Chicago artist Jim Bachor adapts the mosaic, an art form that dates to at least the third millennium BC, and applies it to contemporary American life. From junk food to potholes to breakfast cereal, his vibrant work permanently locks into mortar unexpected concepts drawn from the present. Using the same materials, tools, and methods of the craftsmen of antiquity, he creates mosaics that speak of modern things, but in an ancient voice. By harnessing and exploiting the limitations of this indestructible technique, Bachor’s work continually surprises the viewer, while challenging long-held notions of what a mosaic should be. Jim’s work has been included in juried shows throughout the country and his pothole art project has attracted world-wide attention since 2013. Recent public art commissions include “thrive,” a 700+ square foot mosaic installed at the Chicago Transit Authority’s Thorndale Red Line station and “RUN CHI” located within Niketown in downtown Chicago. In 2017 Bachor’s work was featured on CBS Sunday Morning, Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine and on the cover of the March issue of Chicago Magazine. Jim was the 2016 UCDA Foundation Krider Prize for Creativity recipient. Created in 2009, the Krider Prize for Creativity honors exceptional creativity wherever it may be found. Recognizing that designers draw their inspiration and influences from a broad range of fields and experiences, the Krider Prize provides access for UCDA members to a variety of creative people and organizations.