artisantilenw

Portland Studio Tour

Our Portland studio tour was fabulous! We toured Ann Sacks, Pratt and Larson, Tempest Tileworks and Tile Restoration. Thank you so much to Steve Moon for organizing the tours and for sharing your studio!
It was a great way to see the processes we all know and love (mostly) on a wide range of scales. We started with the most sleek and mechanized on Friday and moved toward the increasingly “made by hand” studios on Saturday. We saw tiles cut by machine (with hands to guide them) all the way to the use of pizza cutters. I went straight to the kitchen store and picked up a pizza cutter!
It felt like time travel to see the growth of the same processes turned in to a major production over time. In Pratt and Larson the sheer number of tiles in every stage of production spread over two floors was truly mind boggling. How can they possibly keep track of them?

Images below are SOME of the glaze choices at Pratt and Larson and a room full of SOME of their kilns.

Thanks again Steve!

2015 Commemorative Tile

This Years Commemorative Tile has been Revealed:

Created and made by Jaki Reed.

Great Job!

Our next meeting will be Thursday March 26th, 6:30PM at the MLK Fame Community Center, 3201 E Republican, Seattle 98112. Our tile talk this month will be “The History of Tiles: A Brief Summary from 4000 B.C. to 1900 A.D by Larry Faucher.

The talk will be divided into four periods: Early tiles (4000 B.C.-300 A.D.), Middle Period (7th-15th C.), Renaissance Period (15th-17th C.) and Industrial Period (18th-19th C.). He will focus on the contributions of individual peoples and countries, with Images presented from several tile resource books and materials and with a display of many individual tiles.

This talk is open to the public so feel free to bring a friend. As always bring work for Show and Tell!

2015 TILE TALK SCHEDULE

FEBRUARY 26th Workshop: Making Clay Embossing Rollers, Maria Root Chair- Deb Foisie MLK Fame community center 3201 E Republican St, Seattle 98112

MARCH 27th A History of Tile, Larry Faucher Chair: MLK Fame community center 3201 E Republican St, Seattle 98112

APRIL 23rd Swap Meet/ Jaki Reed Chair: MLK Fame community center 3201 E Republican St, Seattle 98112

MAY 28th Understanding glazes, Paul Lewing Chair: Location: Maria Root’s

JUNE 25th Operating a Tile Business, Janet Gadallah Location: Maria Root’s

JULY 23rd Group Project, Tile Festival Committee-We will create a group tile project for raffle or sale at the tile festival. Location: MLK Fame community center 3201 E Republican St, Seattle 98112

AUGUST 27th Toner and Decal Image Transfer, Maria Root, Janet Gadallah, Karen Morrice, Paula Gill, and Deb Foisie Chair: Location: MLK Fame community center 3201 E Republican St, Seattle 98112

SEPTEMBER 24th Group project, Terri Goodwin Location: Maria Root’s

OCTOBER 22nd ATNW election of officers Tile Festival Q&A, Tile festival committee Location: Maria Root’s

December 13th Holiday Party

Membership Sign Up Time

ATNW annual dues are due in January for 2015.

After March 1st there will be a late fee of $5.

You can pay online on our website or by check.

To pay online at artisantilenw.org, look under the heading “members” and find “membership info” in the drop down menu. You will also find instructions there if you prefer to mail a check.

ATNW member benefits include:

Monthly meetings with educational tile talks

Member rates to participate in our annual Tile Festival

Tile tours of member studios

Member rates at ATNW workshops

A supportive community to share your work

Discounts at Clay Art Center, Tacoma.

Thank you!

Barbara Clark, President

Artisan Tile NW

Tis The Season ~ Annual Christmas Party

Annual Christmas Party and a Fun Time had by All!

