Just go see it!

Shattering Expectations: Mosaic 2014, opened last night (March 7, 2014) at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens to a resounding success! All of the featured artists and the Juror, Nancie Mills Pipgras (Editor of Mosaic Art Now) were in the house for the Opening Reception, attended by over 300 people. The exhibit runs through April 20, 2014. Don't miss it!

For a review of the show, please visit Architects + Artisans!   Thank you, J. Michael Welton for such a lovely review!

Photos © 2014 Anabella Wewer

Brooks Tower and Nancie Mills Pipgrass

MSoP's own Carol Stirton Broad, one of the featured artists.

Isaiah Zagar and Richard J. Watson.

Karen Kettering Dimit, chatting with Magic Garden's Ellen Owens and Samantha Holmes.

Yulia Hanansen

Nancie Mills Pipgras, Karen Kettering Dimit and Samantha Holmes.

Isaiah Zagar, Yakov Hanansen, Nancy Mills Pipgrass, Mrs. Hanansen.

Rachel Sager, Isaiah Zagar

The (former) Lowes mosaic is at its new home!

Taking advantage of an unexpected opening in the fabricator's schedule, the mosaic MSoP saved from the Lowes Hotel Philadelphia is now at its new home at CAPA!  Stephen Miotto and his assistant, Miro, installed the mosaic on February 24-26. The mosaic had been cut into a few pieces, when it was removed from the hotel, and was expertly reassembled by Mr. Miotto, who is the original fabricator of the mosaic. On hand were just a couple of the MSoP members who helped orchestrate the last minute installation. They helped patch the portions of the mosaic where the smalti had to be removed to screw the panels onto the wall.

A grand unveiling will take place March 21, 2014, at 6 p.m. Stay tuned to this space for updated details and information! A lot of folks helped Save the Mosaic -- we hope you will all help us celebrate its installation!

Penn State Community Mosaic

The Penn State Great Valley Community Mosaic has been installed!  The mosaic was designed by MSOP's own Claire Brill as an interpretation of the Penn State logo, and made during the opening reception of MSOP's Parts of a Whole exhibit at the Conference Center at Penn State Great Valley. An animated group of about 30 volunteers lent their hand to the making of the mosaic, lead by committee members Claire Brill, Carol Hemsley, Barbara Bix, Barbie Henig and Susan Kelly, who had previous painted the design onto the substrate and pre-cut all of the tesserae from material donated by volunteers during a drive at a previous general meeting of the Society. A combination of blue and white china, dishes, glass tile, and ceramic tile were used.

It was a great opening event for what was a very successful exhibit, and the making of the mosaic allowed visitors and guests to observe first-hand the making of a large scale mosaic (40" x 33"). The project inspired Penn State to do their own community mosaic, a large Nittany Lion, that they plan to accomplish with the help of volunteer graduate students at the campus later this year. The mosaic was later grouted by MSOP members and installed at the Conference Center in time for Penn State Great Valley's 50th anniversary celebration. It can be viewed when the Conference Center is open to the public.

Michael Kruzich is coming to Philadelphia!

Dec. 30 Update: WORKSHOP IS FULL! Waiting list requests are being accepted!

Registration is now open for Michael Kruzich's 3-day intensive workshop in February! A world-renowned mosaicist, Michael largely works in the so-called Ravenna-method, or double-reverse method, for his own work, but will be teaching the direct method using hammer and hardie, as well as an exercise on gradation, in this Philadelphia-area workshop.. For more information and registration information, see the Events page -- but hurry, the registration deadline is January 12 and we already have a few sign-ups for this workshop, which is limited to 12 students!

And don't forget - the extended deadline for Shattering Expectations is Friday!!

Extended deadline approaching!

The Philadelphia Magic Gardens juried exhibit extended deadline is rapidly approaching! December 20 is the date when applications are due for artists who are residents of  Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Washington DC.  (details at the Magic Garden's website). Applications are rolling in, and it is bound to be a GREAT exhibit, as well as a great chance for area artists to exhibit their work! Get your applications in!

Lowes Mosaic update

We are half-way there! The Lowes Mosaic is no longer at the Lowes Hotel Philadelphia. Stephen Miotto, original fabricator of the mosaic, was on hand to disassemble the mosaic, and oversee the move of the panels to CAPA, the Creative and Performing Arts High School of Philadelphia.

Jason Zahaczewski, from the Humphrey Rich Construction Group, and his crew, assisted Mr. Miotto, and worked with the crew from the City of Philadelphia, thanks to Dan O'Brien, Assistant Manager of the City of Philadelphia, to relocate the panels to CAPA.

The panels will be stored at CAPA while the future site of the mosaic is prepared and a date convenient to the many volunteers who will, under the direction of Mr. Miotto, reassemble the mosaic, make any necessary restorations and get it ready for its debut as a centerpiece of its new home at CAPA. 

“Save the Mosaic!” update

Plans to move the Loews Hotel Philadelphia mosaic to CAPA are moving right along. After two successful fundraising events, the mosaic is being carefully dismantled today and tomorrow, November 11th and 12th, by Stephen Miotto, the original fabricator of the mosaic, and his crew, and Jason Zahaczewski, from the Humphrey Rich Construction Group, and his crew. The panels will then be transported by the City of Philadelphia, thanks to Dan O'Brien, Assistant Manager of the City of Philadelphia, to CAPA, the Creative and Performing Arts High School of Philadelphia. The mosaic will be temporarily stored until the necessary parties can agree on a date to assemble the mosaic. 

Thank you to everyone who helped MSoP raise the necessary funds to cover the additional costs to relocate the mosaic! Keep checking this space for updates on the project!

General Meeting - Nov. 17

The next General Meeting is November 17, in Bryn Mawr!  See the Events page for directions!