift Bag enclosure and materials donor for Mosaic Marathon 

Mosaic Studio & Gallery LLC – Unrestricted Gift 

Advocates 

Art Boards – Gift Bag enclosure 

Artha’s Mosaics & Supplies – Gift Bag enclosure 

Bedrock Industries – Gift Bag enclosure 

Chicago Art Glass – Gift Bag enclosure 

Eric N. Rattan – Unrestricted Gift 

Glass Craftsman Magazine – Unrestricted Gift 

Kokomo Opalescent Glass – Gift Bag enclosure 

Mac Glue – Gift Bag enclosure 

Maryland Mosaics – Gift Bag enclosure 

Friends 

Aftosa – Gift Bag enclosure 

The Compleat Sculptor – Gift Bag enclosure 

Mosaic Station – Unrestricted Gift 

Mosaics By Maria – Gift Bag enclosure 

Smalti.com – Unrestricted Gift 

SusanJablonMosaics.com – Unrestricted Gift 

Tile Shack – Gift Bag enclosure 

Wedi Corp. – Gift Bag enclosure 

Wholesalers USA – Gift Bag enclosure 

Youghigheny Opalescent Glass – Gift Bag enclosure 

Mosaic On a Stick – Materials donor for workshops 

Enzo Aiello 

13



Acknowledgements 

Vicki Bess, Conference Co-chair 

Susan Jeffreys, Conference Co-chair 

Chris Forillo, Conference Planner 

Deb Green, Conference Committee Assistant 

Dawnmarie Zimmerman, SAMA Executive Director 

Patty Haberman, Curator, Mesa Contemporary Arts 

Rhonda Heisler, Sponsorship & Fundraising Committee Chair 

Tim Stassines, Graphic Designer and Catalog Production Manager 

Julie Richey, Mosaic Marathon Co-chair 

Karen Ami, Mosaic Marathon Co-chair 

Bonnie Fitzgerald, Mosaic Marathon Co-chair 

Kim Emerson, Mosaic Marathon designer and head artist 

Ginger Ward, Southwest Human Development 

Laura Chasko, Southwest Human Development 

Donna Smith, Southwest Human Development 

Laurie Mika 

Kathleen Crowley, Mesa Contemporary Arts 

JeanAnn Dabb, Gallery Guide coordinator and students of the “Mosaics: History and Techniques” class at the 

University of Mary Washington; Melody L. Fitzgerald, Elizabeth M.Goble, Michael L. Howard, 

Kandy E. Lovelidge and Jane E. Mangione 

The incredible team on the SAMA Mesa Planning Committee; 

Yvonne Allen, Volunteer Coordinator 

Michelle Legler, Vendor Marketplace 

Chip and Joelyn Hilton, Raffle 

Steve Kurzon, Hydration 

Cindy Eddy, Brown Bag Exchange 

Debbie Wahl, Dining Coordinator 

Delfina and Franco Valentini 

And all the devoted SAMA Conference Volunteers 

14 

Youlia Tkatchouk 


866-902-SAMA 

SAMA — P.O. Box 624, Ligonier, PA 15658 

SAMA is a 501(c)(3) corporation. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. ©2007



Join us for Show-and-Tell Continental Breakfast 

Shoptalk • Networking • Sharing of Portfolios 

Thursday 7:00am-8:00am 

Friday 7:00am-8:00am 

Saturday 8:00-9:00am 

in the Marriott Mesa Arizona Ballroom Foyer 

Hosted by SAMA's Board of Trustees and Advisory Board 

Nancie Mills Pipgras, President 

Rhonda Heisler, Vice-President 

Karen Ami, Secretary 

Teresa Sullivan, Treasurer 

Nancy Ancrum 

Bill Buckingham 

Juanita Canzoneri 

Jean Ann Dabb 

George Fishman 

Bonnie Fitzgerald 

Susan Jeffreys 

Sheilah Jewart 

Sonia King 

Lori Postma 

Julie Richey 

Andrea Taylor 

Complimentary for Registered Conference Attendees 


866-902-SAMA 

15

thanks the 

Society of American Mosaic Artists 

for helping us celebrate 

our 70 th anniversary ! 

Collaborating Artists 

Beth Norton • Carole Choucair Oueijan • Donna Parsons • George Fishman 

Irina Chamy • Karen Ami • Karen Dimit • Kimberly Schonfeld • Leann Wooten 

Lynn Adamo • Lynne Chinn • Margo Anton • Martha Crandall 

Nancie Mills Pipgras • Samyak Yamauchi • Shawn Newton • Sheilah Jewart 

Tobi Ellis • Victor Jorgensen • Yulia Hanansen

thanks the Society of American Mosaic Artists for helping us ...

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