Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacia Goodman.
Stacia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been creative and imaginative, even as a child. But I had no access to the arts until well into college. In between a career in marketing communications and raising three kids, I took a mosaic class. From there, I practiced late into the night in our old basement cellar, making small things, like mosaic frames, flower pots and jewelry. I made my first large-scale mosaic in 2008 at my kids’ elementary school (I had the audacity to suggest a two-story tree!) After that — and enduring much rejection — I slowly won local projects and built a portfolio that led to winning public art projects and working for art consultants throughout the U.S. A cornerstone of my public art practice is advocating for, and facilitating, community engagement to empower communities to select and own the narrative.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Resilience and tenacity are my secret powers. You need that growing up poor in rural Northern Minnesota. Early in my art practice, my struggles were primarily trying to balance the demands of life, including paying the bills. As I became more successful and my mosaic hobby grew into a high-stakes business, my struggles changed. Now, I need to understand contracts, copyright law, insurance requirements, how to scale up, and how to hold my own on male-dominated construction sites..
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a professional mixed-media mosaic artist specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of contemporary mosaic art, both interior and exterior, primarily in public spaces. I also do select residential commissions. My motto is, “Capture the story of your space.” My work is known for its custom design, bright colors, and use of mixed-media materials (tile, glass, found objects), as well as size. I’ve created a clever way to install mosaics as large as two-stories, and I do architectural installations on walls, columns, floors, seating, etc.
Besides my creativity, what sets me apart is my professionalism. I understand client relations, project management, budgeting, marketing, and educating people about the mosaic medium and my work. I’m also an advocate for public artists’ rights.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’ve overcome tremendous odds to get to where I am today. I grew up poor in a trailer house in rural Northern Minnesota. My mom and stepdad ran a mom-and-pop gas station, and we pretty much lived off the land, growing our own food and heating our house with wood. It was hard work. My older sister and I were the first in our family to break a cycle of dysfunction and attend college.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://StaciaGoodmanMosaics.com
- Instagram: Stacia Goodman Mosaics
- Facebook: Stacia Goodman Mosaics
- Youtube: Stacia Goodman @staciagoodman7411
