b'CASE STUDY toleadALMA.HerlovefortilefromherNativeandMexican wasignitedbyhergrandfatherroots. When a teacher discouraged who, after retiring as an engineer her, she lost momentum for a while became a tile fanatic, Paz-Pedrountil she rediscovered tile designs said.Heboughtscraptileandfrompotteryin2009thatcoin-mosaics,andtiledEVERYTHINGcided with her teaching, and then in the housewalls, floors, gardenherceramicworkstartedtakingas a hobby. off. Through her involvement with Paz-Pedro started making tile inALMA, shes helped lead projects college, pieces she could hang onaroundAlbuquerqueandalsoin thewallthatincorporatedmotifsLas Cruces, N.M.(U.l. to r.) Vanessa Alvarado (Lead Artist), Tori Lucero (Lead Apprentice), Jai Salazar (Apprentice), Atom Vigil (Apprentice) and Jacquelyn Yepa (Apprentice). Members of the team not pictured are Jaqueline De La Cruz (Lead Apprentice), Margarita Paz-Pedro (Lead Artist) and Cassandra Reid (Lead Artist).92TileLetter | September 2020'