Ready to make a professional-level mosaic mural? I’ll teach you how!

Expand your knowledge and technical skills in architectural mosaics in my signature Mosaic Mural Making Intensive.

Whether you’re interested in creating commissioned work, public art, making a centerpiece for your home or school, or just want to learn technical best practices for mosaic mural making, this workshop is essential training. Plus, it’s fun!

For over twenty years I’ve been teaching this intensive to students across the US and in cities around the world. Now I’m offering it in my current home-base of Portland, OR. I hope you can join me!

During this five-day immersive workshop, we will come together to create and install a beautiful mosaic mural in the Portland community. This type of creative placemaking fosters community development, neighborhood beautification, and collective well-being. Now is the perfect time to build beauty in the world.

Through hands-on participation, you’ll learn techniques that I employ in the creation of my professional mosaic murals. Fostering a team approach, I engage students in the creation and installation of a complete project while offering sound technical instruction in mosaic making techniques for permanent mosaic installations. I’ll also be teaching you the Tile Tape technique, an off-site creation method I use for much of my professional work.

The workshop includes step-by-step instruction in specific mosaic making principles using ceramic, mirror, and glass, as well as technical lessons in precision tool use, construction methods for larger works, and best practices for installation and grouting techniques for murals and other architectural projects. 

The mural we create together during the workshop will be of a size and complexity that can be completed and installed during the week. The comfortable pace ensures time for questions and one-on-on instruction.

An overview of different project approaches will be presented for working solo or with groups. You will also learn how to create murals that look great and will endure for years to come.

This workshop is uniquely designed to help participants of all experience levels gain the knowledge and confidence to go forth and create future projects on their own. Many students also take this workshop for professional development.

Topics include:

• Designing for mosaic murals

• Design transfer techniques

• Sourcing materials

• Coding and mapping techniques for larger work

• Working with materials of different heights and shapes

• Understanding which materials can be used in exterior applications

• Cutting and setting mirror to create beautiful line work

• Special considerations for working with mirror

• Using the Tile Tape Method to create murals (and why I like it better than mesh)

• Substrates, adhesives, and environmental considerations for murals

• Tips and tricks for painless installation

• Working effectively as a team

This workshop offers excellent training for…

• Those seeking professional development training in mosaic mural making

• Those who want to explore larger-scale installations/move into creating larger work

• Mosaic explorers who want to take their skills to the next level

• Those interested in creating hands-on group projects using professional techniques

• Artists and teachers who would like to create murals for public spaces or schools

• Curious creators who want to participate in a fun and fulfilling group project

• Those interested in the co-creative process

Open to students of all levels. Although some mosaic experience may be helpful, it is not necessary. 

Students will need to bring their own tools. A full list of tools, with links to purchase, will be sent out before the workshop.

I’m so excited to teach in the city I’ve made my home for the past 5 years.

I hope you can join me for this fun, community-building, creative experience!

Registration:

Workshop Fees: $1,100

Option to register in full or make a 50% deposit. 

First payment due at registration to secure space. Final payments are due by May 15, 2023.

True Mosaics Studio Cancellation Policy for 2024 

Class fee is refundable up to 45 days before workshop start date, minus $50 admin fee. After this time fees paid are non-refundable and no credits will be given. No exceptions will be made to cancellation policy. Should workshop be cancelled by True Mosaics Studio, the entire amount paid will be refunded within 14 days. True Mosaics Studio shall have no obligation regarding any additional costs or fees related to travel reservations. 

Feedback from former workshop participants

This workshop was a fantastic learning retreat. Laurel is so generous with information. She held nothing back; teaching everything about making a mosaic mural from concept to completion. I finally have the confidence to do it on my own. And because of this workshop, I have the impetus to add a bit more bling here or there in my work. — Janet R, Louisiana

Laurel, this class was a treasure on so many levels. I love how you…brought together a diverse set of women and turned us into a creative community that, in the future, will send that warm creative energy out elsewhere to others. Your clear instructions were well prepared, provided a clear and concise framework for tool use, timeframes, and what the next steps in learning and construction would be. You took a mosaic mural that required consistent effort over many days…and, with constant positive feedback and reinforcement, made it fun, extremely informative, and, which produced a beautiful, detailed mosaic mural.  — Kaleth T, Oregon

Thank you for such an absolutely fantastic week. You created magic. The mural is one thing, but your ability to bring people together and foster friendship and familiarity, all with humility and mad teaching skills is, well…incredible. I have no experience with tile, glass, or mosaic making. I learned about materials, colors, textures, substrates, tools. It was much more than I imagined. Laurel is an intensely organized and passionate teacher…She makes learning fun! I had that child-like feeling of new knowledge that seems to captivate the imagination. If you love art, great teaching, and want a truly enriching experience, this retreat is for you.  — Christine K, Michigan