For the 11th year in a row, I'm heading to the American Mosaic Summit, aka the SAMA conference! This year it's in Houston, Texas, another U.S. city I have not been to before. Thanks to the Society of American Mosaic Artists and the world of contemporary mosaics, I've now been to Chicago, Miami, Washington D.C., Austin, TX and Lexington, KY, and Tacoma, WA, all because of SAMA conferences. They've also been held in San Francisco, San Diego and Mesa, AZ, which I had been to before there was SAMA. Each year, I eagerly await to hear where the next year's conference will be held. Maybe I'll be going to another new city next year!
I've also had the privilege to have work chosen for the juried exhibition eight times out of 11. Back in 2007, it was super exciting to get the call learning my piece, Bosphorus Dockside, was chosen for a juror's choice award! As the conference was in Mesa that year, I was able to have my whole family come out to see my work in the show. Coinciding with baseball spring training in Arizona didn't hurt either, since we're all fans! It was a great reunion and family vacation.
This year, my Sturgeon mosaic, from the Garden of Surging Waves in Astoria, Oregon, was selected to be in the exhibition. It will once again be exciting to go to the gallery opening and celebrate with all my mosaic friends and colleagues.
During the conference, I will be taking workshops from Guilio Menossi and Emma Biggs, two masters of contemporary mosaic art. Very excited to learn new things and be inspired by these two.
Another fun event during the conference is the Salon and auction. Any conference participant is able to submit a work (unjuried) for show and silent auction. The piece I made for this year's salon is Still Life (after Morandi) Fun new style and subject matter for me.
Off I go to some sun and warmth in Houston! Warm weather, and more importantly, warm friendship and camaraderie from one fantastic group of artists!