Happy New Year All!

We had a great year at True Mosaics Studio in 2003; lots of activity, projects, commissions, classes… many new and returning students, great apprentices, exhibitions and now, much excitement for the upcoming year.

I'll start in October, where the last Newsletter left off.

Another fun time in New Orleans, where I taught my "Fine Art Mosaics in Glass" course at the New Orleans School of Glass and Printmaking. We had a full class, with participants from Idaho, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana. I love teaching that class and I love New Orleans! Next class will be during Jazz Fest in April… come on down. Details on my website. While in New Orleans I also had the opportunity to be a guest/ visiting artist for the 7th graders at Belle Chase Academy, in Belle Chase, LA.

I did a short demonstration and talked to them about possibilities of a career as an artist and the importance of things like writing (a proposal) and math (figuring out size of a project) in art. Their teacher, Miriam Dennis Harper was a former student in Mosaic Summer Camp last summer and she had the kids writing a proposal to the school board to do a mosaic mural. So great!

True Mosaics celebrated its two-year anniversary in our present location in November. We thought it was so big when we moved in! And now sometimes it is hard to find space for everything!

I took on three new apprentices this fall, Shannon Murray, Connie English and Lisa Berman- who all got their share of nipping, setting and grouting. We all, with my studio assistant extraordinaire, Yukari Kato, worked on a series of giant mosaic planters, commissioned by Oakland Unity Council, to be sited along International Blvd and Fruitvale Main Street In East Oakland.

These pots were really fun to make and, despite the cold studio, we had a lot of fun.

We also worked on glass mosaic mural with an underwater theme for a Marriott Hotel in Florida, which is getting ready to be shipped out this month.

Also in November I participated in a group show called N.O.W. with fellow mosaic friends Kris Jensen, Santiago Rodriguez at the Albatross Pub in Berkeley, which ran thru the end of the year. The exhibition was a great mix of our different styles utilizing both contemporary and traditional mosaic techniques.

After great anticipation, Sonia King's book, Mosaic Techniques and Traditions, came out and I was able to get my hands on a copy. Thanks to Sonia for including photos of the Mission Creek Mural (a collaboration between Lillian Sizemore and myself), Pat's Bench and Ogue Be- (Good Harvest), History of Nungua, Ghana Mosaic Mural. I am sending a copy to my mother J.

The year closed with a final decision by the San Francisco Arts
Commission Ocean Avenue Committee to grant me a commission to do two sculptural mosaic pieces to be sited on Ocean Ave. in San Francisco. We are still in the design phase of that project.

I wrapped up my kiln fired glass class at the Crucible in December and love it so much that I am taking an independent study course there… more mosaic components!

Work still continues on the mural "Free Wood" across from the studio. Weather and lack of spare time have slowed the process, but it is coming along great. We will be continuing work on the wall this January and February, weather permitting.

OK… BIG STUFF IN 2004

Upcoming Exhibitions include Opus Veritas- Fragments of Truth- an International Mosaic Exhibition at Museo Italo Americano. This exhibition opens on Wednesday, January 14th (5-7pm Opening Reception) and runs thru April. I have one piece in each category: 2-D, 3-D and Architectural Installations. This exhibit is in conjunction with the Third Annual Society of American Mosaic Artists Conference, January 29 - 31. For more info: www.museoitaloamericano.org.

Also during the month of January and in conjunction with the conference I will be in a group show of Bay Area Mosaic Artists at Frijz Ghiradelli, curated by mosaic artist, Santiago Rodriguez www.fritzfries.com.

The SAMA conference is a big deal and I have been working on the organizing committee. Don't laugh… but I am co-chair of the "Parties" committee with non other than my partner in mosaic crime, Lillian Sizemore… aka Tessie Spice.

On the True Mosaics menu in relation to the conference are: Workshop: Tools and Techniques which will run on Wednesday the 28th and Thursday the 29th of January. (Thursday class is full). I will also be speaking on a panel called Community Mosaics, facilitated by Lillian Sizemore. I will be showing slides and talking about the community projects I have done in
Ghana.

The conference should be really interesting and a lot of fun, so if you are a mosaic artist or enthusiast and haven't registered… get your act together and find out how at: www.americanmosaics.org.

NEW COURSES SCHEDULE!!!

Mosaic 101, Intro to Glass Mosaics, Architectural Applications, Ancient Meets Modern, Exterior/ Garden Applications all at True Mosaics Studio…As mentioned, Fine Art Mosaics In Glass (3-day course) at New Orleans School Of Glassworks in April and again in June (during time of Glass Arts Society Conference)…

Mark your schedule for Mosaic Summer Camp for Adults in July (5-9th) AND… dig out your passport for the biggie:

COMMUNITY MOSAIC MURAL MAKING in GHANA - the second half of July. This will be a workshop and craft tour of Ghana and is presented by Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc. and facilitated by Moi (Me). I can't begin to describe how cool this will be in this newsletter, but please find out more at www.Truemosaics.com or at www.culturalcollaborative.org. If you have always wanted to go to Africa, Ghana is the perfect destination… friendly, safe, stable, full of art and artists, beautiful, etc…The workshop will include info on facilitation of collaborative and community projects and the group will work with the local community of Nungua, Ghana to create a mosaic
mural, followed up by a unique craft tour of Ghana to visit villages specializing in specific craft traditions as well as historical places of interest. Work with Ghanaian artists, feel the ocean breeze, listen to the rooster's crow in the morning and make a mosaic mural in Ghana….awesome.

In August I will be collaborating with Kente weavers in Nungua to make a textile-inspired mural also at Aba house. Also on the agenda is the design and preliminary construction of a sculptural mosaic bench and hopefully a short artist residency in Krobo/ Odumase to make kiln fired glass pieces to be used in future mural projects. AND…in conjunction with the Story Quilt Textile workshop at Aba House in August, will be making a "story quilt" mosaic mural with local kids.

I am hoping also to continue my research on West African Mosaics and Decorative Tile Work (my future book J) and travel to Togo and Benin. Thank you to Mr. Ben Adipah for his help and encouragement for this project.

Upcoming projects this winter/spring include: two crazy mosaics
bathrooms at Gregangelo Hererra's Velocity Circus Museum- www.gregangelo.com - a private kitchen project, designs for two bathrooms in a new nightclub/ bar opening in San Francisco and various commissioned projects. Also happing are a couple TOP SECRET projects…. watch the walls in a neighborhood near you..J

I am trying to spend more time working on independent projects and I have started the third piece in a series of mini sculptural mosaic houses… this one's theme is LOVE. (INSPIRATION will be in the Opus Veritas exhibition.)

I am also psyched to re-visit my quilt-making and textile history and do a series of quilt-inspired pieces. If somebody wants to give me a grant, I could "drop out" and do that for a whole year. If anyone knows of a site called StopTime.com… let me know.

Oh. And if there are any quilt enthusiasts out there, I just saw an exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum the ROCKED MY WORLD…(this show was also at the Whitney): The Quilts of Gee's Bend. Boy oh boy was that great…

Lastly, wish me luck in my first marathon (Mardi Gras Marathon, February 29th thru the SF Aids Foundation) Running is my new trick to stay grounded and balanced.. and hey- if you want to sponsor me w/a tax-deductible donation you can go to: www.aidsmarathon.com. I am runner #1229.

Happy New Year!

Stay tuned for new developments at True Mosaics Studio and keep checking the web site for updated info!

Be Creative - Be Happy - Live Life!

Laurel True
True Mosaics
Oakland, CA

Live Life!