Chicago Mosaic School


The Chicago Mosaic School is a non-profit school that teaches mosaic art and design. It is located in Edgewater, Chicago on Chicago's North Side.

History

The Chicago Mosaic School was founded in 2005 by artist Karen Ami. While a student at the Art Institute of Chicago, Ami traveled to Italy in order to find a school that formally taught the art of mosaic. Upon her return to the U.S., she began teaching mosaics from her studio before opening the school in its current location. Ami served as the president of the Society of American Mosaic Artists.
The school is one of the only mosaic fine arts schools outside of Europe, with classrooms, a gallery, artists studios and shops. The faculty is made up of a permanent teaching staff, as well as a visiting collection of international contemporary mosaic artists.

Selected Exhibitions

In 2010, the school presented an exhibition entitled Artifacts & Ideas For a Nature Inspired Architecture. Representing eight local artists as well as visiting California artist James Hubbell, the exhibition included works in painting, sculpture, woodworking, mosaic, holography, stained glass and architectural concepts focused on the way man connects with the natural world.
In 2012, the school collaborated with the 47th Ward office of Chicago to produce Roots of Our Community, an art exhibit honoring the contributions made by senior citizens in the area. The same year, three members of the school faculty, Karen Ami, Matteo Randi and Sue Giannotti, took part in the Rencontres Internationales de Mosaique in Chartres, France.. Another member of the Chicago Mosaic Schools visiting faculty, Toyoharu Kii, was awarded an honorable mention.
In 2013, the school acquired 13,000 pounds of smalti glass left over from an installation in the cathedral basilica of Saint Louis.