Handmade Tile

Frames are now available! If you would like to order a tile framed in a beautiful, Ohio-made, craftsman style oak frame, you can do it two different ways. First, we are now carrying these frames and have added them to our online shopping cart. If place an order though our website, you should be able to check box that adds a frame for an additional fee. Remember, if you order this way our normal lead time to make the tile will apply.  If you want to select from tiles that are in stock, you can order a framed tile directly from our frame supplier, Family Woodworks LLC in Piketon, Ohio. I just sent...

This butterfly design has been part of our line of handmade tiles for years, but only in the 2"x2" size.  We decided it was time to make it bigger! Now you can order it in the 4"x4" size as well. The larger version is shown here in the "spearmint" glaze: I posted a picture of the sculpting process in a previous blog entry. Here are a couple of pictures of the mold making process... Above is the original tile in the bottom of my homemade mold making apparatus, waiting to be covered in plaster. The box is then filled to with plaster. Once...

The latest addition to our glaze collection is called "Honey," and we are very excited about it! It is a warm amber with brown highlights. We love how it brings out the details in the tiles. Here it is (above) on the "Dahlia" and "Honey Bee" handmade tiles. "Honey" is replacing the equally delicious sounding "Cinnamon" in our normal glaze lineup. "Cinnamon" is still available by special request, but the formulation has changed and it has gone from this..... ....to this: The new version is lighter and more matte than the old version. It is not bad, but it is different from all of the previous photos of "Cinnamon" glaze...

I love the idea of being an "artist in action." That's me! This is the 6th year that I have had the pleasure of participating in indigenous gallery's annual artTILE extravaganza in Cincinnati, Ohio. It has been a huge honor for me to have my work shown alongside some of the best handmade tile art in the US. Darrell and I drove down over the weekend and we were truly blown away by the quality and diversity of work. As a featured artist, I spent Saturday at the gallery, demonstrating my sculpting technique, meeting new people, and catching up with some of my Cincinnati friends and family. It was a fantastic weekend.  Throughout the day,...

The tiles I blogged about last month are finished. I posted pictures of them in our online store, along with pictures of the wonderful new, Ohio-made frames we are going to start selling soon! These beautiful, handmade frames are from Family Woodworks LLC in Piketon, and we are very excited to have found them. These pictures do not do the wood grain justice. The hand rubbed finish is so much more beautiful in person. Almost every size of tile on the website will be available framed. 1"x6" border tiles will be the only exception- I don't think they would make sense to frame. If you disagree,...

A big thanks to H.U. for sharing these photos of her newly tiled hearth, along with her bunnies, Pepper and Winifred!  She installed an assortment of plant and animal tiles in Autumn glaze, including a pair of bunny tiles as tribute to her beloved pets. (A complete list of tiles appears at the end of this blog entry.) Doesn't the picture above capture an exceptionally cheery scene? A nice, warm fire with sun streaming in, along with a snuggly friend... what could be better? The next two pictures are close ups of each side of the hearth. Here is the left: And here is the right:...

There is an emphasis on hand- crafted details in this high-end kitchen. The homeowners decided to frame a herring- bone pattern above the cook top....    .... and installed a 2"x2" Bee tile in each corner of the frame!     Thank you, T.O., for sharing your pictures! Handmade Tiles Referenced:  Honey Bee 2"x2" Ceramic Handmade Tile

Last week, my dear friend, Mandi brought some art materials over to my house so we could catch up with each other while we both worked. (Craft dates are so fun! Note to self: I need to hang out with more local artists.)  She shot some footage with her iphone of me working, then she quickly edited it into a tiny video for me. What a sweet thing to do; she is a solid gold friend. Here I am sculpting my oak leaf design into the 3"x3" size:   This video makes me realize Darrell and I could make some more short videos of different parts of the tile making process. I had been avoiding videos,...