CMA2 Conference and Community Project, March 2026

The 2026 CMA2 Conference took place in Albuquerque, NM on March 4-8. I was honored to lead the community project during the conference, which was donated to the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy. The design is a set of giant hands reaching sideways on the wall behind the reception desk:

We gathered donations from the CMA2  and ASLA communities, so there was a smorgasbord of materials to work with. The mosaic is mixed media and highly textured, with thinset and grout tinted to match the color fields, uniting the design.

Participants rotated through, joining in the creation of this project, which was completed in three days. We installed it at the end of the conference, and I was still cleaning it up when I had to leave for the airport. Artists from Groove ArtSpace in Albuquerque were tasked with applying the finishing touches.

My first mosaic conference was in 2009, a Society of American Mosaics summit that took place in San Diego. It is a big investment to fly to another city, plus hotel and conference fee. But it was such an amazing, mind-blowing experience that I have made it a priority to attend as often as possible. I am certain I would not be a full-time mosaic artist if not for the resources, support and inspiration I gained from intensively communing with other mosaic geeks. Most years, I have not taken workshops, but I benefitted greatly from activities included in the basic fee like seminars, panel discussions and presentations. Working alongside more experienced artists in the community mosaic room was an invaluable learning opportunity. Viewing the exhibition in real life is completely different from seeing it online. The 2026 conference was another fantastic experience. 

Here’s a short video about the conference and the project made by New Mexico PBS: https://youtu.be/FEOLP2qyhjk?si=lFGbNrv_gjeW_cO0