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Public Projects, Commissions & Installations

  •  “Tree of Life Project” Congregation Agudas Achim and other locations, community project (touring) to honor the lives lost at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. 2019

  •   “Healing Garden Sign”, Seton Ascension Williamson, 2x3’, created as community project with hospital staff, 4/2019

  •   “Remembrance Ceremony Trees of Life”, Series of 10 mosaics to be completed between 2019-2024 to  honor the memory of beloved family members.  Seton Ascension Williamson Medical Center.

  •  Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Partnering Program. 2019-2020 Expert Consultant and instructor for mosaic installation on Steck Avenue Bridge.

  •  “Falling Leaves”  Windermere, Ontario. Community installation for New Baldwin’s Resort, August 2018 Artist in Residence program.

  •  “Missouri Fish” Outdoor fountain basin installation, Van Buren, MO  July 2018

  •  “Destiny: All is Connected” Clauiano Mosaic Symposium, Clauiano, Italy June-July 2017 3’x6’ sculptural mosaic for Picéch Winery, Cormons, Italy

  •    Recreation Center Mandala Project, Rama, Ontario, Canada 3’x3’ round mosaic medallion for recreation center created as a community project with children from Chippewas of Rama First Nation. July 2017

  •  “Bathing Nude”, Austin, TX 2’x5’ installation, private residence. May 2017

  •   “Eyes”, Austin, TX 1.5’x3.5’ outdoor installation, private residence. April 2017

  •   Inset Mosaic Bench for Cob House, Georgetown, Texas  90 square feet. December 2016

  •   The Austin School of Mosaic Art 4x10' community mosaic mural, November 2016

  •   “Enchanted Forest”, Van Buren, MO. 95 square foot mosaic spa tub enclosure.  Completed September 2016

  •  “Community Visions”, Rama, Ontario, Canada  3’x4’ community mural featuring individual works of art in glass and tile.  Chippewas of Rama First Nation.  July 2016

  • "Reflections of Muskoka", Port Carling, Ontario, Canada.  12'x3' Community Mural featuring glass, mirror, stone.   On display at Muskoka Place Gallery.  August 2015

  • "Art Bra Austin" fundraiser auction for the Breast Cancer Resource Center.  Wearable mosaic bras featured in runway fundraiser show.  2011-2020. My entries consistently bring in high prices in live auction.  2015 Featured bra.

  • "BCS Championship Longhorn" 2014 Mack, Jack and McConaughey Gala fundraiser sculptural mosaic longhorn.  Unveiled at Austin City Hall, displayed at UT Country Club, and auctioned at MJ&M gala at Moody Theatre.  Raised a record $250,000 for children's charities.

  • "Exquisite Galaxy" glass mosaic ceiling, "Sacred Honu", floor insert, and "Enchanted Night", walls for spa bathroom. Van Buren, MO Private residence January 2012-present

  • "Swimming Pool Mosaics", private residence, Austin, TX. 16SF compass rose & 3SF underwater scene.

  • "Smither Park Memory Wall", Houston, TX. Lead Artist.  Coordinated team of international mosaic artists to create three 25SF mixed media recycled material mosaic niches for 400' memory wall in Smither Park.  Spring 2014

  • "Unfurled" A collaborative outdoor mosaic mural.  Ciel Gallery, Charlotte, NC. 2014

  • "Pet Therapy Mosaic Wall" at the Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, TX.  26 foot mosaic wall community project with Austin Mosaic Guild.  Co-Director and featured artist.  May 2013

  • "Corporate Gifts" for Whole Kids Foundation, Austin, TX. 2013

  • “Gilded Lily” CowParade Austin entry.  Life-sized 3D mosaic displayed at 9th and Congress July-October 2011. Raised $31,000  at November 2011 auction to benefit the Superhero Kids Fund at Dell Children's Hospital.

  • “Apollo’s Stallions” 4’x6’ exterior smalti mural at private residence.  May 2011

  • “Ocean(egg)raphy" Large-scale 4-part mosaic installation at private residence. 600 sf.  Winner of prestigious “Best Architectural” Award in 2010 Mosaic Arts International Juried Exhibition  2008-2009

  • Jesus Christ Superstar  “Maria Magdalena” 16sf glass mosaic.  Stage production at Zachary Scott Theatre in Austin, TX featuring mosaic art panels as set design.  May-July 2007.

  • “Children’s Wall of Kites” Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria.  Collaborative project with Anna Borne and children at The Art School at Laguna Gloria  2008

  • “GuitarTown Austin”  10-foot-tall Mosaic Guitar Sculpture “Striking Texas Gold”, signed by the Dixie Chicks.  Displayed in downtown Austin November 2006-Fall 2007. Raised $55,000 in auction to benefit local charities.

