2017 Reading for the Love to It conference

I had a table at the Reading for the Love of It conference, at The Toronto Sheraton Centre, Thursday and Friday. I was promoting/selling my mosaic workshop + author/artist visit to teachers and librarians from all over Ontario and Canada. They are a very  enthusiastic and passionate bunch! 

"definitely the friendliest trade show going" - a fellow exhibitor.

And when there was a lull in the traffic flow I worked on ideas for my next book:)

Latest work; Frog Prince, finished!

FROG PRINCE

Finished.

The process.

Hillary would be proud!

I spent this morning doing a mosaic workshop at Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ontario with 19 lovely, bright, enthusiastic grade 11 art students - "women of tomorrow".

Trafalgar Castle School is a warm and welcoming community with a history of educating girls and young women since 1874. We are a proud part of Whitby, and welcome students from across Durham Region, the Greater Toronto Area, and around the world.

Given today's date (the day after a very polarized American election) I was left thinking -

 "Hillary would be proud!"

October!

It's that time of year again...

Interested in have me visit your school or library with my Magic of Mosaics presentation? Let me know!

New work - finished!

Mosaics take a long time. So everytime I finish one I do a little happy dance. This Portrait of Kate was made with stained glass. My first time using stained glass. I love it! More stained glass work to come:)

In progress.

Stained Glass🎉

Excited to get started on cutting these stunning sheets of glass!
A before and after to follow:)

Local Library Visit

Today I did an Author Reading at my first library ~ The McLaughlin Public Library in Oshawa.
Sharing the magic of mosaics:)

Author Visits♡

In February I had a table at The Reading for the Love of It Conference. After which I contacted (emailed) many of the Teachers and Librarians that I met with the hope of setting up Author Visits showcasing my Magic of Mosaics presentation, at their schools. I really had no idea if any of them would be interested in what I had to offer...
Since then I've visited 13 schools in the GTA and the feedback from the teachers and kids has been wonderful! Apparently I have something to offer:)
At the end of the summer I'll be sending out a new wave of emails which will hopefully lead to more invites and more visits, which means more sharing of the Magic of Mosaics.

This very big thank you card came to me thru snail mail. It made my day.

Six Owls and A Party goes (back) to Brampton!

A big thanks to Fernforest Public School for inviting me to share Six Owls and A Party + my mosaic workshop with eight grade 3 classes over the last three days (it's a big school!). Every class had a great bunch of kids - engaged, thoughtful and very polite!

Six Owls and Party goes to Mississauga!

I was at Saint Bernadette Elementary School in Mississauga today with my Magic of Mosaics presentation. Apparently I set up in just the right spot this morning😳

Location, location, location...

Six Owls and A Party goes to Peterborough!

I was at Armour Heights Public School in Peterborough, Ontario today with my Author Visit + Mosaic Workshop.
After the reading of Six Owls and A Party this grade 1/2 class had a ton of questions:)

The Batman Owl!

Accessing their work.

Clever + Enthusiastic Kids!

For the last two days I've been at Cardinal Newman Elementary School in Brampton, Ontario with my Magic of Mosaics presentation - such an enthusiastic bunch!

I loved that this girl kept using the window as a lightbox - so clever!

Six Owls and A Party goes to Brampton

Read to some big crowds today!
Thank you Saint Mary Elementary School for inviting me to share Six Owls and A Party + my mosaic workshop with your very enthusiastic audiences ranging from JK/SK to grade 4.

'Works in progress' by the JK/SKs

Six Owls and A Party goes to Guelph

I read Six Owls and A Party to a big crowd today - 4 JK/SK classes + 3 grade one classes.
My Author Visit took me to Guelph, Ontario where I shared my passion and (maybe) nurtured some future (mosaic) Artists:)

My Author Visits continue...

I shared my passion with three very attentive groups today. My Author Visit and Mosaic Workshop was with Junior and Senior Kindergarten classes in Whitby, Ontario. They were wonderful and such amazing sponges - soaking up every detail!!!

Highlight of the day: While packing up my stuff a little boy came over to me, looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Thank you Karen Johnston, have a great weekend".

Thank you Ormiston PS, for making my work day not feel like a work day:)

New work, in progress

I've been working on a new piece with material that I've never used before - stained glass:)
The upside to working with stained glass is that it comes in so many beautiful/stunning colours plus it's very easy to cut and grind.
The down side to working with stained glass (actually there is no down side) the problem is that I've been cutting such small pieces - when I grind them I have to get really close to the grinder, resulting in some pretty messed up fingers and nails:(

For the love of mosaics I'm soldiering on (lol)...
P.S. Katie is officially my Muse:)

Yeah! Another Author Visit + mosaic workshop

For this Author Visit I shared my passion for mosaics with three grade 1 classes and two grade 2 classes in Mississauga, Ontario. I read Six Owls and A Party, chatted about mosaics and sold some books. It was a good day made even better when the Librarian purchased a copy for the school's library:)

They were all ears while I explained my mosaic process.

They like to touch and they can:)

Princess Kate

Mosaic Portrait, Princess Kate, March 2016. 

My Process, in 10 easy steps

1. Find a Muse.

2. Draw an outline

3. Paint a plan.

4. Cut lots of glass tiles. 

5. Over think where to stick glass tiles down. 

6. Cut more glass tiles.

7. Cut some fingers.  

8. Stick more glass tiles down.

9. Add bandaids on the shopping list.

10. Finish, smile, start thinking about the next one:)

@ The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

Exciting News!
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, in Oshawa, is selling hard and soft copies of Six Owls and A Party plus my owl note cards, bookmarks and pendants. Their Shop, full of Canadian made creations, is on the main floor and to the left when you enter (in case you were thinking of going:)