Tile Heritage in the News

Great Article in Avente Tile Talk:

http://www.aventetiletalk.com/2014/12/support-tile-heritage-foundation.html

“Tiles tell tales!” is the way Sheila A. Menzies, Executive Director of the Tile Heritage Foundation, explained it to me many years ago. As the year draws to a close and you consider year-end donations, don’t forget about this amazing organization. They need your support and engagement!
The Tile Heritage Foundation (THF) is a well-run, non-profit organization that is benevolent and generous. The THF works tirelessly to validate both the art and craft of tile as a cultural treasure. As a national non-profit, THF is focused on keeping tile history, both past and present, publicly accessible in the THF Archives and with an online index. Since it was founded in 1987 by Sheila A. Menzies and Joe Taylor, this California-based non-profit has been supporting the preservation, history and appreciation of tile. This organization gives back to the tile community and works to preserve our tile heritage. Avente continues to proudly support their efforts and thanks the directors, staff and volunteers.

The Importance of Preserving our Tile Heritage

I admit, I love tile and it’s one of the reasons I started Avente Tile. Tile can take you places and the story behind each tile is an important part of our culture. Shortly after I started Avente Tile, I remember Jorge Aguayo, of Aguayo Tile explaining that he had discovered many floors in disrepair while visiting Cuba. His goal was to preserve these amazing tile tapestries. He archived the Cuban tile patterns and colors found in homes and estates on the island. We are able to share that with you today with our Cuban Heritage line. If we don’t strive to preserve and record these amazing works of art, we lose so much in the collective history of who we are.

Cuban Tiles found in Old Havana and Camaguey are in disrepair

Cuban tiles found in Old Havana and Camaguey were in disrepair and nearly lost.
Photo Credit: Aguayo Tile

The Preservation of our Tile Heritage

The Tile Heritage Foundation promotes an awareness and appreciation of tiles in the United States. It provides consultation and research services, leads preservation efforts, and shares information about tile. Its library and research facility also offer a wealth of knowledge, including books and slides about ceramic tile surfaces, by providing historical perspective and depth on all ceramic surfacing materials. Because of these efforts, the organization now plays a major role in the preservation of rare existing ceramic installations. They promote contemporary tile work as well.

Detail of sunflower tiles on stair risers in Beverly Hills circa 1925.
THF works to preserve significant historical tile installations.

THF Member Benefits

As a member of Tile Heritage, you become an advocate for the preservation of significant tile installations throughout the United States. You become a part of an international network of tile enthusiasts from around the globe! I can tell you this, it’s a great group of people that really support each other. THF’s archive, which is publicly accessible, offers information and examples about U.S. tile makers, business records of dealers and installers, historic catalogs, periodicals, and photography from the last 150 years.

Additionally:

You support the continued development of a unique library of information and archival materials that are available to the public for purposes of research, restoration and preservation.
You protect the Tile Heritage archives. This rich archive of tiles and related materials represent one of the largest public collections in the country! The tiles are available to galleries and museums for display and exhibitions as well as to members for personal examination.
You receive a free listing in the THF Resource Directory, which is revised annually and distributed nationally.
You receive Member discounts on selected merchandise, services and events.
Tile Heritage keeps you connected with impartial tile news, multiple tile resources nationwide, information about new and old tile discoveries, as well as special tile-related events.

I could go on about the great folks at the THF and the membership benefit; but, just visit www.tileheritage.org and discover what a great resource they are. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebookfor the latest information.

Most importantly, I encourage you to join Avente Tile in supporting this great organization with a donation.

Join with others who already embrace their “Tile Heritage”… we have supporters who volunteer, sponsor, advocate and gift the Foundation.

MAKE A DONATION TODAY!

We have a $ for $ matching fund: MATCH $10,000 !

… here’s your opportunity to participate.

THANK YOU!

Tiles tell tales! Your inspirations and life stories, the crafting of tiles and installations, the challenges of showroom encounters, the scholarly research in the field. Appreciate too the work and innovations of those who have come before you during centuries past!

These stories are among the 40,000+ documents and 40,000+ images

preserved for posterity at Tile Heritage!

* Donations to the THF Archives

are MUSIC to our ears!

It is an AMAZING collection.

Our goal is to continue to

VALIDATE both the Art and Craft

of tile as a cultural treasure

and to do so PUBLICLY.

As a national non-profit, we are focused on keeping tile history, both past and present, publicly accessible in the THF Archives and with an online index.