  • “…who spoke this earth so glad and big”  6.5sf mosaic wall hanging.  Private Residence, Dewittville, NY  Dec 2006

  • “Austin Green Gates” Public Art Project  February-May 2006.  Created & implemented design for 12’ “gate” featured in citywide art project with Austin Green Art.   Honorarium awarded (1 of 3) 

  •  “Underwater Mural” Forest North Elementary  (Round Rock ISD) 5th Grade Project.  April-May 2005.  Conception of project, materials selection, instruction, and oversight of approximately 100 students for 36 sq. ft. mosaic mural.

  • “Harmony” Doorway Arch for the Wilde residence, Georgetown, TX.  Commission for installation in naturally-constructed cob house featured in several books and publications.  2005

  • Mosaic House Signs, commissioned by Sandra Guthrie, Realtor, Chicago, IL 2004

Select Exhibitions & Shows

  • Contemporary Mosaic Exhibit, The Hive/Bee Cave Arts Foundation, Bee Cave, TX. 2020

  • Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Mosaic Exhibit, January-March 2020

  • Georgetown Art Center, Contemporary Mosaics, November-January 2019-2020. Awarded Best in Show for Exposed The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden and Museum: Texas Society of Sculptors Museum Day Exhibit, September 2019

  • Georgetown Public Library, Texas Society of Sculptors Summer Exhibit, Summer 2019

  • Muskoka Place Gallery, Artist in Residence Exhibit, Port Carling, ON July-August 2019

  • 100 Moments in Mosaic, November 2018-May 2019 Chicago, IL and Nashville, TN

  • “The North” Canadian Annual Mosaic Exhibition, November 2018, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

  • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.  Austin Mosaic Guild Juried  Members Exhibition, Summer 2018

  • Casa Della Musica, Grado, Italy July-August 2017 “Destiny: All Is Connected”

  • Jazz and Wine Peace Festival, Cormòns, Italy  “Destiny: All Is Connected”, September 2017

  • Mosaica: An Ancient Tradition, A Modern Translation.  J Gallery, Dell Jewish Community Center, Austin, 2017

  • Mosaic Art Salon at the American Mosaic Summit, San Diego, CA. April 2016

  • Texas Society of Sculptors Exhibit, Georgetown, TX.  Summer 2015  Awarded first place for "Emergence" limestone sculpture with 24K gold mosaic inlay.

  • Perpetual Visions.   Hue Gallery, Wichita, KS.  Summer 2015. Invitational mandala exhibit.

  • Mosaica: An Ancient Tradition, A Modern Translation.  J Gallery, Dell Jewish Community Center, Austin, TX. 2014

  • Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.  Invitational Exhibit: Retrospective. Featuring favorite art from 10 years of exhibits.  December 2012

  • Art in Pieces and Reasonable & Seasonal Juried Exhibitions.  Mystic, CT and Putnam, CT  2010

  • Awarded Best in Show: Reasonable and Seasonal Exhibit.

  • Mosaic Arts International, Smith Museum of Stained Glass, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

  • Juried Exhibition, Awarded "Best Architectural" 2010

  • ArtROM Gallery, Rome, Italy

  • Mandala: Unity in Diversity International Symposium  Online Exhibit 2009-2010

  • Mosaic Arts International, Miami, FL 

  • Juried Exhibition, Architectural Category, April 2008 

  • An Ancient Language: A Modern Translation, Garland, TX,  Juried Exhibition, October-November 2007 & 2009

  • Texas State Capitol Rotunda, “Visual Journeys”, October 2005

  • LIT, Oklahoma City, OK  Mosaic Art Exhibition    January - April 2006

  • Caladan Gallery, Beverly, MA  “Mandalas: Maps of Conscious Order”  Nov-Dec 2005

  • Austin Design Center at Penn Field: Juried Exhibition, March 2007

  • Creative Arts Society Exhibition  Austin, TX  October-November 2006

  • Studio 2600 Gallery:  Bits & Pieces  Dallas, TX  Juried Exhibition, September-October 2006

  • “Beneath the Surface” Chicago, IL, International Juried Exhibition,      Architectural Category, March 2006

  • American Mosaic Project Pieces of Life.  Traveling Exhibit.  2004-2006  Irving Arts Center, Irving, TX;  1111 Sculpture Space Gallery, Washington, DC; High Risk Gallery, Chicago, IL

  • Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. December 2004-2009

Teaching Experience: Classes & Workshops

American Mosaic Summit 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020: Sacred Geometry and Mandala Design, From Concept to Completion: Exploring the Creative Process

Visiting Artist: Toronto, Ontario, Asheville, NC, Santa Barbara, CA, Eugene, OR, Seattle, WA, Philadelphia, PA, Denver, CO, Orlando, FL, Tucson, AZ, Nashville, TN, Minneapolis, MN, Boston, MA

Artist in Residence: Cleveland's House, Muskoka, Ontario, CA, New Baldwin’s Resort, Windermere, Ontario, CA

Artistic Director and Mosaic Instructor: The Austin School of Mosaic Art

Online courses through Mosaic Arts Online, Santa Barbara, CA

Mosaic Instructor:  The Art School of the Contemporary Austin

Mosaic Instructor:  The Art School of The Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria 

Mosaic Instructor: Blue Moon Glassworks, Artisan Stained Glass, Helios Kiln Glass Studio

Community project instructor/coordinator at various schools, public and private organizations.

Publications/Publicity

  • Feature Article/art for Mosaique Magazine, France: Canadian Annual Mosaic Exhibit, January 2019

  • Feature article for Society of American Mosaic Artists publication “Groutline”: “2017 Clauiano Mosaic Symposium: 9 Artists, 9 Sponsors, 2 Weeks”, January 2018

  • Feature article for The Laurel magazine, Asheville, NC, February 2017

  • Photo story, Bracebridge Examiner, August 2016, Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

  • Featured art for Art Bra Austin 2015, The Breast Cancer Resource Center of Central Texas

  • Laticrete, International  2010-2014  "Ocean(egg)raphy", " Light Spirals".  Advertising, print material, and Press Release featuring images of my work in US and Italian publications. 

  • Examiner.com  April 2010  "An eggs-traordinary mosaic architectural installation by Dianne Sonnenberg”

  • Society of American Mosaic Artists Magazine: Groutline. "The Shape of Things To Come" feature article, Summer 2009

  • Austin American Statesman: “A Si Change for Jesus Christ Superstar”. featured art, May 2007

  • Varied coverage of Austin GuitarTown Public Art Project, including a KVUE-TV interview, Austin American-Statesman feature article, River City Renaissance, Austin Woman, Austin BizJournal, Austin Chronicle, etc.

  • KVUE-TV News:  GuitarTown Unveiling Interview  11/27/2006

  • KXAN-TV News:  GuitarTown Sneak Peek  “Featured Artist” 8/22/2006

  • 2006 Mandalas “Page-A-Day” Calendar: Publication by Workman Publishing.

  • Hutto Business Update, Feature Article, July-August 2006

  • Round Rock Talented & Gifted Association Newsletter: TagLine Feature Article, September 2004  www.rrtaga.org/news/

  • Featured art:  Interfaith Arts Festival, Austin, TXwww.interfaitharts.com/

  • Featured art:  Austin Green Builders website www.ci.austin.tx.us/greenbuilder/downloads/pillar.htm

Education

Bachelor of Arts-Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI  1982

Extensive studies with mosaic artists, educators, fine artists and sculptors from all over the world. 2003-2019 (details available upon request)

The Art School-The Austin Museum Of Art At Laguna Gloria - TX  Austin 2003

Awards and Recognition

2019: Best in Show: Contemporary Mosaics Juried Exhibit, Georgetown Art Center, Georgetown, TX

2018: Best 3D Mosaic, Canadian Annual Mosaic Exhibit, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

2017: Clauiano Mosaic Symposium, Clauiano, Italy  Selected Artist

2015 Texas Society of Sculptors Exhibit, Georgetown, TX  First Place for "Emergence"

2010 Reasonable and Seasonable Exhibit, Putnam, CT  “Best in Show”

2010 Mosaic Arts International, Chicago, IL   Winner:  Best Architectural Mosaic

2006 Mosaic Photo Challenge Winner:  “Sunset from Oz”   MosaicArtists.org

Honorarium:  Austin Green Gates Public Art Design Competition  February 2006 

Design Award for Green Gates Exhibit, Austin Green Art. Gallery Lombardi, Austin, TX

3rd Place:  Mosaic of the Year 2005  “El Sol Azteca” Mosaic Mandala       MosaicArtists.org

Memberships and  Affiliations

Artistic Director: The Austin School of Mosaic Art 2016-2019

Society of American Mosaic Artists Professional Member 2006-Present

Texas Society of  Sculptors (Board Member 2019-Present)                      

Austin Mosaic Guild (President, 2012-2014, Board Member 2012-Present)

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