 The colorful and witty illustrations of Israeli illustrator and Piece by Piece Visiting Artist Hanoch Piven have appeared throughout the last 18 years on both sides of the Atlantic. Since 2003, Piven has been conducting Workshops in many countries. The Workshops follow the principles of Piven's own collage technique and encourage children and adults to experiment with common day-today objects and pieces of the world around them to create their own works of art. On March 2010 The Skirball Cultural Center in LA will celebrate Piven’s work with the exhibition Making Faces, Piven’s first Museum Exhibition in the USA.
 Southern California artist Dawn Mendelson has been creating mosaic art for eight years and is the Artistic Director of Piece by Piece. After receiving her master’s degree in English, Dawn worked in the publications field and as a fiction writer. An initial encounter with a small mosaic kit -- and subsequent classes, workshops and seminars -- launched her career as a professional mosaic artist. She specializes in pique assiette, a style of mosaic, which uses recycled materials. She works on both big and small projects, from fine vases to large-scale murals. She has been featured on HGTV and teaches beginning mosaic, working with both adults and children. Her work is exhibited in institutions and private collections; and is available through various museum stores and galleries through the western region.
I'm Leigh Adams and I'm honored to be a part of the Piece by Piece organization. I am fortunate to know two of the instructors and am feeling completely at home with the incredible artists they are supporting through this project. I am currently Artist in Residence at the LA County Arboretum and at Westland School in Bel Air. While glass is my primary medium, I love working with tile, glass tile, found objects, china, ceramic plates, beads, etc. My most happy moments are doing public art with children, outdoors, in a garden!
 Hi! I’m Beth Barror. I graduated from Texas Women’s University with a B.S. in Fashion design and a minor in Photography, and have designed ladies’ fashion accessories for Brighton Accessories since 1990. In 2000 I created the “Enchanted Playhouse” for the Pasadena Showcase of Design and began my mosaic journey with a pair of colorful tiled window frames. From 2000 to 2004 I owned a life-style/gift store on Montana Ave. in Santa Monica where I continued working in mosaics and expanding my palette of materials to include glass, shells, crystals and anything else I thought might ‘stick’. Since 2002 I have also designed and created many large-scale projects for Brighton Collectibles across the U.S. from Palo Alto, CA to Paramus N.J. In 2007 I eagerly joined forces with Sophie Alpert and her quest to improve the lives of the underprivileged through mosaic. I have found that teaching is perhaps the best education of all. Currently I am writing a book, Mosaic Couture, about my mosaic journey so far.
 Betty Rosen Ziff is a professional free lance mosaic artist, community builder and educator. Her work can be seen in Eagle Rock Park, the Tacoma Museum of Glass, Angels Gate Cultural Center and in private residences and collections nationwide.
 Jill Schulman is a sculptor, ceramic artist, and teacher. She began her work with clay while teaching in the 1980's and has developed her skills through studio work and teaching. Her tile work and sculptures appear in private homes on both coasts.
|
|
 Aida Valencia is an innovative visual artist born in San Diego and raised in Tijuana with a bicultural tendency. Her sculptures are characterized by the use of intense colors reflecting her Mexican roots in a contemporary form. Her life size works are full of color and movement. Aida uses copper, iron, glass, marble, semi-precious stones and recyclable materials.
Aida's works have been exhibited internationally and she has been the recipient of several awards, including The Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) 2008 Contemporary Mosaic Exhibition’s First Place award for her sculpture, “Imagination and Magic."
 I am Luz and my name means “Light” in Spanish. I work with a variety of materials; predominantly glass but also stone, precious metal, leafs and clay. The creative process allows me to find freedom, unification and purpose. I am glad to have the opportunity to participate in Piece by Piece. I enjoy, not only the enthusiasm of the participants, but their creativity, as well. In addition to sharing my art skills, it is wonderful to be able to communicate with many of the participants in Spanish. It always feels like home when I can speak my own language.
Hello, I’m Lillian Sizemore. I’ve been a professional artist for nearly 30 years, working in mixed-media mosaics since 1995. I bring a depth of knowledge from techniques to history, that allows students to engage with mosaics in a uniquely personal way. I’m a visiting artist at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu and the Institute of Mosaic Art in Oakland, I have a studio in Sausalito, CA. I am so happy to share my Mind’s Eye Mandala Workshop with Piece by Piece. The mosaic work coming from this talented group of artists is truly inspired and of the highest quality. I believe artful expression is a basic human need, and the creative imagination is a true healing force. [Read Lillian's account of teaching at Piece by Piece]
I’m Laurie Mika and I am a mixed media artist, author and workshop instructor. Over the years I developed a style of creating mosaics using handmade polymer clay tiles, jewelry parts, beads and found objects. My work has been published in numerous books and magazines and in 2007, my own book, “Mixed Media Mosaics” was published. In television, I have been featured on both HGTV and DIY. I thoroughly enjoy teaching and sharing the magic that is polymer clay!! Teaching has given me the opportunity to travel and meet incredibly creative and inspiring individuals around the world.
 My name is Ivan Jimenez. Piece by Piece is very important to me because I am able to share what I know and give back to the community. I am enriched and inspired by the talent of the artists in every workshop. Piece by Piece helps me to appreciate the difference art can make in people's lives. I was born in Mexico City and moved to the United States at the age of 12. I became an artist to learn and to convey the idea that knowledge is a primary source of any creative movement. My work consists of two dimensional art, installations, and performance art. In 2008, I created a gallery space for other artists in my community to show fine art.
|
