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Handmade Tile Association Newsletter
S P O T L I G H T on artists and events
February 2016

 

 

Our 17th Year



Welcome to the February 2016 spotlight on Handmade Tile Association artists. We are featuring three tile artists this month, plus links and resources (at right) to many of the tile events, gallery shows, and workshops featured around the country. 

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Drumboden Tiles
Lecy Campbell
Johnson City, TN

  
Lecy Campbell, the artist behind Drumboden Tiles, graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in printmaking before moving to Chicago.  Several years after returning to her home state of Tennessee, Lecy installed a kiln in her basement and started her own handmade tile business.

Because of the handcrafted nature of her work, each of her tiles is unique. All of her tiles are made in the USA, are non-toxic and lead free. 

Back splash 4" x 8" floral tiles 

The focal point above is approximately 20 inches by 14 inches high, and is framed with dark blue field tiles 2 inch square and 1 inch by 2 inches. 

See this and other back splash installations on her gallery page.  Lecy and her tiles were featured last July on Terrys Fabrics Designer Insights.

"Starburst" 12" x 17" 
 
The process of making these tiles is labor intensive.  First, a
plaster mold is poured around the original tile, which is lost in the making of the mold. Next, clay is hammered into the mold and then popped out, producing a replica of the original. Each tile is painstakingly dried for several weeks, involving careful attention, rotation, and coddling to ensure that no cracks form and the tiles do not warp.

After the drying process, tiles are bisque-fired at a low temperature.  Ceramic glazes are then hand painted on before glaze-firing the painted tile in a kiln. This fuses the glaze to the stoneware, creating a lasting piece of ceramic art. 
 
"Lotus" with ceramic trim 15" x 15" 

Drumboden tiles are all original designs by Lecy, inspired by her many passions including sailing, Italian food, Moorish designs from Morocco and classic Batchelder tiles.   Check out her Facebook page to see more of her finished installations, including a custom fireplace surround, cabinet knobs and art tiles.  

Lecy enjoys working with clients, designing custom projects for them, based on what they envision.  For your own, unique kitchen back splash, bathroom or fireplace surround, get started by sending in your ideas and measurements to Drumboden Tiles today.  Click here for more details.

  
Contact Information:
Drumboden Tiles
Lecy Campbell
112 Barberry Road, #28
Johnson City, TN 37604
773-882-1084
 
 
Weaver Tile 
Scott Weaver 
Horton, Michigan

  
Scott Weaver is the founder of Weaver Tile, located in a scenic wetland that provides continued inspiration and natural source materials in Michigan.  His studio is located in a barn that he purchased, moved to his property and rebuilt.

Five-paneled mural in a school lobby, 11.5 ft x 40 in.

The outdoors works into Scott's ceramics in ways both large and small.  Featured in the multi-tiled mural above are the trees and grasses that can be found in rural areas, as well as 26 different children, talking, reading, running, tumbling and jumping.  The mural is located in a school lobby dedicated to quieter activities, bringing the outside in.

The mural is approximately 11 and a half feet wide by about 40 inches high and is framed in oak.

"Marsh" kitchen back splash 24" x 32" 

The marsh panel above is a verdigris green glaze with a brown tone over top.  It's framed with 2 by 4 inch field tiles in a red/chocolate glaze.  Like much of Scott's work, the marsh grass tiles are individually sized to accommodate the natural scenes they represent.

"Trailing Dogwood Fireplace" with 6" x 6" decorative tiles  

Framing tiles on this fireplace are 1 1/4 by 4 inch liners around the outside and 2 by 2 inch field tiles around the firebox, all in #520, a golden brown glaze.  For more fireplaces in a variety of patterns, check out his Fireplace installations page. 
 
Weaver Tile was featured in the Winter 2016 issue of Arts & Crafts Homes and the Revival.  See another view of this fireplace (scroll down) and a close up of "Hops," a relief tile detail highlighted in the article. 

Weaver Tile is in many galleries in Michigan and across the US and have been sold overseas to collectors in Japan, Switzerland and the Netherlands.  Whether you are looking for a custom designed fireplace, a welcome sign for your foyer or a distinctive, oak-framed triptych, Weaver Tile has it all.

  
Contact Information:
Weaver Tile
Scott Weaver
12000 Sutfin Road
Horton, MI 49246
517-529-4621
 
Email:  [email protected]
 Gallery List:  weavertile.com/links
Sturgeon River Gallery:  sturgeonriver.com/tile
 

North Prairie Tileworks, Inc.
Roger Mayland
Minneapolis, Minnesota

  
North Prairie Tileworks (NPT) was started in 1992 to create custom handmade tile with an emphasis on Arts & Crafts designs using a wide range of glazes.

NPT continues to develop glazes and fire them in their mid-range electric kilns and in a high-fire gas kiln. With this emphasis on glazes, NPT offers a color palette of over 150 different glazes.

"Ivanka's Tulips" 18" x 24" 

This kitchen back splash is located in Elizabethtown, PA and is surrounded by beveled white tiles.

Since the North Prairie Tileworks' staff is always working with glazes, they have developed an extensive glaze library that includes Victorian, Arts & Crafts, Mid-Century, as well as unique and proprietary glazes. NPT takes on significant and extensive restoration projects all around the country. These projects include public facilities as well as private homes.

Shower stall, 3" x 6" field tiles 
 
This shower was glazed for a high degree of variation, using #321 Light Cadet glaze.  For more shower ideas, check out NPT's Bathroom Installation page.

For a look behind the scenes at NPT, check out this short video by videographer Thomas Strand.  
 
Fireplace, 5" x 5" field tiles  

Located in St Paul, this fireplace installation was glazed in #40x1r in their gas kiln.  More finished fireplaces here. 

In addition to their expertise in glazes, North Prairie Tileworks produces custom tile so that whether it is a fireplace, kitchen back splash, entryway or bathroom, they have the ability to develop and produce what the client needs, including accent pieces and mosaics.  
NPT has an extensive website, as well as a showroom, to assist their clients throughout the US and Canada. 
 
  
Contact Information:
North Prairie Tileworks, Inc.
Roger Mayland
2845 Harriet Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-871-3421
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. You can also 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 us spread the word!     

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Sincerely,

 

            

Josh Blanc
Handmade Tile Association, LLC
www.handmadetileassociation.org  

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