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A student works with Smalti in Jim Bachor's class

IMA was proud to host Visiting Instructor Jim Bachor at the end of February for an in-depth course on Ravenna style mosaics in the double reverse method. Students came away with two pieces, one in marble and one in smalti and were well versed by the end of the course in using the hammer and hardie.

Thanks to Jim for sharing his expertise and offering such a great course!

Our SAMA table

March was a busy month as IMA and Mosaic Studio Supply traveled to Chicago for the SAMA Conference. The Chicago Team put on a wonderful event and a great time was had by all. It was so great to see so many friends, colleagues and students at this event. IMA and MSS shared a table at the Vendor Show and sold out of many of the items we brought, especially Starrett and Platinum Nippers!! Another shipment on the way!

We were thrilled to host Visiting Instructor Sherri Warner Hunter to IMA March 24-30 for a week-long intensive in concrete sculpture for mosaics. Sherri is a well known author, educator and public artist. She gave a wonderful slide lecture for our Mosaic Lecture and Adventure Series, showing her own work and the work of many inspiring folk, outsider and visionary environments made from concrete and mosaic.

"Concrete Institute" Snail by Tracy Broback

Students came away from a super fun, concrete filled week with three sculptural projects ready to take home and mosaic! Sherri promises to return next year for another session of "Concrete Institute".

Mosaic artist and educator Carole Dobson from Alberta, Canada was down for the course and gave a great slide presentation, Ancient to Contemporary Mosaic Journey on the last evening of the course.

The second session of Mosaics from the Mind's Eye, Lillian Sizemore's unique and empowering course, came to a close. The student works produced are amazing, deep and powerful. Please read on for exhibition information.

IMA Director Laurel True attended the Community Built Association Conference (March 31- April 2) in Monterey, California to share and learn with other community based artists and educators. It was an incredible weekend filled with amazing seminars, sessions and connections. VERY INSPIRING!

We hosted members of the Chicago Public Art Group at IMA in the days afterward to further exchange ideas and energies. So many exciting things to come...

There are many other mosaic and arts related activities happening in New Orleans. Click here for more information.

IMA presents these wonderful Garden and Outdoor Mosaic Courses:
April 24-30 and July 24-30 Mosaic Mural Making Intensive with Laurel True
May 6-7th Pebble Mosaics with Visiting Artist Donna Billick
June 3-4 Community Mosaics- Facilitator Training with Josef Norris
June 11-July 16 (New Date!) Mosaic Garden Bench with Dimitry Grudsky
June 17-25 Mosaic Bird Bath with Nicole Bertoline
Offered every month: Exterior and Garden Applications for Mosaic with Nicole Bertoline, Making Concrete Forms for Mosaic with Diana Durand

Upcoming Visiting Artists
April 12-May 17 Lucinda Walker- Ceramic Tile Making for Mosaics
April 21-23 Elizabeth Raybee- Mixed Media Mosaics with a Story
April 29-30 and July 29-30 Ellen Blakeley- Tempered Glass Mosaics
May 6-7 (Full!)Karen Thompson- Mixed Media Tesselation, Indirect Methods
May 20-21 Sonia King- Advanced Mosaics
May 27-28 Irina Charny- Magic Butterfly
June 1-July 6 Dimitry Grudsky- Exploring Smalti

Special Courses at IMA
April 14-16 or August 18-20 Business of Mosaics with Laurel True
April 20-May 25 Mosaic Pet Portrait with Delaine Hackney
June 10-11 Tempered Glass Mosaics- Intermediate Projects with Ellen Blakeley

Plan now for Mosaics Summer Camp for Adults with Laurel True and Guests
Session 1 July 10-14
Session 2 August 7-11

IMA offers MANY other mosaic courses on a regular and rotating basis including Mosaic 101 , Architectural Applications- Floors and Walls , Introduction to Glass Mosaics , Pique Assiette , Special Project and Extended Study Courses, Kids classes and more!