Turkish mosaic lamp workshops are now running in Anderson, Indiana — and the local press just covered one. The Herald Bulletin's story on our Anderson pop-up described about a dozen guests setting glass and beads into their own Turkish-style mosaic lamps, with Turkish music playing and refreshments on the table. If you have been curious what actually happens in one of these sessions, that is the short version: roughly two and a half hours, no art background required, and a finished lamp you carry out the door. See upcoming Anderson workshop dates.
What did the press see at the Anderson workshop?
The piece — "Turkish mosaic lamp firm hosts workshop in Anderson," written by Caleb Amick for The Herald Bulletin in Anderson, Ind., and syndicated on Yahoo Life on July 20, 2026 — opens with a line we would happily put on the wall: "A taste of Turkish culture. That's what the Mosaic Art Studio sought to provide with a workshop in Anderson over the weekend." The session ran at the Best Western Plus in Anderson, with about 12 people working at the tables.
Sena Kurk, who led the Saturday class, explained where the whole idea comes from. "The people who started this, they were all from Turkey and they wanted to bring something from the culture here," she told the paper. That is the honest origin story. Mosaic Art Studio was not built as a craft-night concept with a Turkish theme bolted on afterward. It started with people who grew up around this art form and wanted to hand it to a wider audience the way they received it.
She also described the format plainly: "The workshop is like 2½ hours usually. We serve Turkish tea and Turkish Delight during the workshop." Those details matter more than they sound. The tea and the lokum are not garnish — they are how a Turkish host welcomes you, and they set the pace for a table where nobody is rushing.
Why is an Indianapolis studio running workshops in Anderson?
Because a 40-minute drive should not be the reason someone misses out. Our Indiana hub is the downtown Indianapolis studio, where we host mosaic lamp sessions on a regular schedule. The pop-ups exist to close the distance for everyone else in the state.
Sena put it directly in the interview: "After we opened in Indianapolis, we wanted other people in Indiana to access those workshops. Indy isn't that close, so we want people from other cities to join."
Anderson is one of four Indiana pop-up cities we currently run, alongside Columbus, Fishers and Carmel. The article also noted that we may add sessions in the West Lafayette area in the future — that one is still an idea rather than a date on the calendar, so watch the Indiana workshop collection for anything new.
The wider picture, as the piece noted, is that Mosaic Art Studio is an international operation with workshops in Hong Kong and Canada as well as across the United States. Indiana is one chapter of that, not a side project.
What is a Turkish mosaic lamp workshop, exactly?
It is a guided experience where you design and build a real mosaic lamp from coloured glass, beads and mirror pieces on a glass form. An instructor walks the room, the pattern is yours to choose, and the lamp is wired and finished so it lights up when you get it home.
No experience needed. Most guests have never done mosaic work before. The technique is taught in the first few minutes, and the rest of the session is design choices — which is the enjoyable part.
You leave with the lamp. This is not a class where the work goes into a kiln and comes back in three weeks. You finish it, you take it, you plug it in that night.
It is genuinely social. Two and a half hours at a shared table with music and tea is the sort of pacing that lets people actually talk to each other. Couples, friend groups, mother-and-daughter pairs and coworkers all handle it well.
The culture is part of the class, not decoration. The tea, the lokum, the music and the patterns come from the same place. Guests usually leave knowing something about where the art form comes from, not only how to glue glass.
How is this different from a paint-and-sip night?
Paint-and-sip venues do a good job at what they do, and there are plenty of them. The difference is what sits on your shelf afterwards. A mosaic lamp is a functional, handmade object with a tradition behind it — people ask about it, and you have an answer. It photographs well, it holds up, and it does not read as a souvenir of a fun evening. It reads as a piece you own.
The second difference is the material. Glass and light behave differently from paint on canvas. Even guests who describe themselves as "not creative" tend to end up with something they are pleased to display, because the colour and the light do a lot of the work once the lamp is switched on.
Where can you join a Mosaic Art Studio workshop in Indiana?
Every location below has its own page with live dates, session times and pricing:
- Indianapolis (studio): Mosaic workshops in Indianapolis, IN — our Indiana hub, running the fullest schedule.
- Anderson (pop-up): Mosaic workshops in Anderson, IN — the location featured in the article.
- Carmel (pop-up): Mosaic workshops in Carmel, IN
- Fishers (pop-up): Mosaic workshops in Fishers, IN
- Columbus (pop-up): Mosaic workshops in Columbus, IN
Pop-up dates are scheduled in batches rather than weekly, so if a city near you shows nothing this month, check again — new dates are added as venues confirm.
Can you book a private group?
Yes, and it is one of the most common requests we get in Indiana. Birthdays, bridal parties, team offsites, church groups, school and scout groups, and corporate away-days all work in this format, because the session gives everyone something to do with their hands while they talk. We bring the materials and the instructor to your venue for offsite events, or host the group at the studio.
If you are planning something for a group, start on the private events page and tell us the city, the headcount and the date you have in mind.
What if you cannot make a date?
Take the workshop home. Our DIY mosaic home kits include the glass, the adhesive, the form and the instructions, so you can build a lamp at your own kitchen table. They also travel well as gifts for anyone who has been meaning to try something like this and never quite booked it.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Turkish mosaic lamp workshop?
About two and a half hours, as Sena described in the article. That includes the demonstration at the start, the build itself, and the finishing step. Arriving five to ten minutes early helps, since the instructor introduces the technique to the whole table at once.
Do I need any art experience?
None. The majority of our guests have never worked with mosaic before. The instructor teaches the method at the beginning and stays on the floor for the whole session, so help is always a few steps away. The choices you make are about colour and pattern, not technical skill.
Do I take the lamp home the same day?
Yes. Your lamp is finished and wired during the session, so you leave with it. There is no firing period and no return trip. Handle it carefully on the way home and it is ready to plug in that evening.
Where is the Anderson workshop held?
The session covered in the article ran at the Best Western Plus in Anderson. Because Anderson is a pop-up rather than a permanent studio, the venue is confirmed for each date — always check the address on the Anderson workshop page before you travel.
Is food and drink included?
Turkish tea and Turkish delight are served during the workshop, as part of the experience rather than as an add-on. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, mention it when you book and we will make sure there is something for you.
Can children join?
Age policies vary by location and session type, since the work involves glass pieces and adhesive. Check the details on the specific city page you are booking, or contact us before booking a family group so we can point you to the right session.
Come make one
A local reporter walked into a hotel in Anderson, watched a dozen strangers build lamps for two and a half hours, and left with a story about Turkish culture. That is roughly what the experience does to people — it turns an evening into something you keep talking about, and something you keep.
Find a date near you on the Indiana workshops page, or browse every city we run in on our workshop locations page. If you are bringing a group, the private events team will handle the rest.
Source: Caleb Amick, "Turkish mosaic lamp firm hosts workshop in Anderson," The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind., July 20, 2026; syndicated on Yahoo Life. Quotes from Sena Kurk are reproduced as they appeared in the article.