Mosaic has been in my creative DNA for as long as I can remember. My parents were both artists and active in the mosaic movement of the 1960s. They opened a retail store called Mosaic Alcove in our Southern California hometown of El Monte, where their energy and artistry inspired a generation of mosaic enthusiasts.

 

Years later, after my sons were grown, I found myself with an unexpected abundance

of time—and a pull toward something that had quietly waited in the background of my life.

That search led me to a transformative 2002 workshop with Martin Cheek in Italy and

Greece. It was my first time seeing ancient mosaics in person, surrounded by fellow

mosaic lovers, completely immersed in the medium. That experience changed everything.

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Since then, I’ve remained inspired by the long, rich history of mosaics and by the tactile joy of working with natural stone, slate, and Italian glass (smalti).

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In 2008, I launched an international online community for mosaic artists: Contemporary Mosaic Art (CMA). It was born from simple conversations with artists who loved mosaics but felt isolated. CMA quickly grew into a vibrant network connecting artists around the world.

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That same year, Italian artist Giulio Menossi joined CMA. I later had the privilege of

meeting him in Udine, Italy, where we collaborated to develop his mosaic workshops—

soon attracting students globally, eager to learn his remarkable techniques.

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In 2012, I helped curate the first mosaic exhibition in Clauiano, Italy, featuring artists

from the CMA community. The exhibitions that followed reflected the same spirit of

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Two years later, I co-organized the first CMA Summit in Ashland, Oregon, alongside John Sollinger (“Solly”) and others. We hosted three wonderful years of summits, ending in 2016, each one filled with learning, laughter, and lasting friendships.

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Alongside community-building, I’ve co-authored several mosaic publications:

• Mosaic Fine Art Portraits and Mosaic Fine Art Abstracts (with Irit Levy) — featuring interviews and gallery works from leading mosaic artists.

• Edible Bits & Pleasing Pieces (2014, with Jacqueline Iskander) — a creative cookbook pairing recipes with mosaic art from around the world.​

 

In 2019, CMA went quiet—but in 2020, at the encouragement of friends Patty Chapman, John Sollinger, and Bonnie Fitzgerald, I reopened it during the isolation of COVID. Thus began CMA2, a renewed and thriving version of the original community. In 2024, I stepped down as President, proud to see Dawn Mendelson continue to guide CMA2 with the same passion and vision.

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Where I Am Now

Today, my creative life moves between the worktable and the written page. In the studio, I continue to explore mosaic through stone, marble, slate, smalti, and found materials. My work has become looser and more responsive to the materials themselves—less concerned with controlling where a piece is going and more interested in discovering what happens along the way.

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Writing has become another part of that exploration. At The Space Between, I write reflective essays about art, life, change, relationships, and the things we sometimes notice only when we slow down long enough to look.

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I also create books and Studio Notes about mosaic and the creative process, and recently returned to helping other artists create and untangle their websites.

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These may look like different kinds of work, but to me they are connected. They are all ways of paying attention, making something visible, and continuing to discover what comes next.