Handmade Tile Association Newsletter

S P O T L I G H T on artists and events

March
2015

Our 16th Year

Welcome to the March 2015 spotlight on Handmade Tile Association artists. We feature two to three tile artists every month, plus links and resources (at right) to many of the tile events, gallery shows, and workshops featured around the country.

B.A. Schmidt Arts & Enterprises, Inc.

Barbara Schmidt
Highland Park, Illinois

Barbara Schmidt, artist and president of B.A. Arts & Enterprises, is located in Highland Park, Illinois, where she creates unique handmade porcelain tiles inspired by nature, classic children's illustrations and the Arts & Crafts' movement.

Barbara is a member of the Tile Heritage Foundation (an archival library and resource center), the Tile Council of North America and The Handmade Tile Association. In 2010, B.A. Schmidt Arts won the Coverings Select Award for Best Artisan Tile (pdf).

"Peacock" inspired by William Morris Tapestry, 4" x 8" tiles

William Morris' Forest Tapestry was woven in 1887 and shown at the 1890 Arts & Crafts Exhibition. The animals on the tapestry, including the peacock above, were from sketches by Phillip Webb, an architect that worked with Morris. The flowers were designed by John Henry Dearle, a stained glass designer who trained under Morris. The original tapestry is now hanging in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The peacock tiles, above, are available in multiple colors, meticulously decorated, or with a matte brown stain or a cobalt blue glaze. They are shown in a 8 x 12" classic Arts & Crafts' quarter-sawn, white oak frame. Both the tiles and the frames are made to order, so please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

"White Hare" 4" x 8"

B.A. Schmidt Arts' tiles are completely handmade. The image is first molded in clay, creating a "master" from which a plaster mold is made. To produce tiles, clay is hand pressed into the mold and then removed, before drying and bisque firing. Finally, the tiles are hand painted with ceramic stains and/or glazes before a final firing, to maturity, which vitrifies the clay body.

"Peter Crying" inspired by
Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, 4" x 4"

B.A. Schmidt Arts' tiles are perfect for a kitchen backsplash, bathroom, or a fireplace surround. They mix beautifully with a wide variety of stone and commercially available field tiles.

See Barbara in person at the 17th Annual Moravian Tile Festival
in Doylestown, PA, May 16-17th, the Barrington Illinois Art Festival, May 23rd-24th, the Evanston Art & Big Fork Festival Sept 18-20th and the One of A Kind Show at the Chicago Merchandise Mart, Dec. 3rd-5th.

- Contact -
B.A. Schmidt Arts & Enterprises, Inc.
Barbara Schmidt

Highland Park, IL 60035

847-432-5679

www.baschmidtartstiles.com

Email: Barbara@baschmidtartstiles.com

Houzz: www.houzz.com/pro/baschmidtarts
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/bas2585
Showrooms: baschmidtartstiles.com/Locateadealer

Drumboden Tiles

Lecy Campbell
Johnson City, Tennessee

Lecy Campbell studied at the University of Tennessee and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking in 1991. Ceramics classes were an enjoyable alternative to her concentration and provided the basis for the craft that would later become Drumboden Tiles.

After graduation, Lecy moved to Chicago, where she pursued several of her passions, ranging from the commercial film industry to Great Lakes sailing. Several years after moving back to her home state of Tennessee, Lecy installed a kiln in her basement and started her own business of handmade tiles.

"Lotus" backsplash in Hilton Head, South Carolina

Lecy was featured in an interview in February 2014 by the Johnson City Press. They include a photo of her holding one of her very successful abstract tile designs, "Starburst," while at the bottom of the article they include nine more tile images. In "A Calling to the Kiln," Lecy shares her enthusiasm for making unique tile molds from scratch as well as her determination to understand the history of her craft. It's obvious her work has been attracting attention right from the start.

Kitchen in Barberry Road, South Carolina

This handcrafted Arabesque ceramic relief tile is pressed from a plaster mold designed and made by Lecy. Each tile is made from mid-range stoneware with hand-painted ceramic glazes added prior to firing to over 2300 degrees. Each center relief tile is just under 6" x 6" to allow for a grout line.

Custom glazes and design services are available to put together a personal look for a one-of-a-kind backsplash. Please contact Lecy, with any questions for design ideas or for a quote for your project.

"Tree of Life" Mosaic, Johnson City, Tennessee

This tree mosaic backsplash is 24" wide by 28" tall, not including the 1" trim. Featured in both Houzz and on Etsy for purchase.

Lecy will be at the Carousel Fine Craft Show at Kingsport, TN on March 20th-22nd. She also participates in Handmade Here in Knoxville, TN, an annual show committed to advancing handmade crafts in Tennessee. The Handmade Here show is an annual event with the three eastern chapters in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Northeast Tennessee.

New! from Drumboden Tiles: ceramic cabinet knobs! Add a splash of color and creativity to any kitchen with these beautiful knobs. Follow Lecy on Facebook, to watch as new items appear.

- Contact Info -
Drumboden Tiles
Lecy Campbell

Johnson City, TN 37604
773-882-1084

www.drumbodentiles.com

Email: lecycampbell@hotmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DrumbodenTiles
Shop: www.drumbodentiles.com/store
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/DrumbodenTiles
Houzz: houzz.com/pro/lecybug1/drumboden-tiles

Did these artists spark your interest for your tile project or tile collection? If so, contact them to let them know what you like about their work. Sign up for their mailing lists and/or social media. One of the best ways to support handmade tile is to share your favorite tile artists with friends and colleagues. Be a tile maven and help spread the word!