Mosaics

Be very careful if you decide to embark on a DIY project. It could change your life forever. In 1987, fashion designer Karen Thompson was restoring her home and taught herself the ancient craft of mosaics. It became her career, replacing fabric and buttons with ceramic and glass.

Born in the city of Sarajevo in 1924, now the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ilana Shafir knew from an early age she was an artist, though her parents were less than enthusiastic. As Shafir remembers, "In those days to be an artist was not a proper career choice for a woman." Her studies at the High School for Architecture were disrupted by the Nazi invasion of 1941. Shafir and her family escaped to the small town of Kula, where they miraculously found protection.

Day two and after a dose of rest I hurried back to the convention center, thanks in part to a stiff wind carrying me along, for another look at the fantastic work on display at the American Craft Council's show. After 33 years, word gets around and once again, the crowds showed up, keen to see more high-end craft. The weekend seemed to draw more people so it was a bit of a challenge to navigate through the aisles but the anticipation of meeting and speaking with the artists spurred me on.