All are manifest by Tile Heritage with your support

Make a DONATION prior to December 31st and your name will be included in a drawing to receive a limited addition tile “The Cellist” by ceramist Stephanie Osser, a THF member.Stephanie has generously donated 10 tiles to THF for this purpose.

website: http://stephanieosser.com/

PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TODAY.

THANK YOU!

*Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.

See who SPONSORS & SUPPORTS Tile Heritage ….

December Newsletter

Thank you
to all who made this year’s Handmade Tile Festival a success and those of you who came to enjoy the show for your support of Northwest handmade tilemakers.

Our juried tile event is a highlight of the show.

The winners are, clockwise from upper left:
Susan Cohen Thompson “Iridescent Bird Nourished by the Full Moon” ATNW prize $100
Juror Dee Carson, Executive Director of Northwest Art Alliance. This prize goes to the artist whose tile displays excellent ceramic skills and an innovative approach to the theme

Karen Morrice “Sky Chat” Tile Heritage Foundation Prize $100 + 1 year membership
Juror Ron Endlich, Antique tile collector. This prize goes to the artist whose tile best represents the ceramic traditions of North America in keeping with the “Feathered Friends” theme.

Gina Holt “Year Round Companions” People’s Choice Award

Kimmi Kerns “Archaeopteryx” Status Ceramics Prize $100 plus studio time to create a tile
Juror Ginny Conrow, Artist/Owner of Conrow Porcelain Studio. This prize goes to the artist whose tile displays the most imaginative design and use of color in keeping with the “Feathered Friends” theme.

A partial view of the “Feathered Friends” theme juried show.

Congratulations to Nancy Goodno, winner of the Tile Mosaic Mirror raffle

Our 2014 Commemorative tile by Bob and Iris Jewett, Wilburton Tile, Bellevue

Here are a few of the tile exhibitors at this year’s show:

Clockwise from upper left:
Ed Mighell, Redoubt Press, Anchorage, Alaska–Ed carries the distinction of the exhibitor who travelled the farthest.
And the other three are our newest members:
Cynthia Jones, Cinzia Designs, Snohomish
Tom Sauro, Sauro’s Landscaping, Lake Tapps
Irene Otis, Irene’s Tiles, Vashon Island

Allison Moore Peel, Moore Tile Works, Seattle
Janet Gaddallah–Tile Festival committee–JLG Pottery, Sammamish

Beth Anderson, Mindzeye Fused Glass, Bothell

Terri Goodwin–Tile Festival committee, Bright River Studio, Seattle
Barbara Clark–President of ATNW– Agapanther Tiles, Seattle
Linda Thorson, Linda Thorson Designs, Seattle.
Gail Glosser–Tile Festival committee – Cavalero Clay Creations, Everett
Tracy Gosser, Old World Elements, Seattle

Larry Faucher, Tile Collector, Seattle
Maria Root, Primtiva Pottery and Tile and, Seattle

Steve Moon of Tile Restoration Center setting up in the courtyard

Here is sampling of the tile inspired garden art displayed outdoors this year in the courtyard at Center for Urban Horticulture

We have a special thanks to the Tile Festival committee, Terri Goodwin, Janet Gadallah, and Gail Glosser, for their very skillful organization and HUGE amount of effort; to the ATNW board and Committee members for chipping in so generously with their time and expertise: Iris Jewett, Maria Root, Paula Gill, Larry Faucher, Karen Morrice, Deb Foise, Tracy Gosser, and Beth Anderson.

The poster was a winner! Thanks to Terri Goodwin for the idea and execution and the members who made the tile letters: Allison Moore, Maria Root, Gail Glosser, Gina Holt, Terri Goodwin, Kimmi Kerns, Renee O’Connor and Barbara Clark.

Thanks to Clare Dohna for setting up the juried show, Maggie Roberts for making the awards, Glenda Reich, Kimmi Kerns, Jaki Reed, Richard Scott and family members (David, Ed, Erin, Jeanine) for helping out as volunteers for the show.

Thank you new member Noel Leone for taking photos and Carol Rose Dean for her willingness to lend a hand with the handcart.

Thanks to our members for making tiles for the mirror and magnets for the show.

AND thanks to Janet and Gail for getting the mirror tiles glazed and put together for the raffle.

See you next year for our 10th Handmade Tile Festival!