Handmade Tile + Mosaics = The New Classic

Meet the latest in modern classic combinations: commercial mosaic tiles and handmade tile medallions with frames.

Mosaics are a popular trend in backsplashes for their beauty and ease of installation.  The latest in kitchen design combines many materials, where stone, glass and ceramics live in harmony.  With all the choices in mosaics and customization in handmade artwork, homeowners are able to create completely unique personalized spaces.  Handmade tiles are the ultimate in couture: Clay Decor offers custom designs, custom sizing, custom glazes, and custom shapes.  Throw in a dash of mosaics, and watch your kitchen sparkle!!

Mosaics can provide the perfect backdrop to handmade tiles of all sizes:

Mosaics can also be used as a matting in between handmade tile and handmade tile moldings:

Unusual mosaic tiles set in a herring bone pattern work well with a custom-cut handmade medallion.  The tile was originally a rectangle, but cut to an oval, and paired with handmade molding frames.

Custom Coat of Arms

Here is the latest custom commission; a family coat of arms made into a mural, and custom sized to the client's space!  This mural has three parts, and it roughly 23 x 17 inches.  Chair Rail molding frames the work as a finishing touch, making the total size 28 x 22.

POTTERY FAIR 2013!

Thank you to all who attended for making this year's Pottery Fair a great success!

NEW Fractured Glaze Windows!

A window that can sparkle anywhere!  Our NEW sculpted ceramic 'windows' are multi-level ceramic sculptures filled with Fractured Glaze.  Fractured Glazes are created from artisan glass and our own hand-formulated glaze finishes. These one-of-a-kind sculptures feature a totally unique combination of colors on each panel.  Also, the work is about an inch tall, making them more dimensional than our other tiles.  Edges are glazed, so the panels can be installed on a wall OR we can create a hook to allow the sculpture to hang independently.

Clay Decor Tiles Featured in Award-Winning Kitchen!

Clay Decor's artwork was featured in an award-winning kitchen in suburban Philadelphia!  Harth Builders, working with Tile Gallerie in Dublin, PA, won a 2012 CotY (Contractor of the Year Award) for the Northeast Region Residential Kitchen Remodel Over $120,000.  This beautiful renovation includes classic styling and historical design motifs.  Here is the article featuring the kitchen from House and Home Magazine (DelValMedia, March 2013):

Fractured Glaze Comes to Life

Tiles pictured above are loosely laid out in the studio before shipping/installation.

Move over 2x2 accents!  For the first time, thanks to HomeTech Renovations (Fort Washington, PA), we can feature this unique finish as part of a large scale mural!

This mural was created using the Teres 5x5 tile design.  Teres, meaning 'elegant' or 'rounded' in Latin, has a raised border along the edge, making it perfect for the Fractured Glaze finish.  Subtle almond accents highlight the design where the interaction of Buttercream glaze and Ice Fractured glaze come together.  'Ice' Fractured finish makes the design sparkle as light reflects on the surface of each tile.

The finished kitchen will feature this mural amid handmade 4x8 subway tiles in Buttercream.  Hopefully we can bring you the finished kitchen installation soon!

How Medallions are Made

Somehow a lump of clay turns into a tile, and tiles into a mural.  Here's how tiles are created and pieced together to form a cohesive single work of ceramic art. Step 1:  Turn clay from a 25-pound chunk into a smooth, even slab

Step 2:  Press the clay onto the wood mold.  We always HAND PRESS every tile--no mechanical presses involved.  Truly handmade tile.

Step 3:  Refine the Design

Step 4:  Create the surround.  The surround is typically a 4-part combination of plain tiles cut to the client's specific size needs.

Step 5:  Build the Frame/Moldings.  Moldings are made from castings of antique picture frames and moldings, and are also hand-pressed.

Step 6:  Finished mural dries slowly in the studio.  When the clay is dry, every edge will be smoothed with a sponge, then all pieces fired in the kiln; what is called a 'bisque' firing.  This takes two days, and fires to 1945 degrees.

Next Steps:  After the Bisque firing, the tiles are hand-glazed by dipping into or pouring the glaze over tiles, the backs of each piece cleaned of glaze, then fired a second time to 2100 degrees.  This melts the glaze and fuses it onto the tiles.   More to come about glaze...

NEW Fractured Glazes!

Happy 2013!  Clay Decor just developed a new line of crackled glazes.  This glamorous new selection of 9 glazes adds a pop of color and sparkle to any interior.  Combine small tiles to make a large medallion, or create jewels with smaller decos around the wall--the possibilities are endless!

Fractured Glaze is a specialty glaze with a different personality than our regular finish color offerings.  Additional charges apply per square foot (on pricelist 'Policies' page).

Here are some guidelines and options:

• Use on wall tiles only
•  Can be applied to tiles 6x6 or smaller
• Used only with tiles with raised borders on the edge
• Small tiles can be pressed into a larger piece of clay to create this border needed around the edge
• Choice of Bone or Gloss White glazes for background/edge/border
• Custom Fractured colors available, inquire about samples and availability

Glaze-to-Go!

At Clay Decor it's all about custom handmade artwork, made to order just for you.  We created a shortcut that trims couture from 6 weeks to GUARANTEED TO SHIP IN 2 WEEKS! Clay Decor has created the most popular designs and bisque fired them.  From here, the tiles can be easily custom-cut in the studio on the wet saw and glazed in any of our hand-created glazes:  http://www.clay-decor.com/finish-colors.php

Below, are pictures and quantities available.  Quantities will be updated Monday-Friday from 8 until 6 PM real-time so you can be certain of the availability.  Check back regularly for new designs and updated information.

Concordia:  13 1/2 x 20 1/2   Quantity Available:  4

Quies:  10 1/2 by 6 1/2 Quantity Available:  2

Aurelia Horizontal:  18 x 13  Quantity Available:  2

Aurelia Horizontal Surround:  4-parts, 15 1/2 x 26 (or smaller to your specs) Quantity Available:  2 sets

Quies Imperial:  20 1/2 x 10  Quantity Available:  1

Pomarius:  15 x 13  Quantity Available:  1

Fruit Tableau:  15 x 18  Quantity Available:  1

Irish Lace:  13 x 18  Quantity Available:  1 

Fruit Tableau Surround:  19 x 22  Quantity Available:  2 Sets 

MOLDING/FRAME OPTIONS:  All pieces can be cut to frame the other tiles in the Glaze-to-Go selection (cut to length and mitered corners).  Quantities are not posted because we always have plenty on hand in the designs pictured below.

Chair Rail: 2 1/2 wide by up to 14 long

Kallisto Molding:  3 1/2 x 10

Pics From Pottery Plus in Syracuse!

Happened: November 15-18, 2012:  Delavan Center, 501 W. Fayette St., Syracuse, NY Here are some snap shots of the Pottery Plus event in the Syracuse Ceramics Guild studio this past weekend.  If you missed us, be sure to come to Th3 December 20, same location!

Visitors got to feast on a fabulous selection of handmade sculpture in ceramics, glass and metal.  Thank you to all who came and made this event a huge success!

Just in case you're wondering, there was a whole additional area (including Clay Decor work) which was not completed at the time I took these photos...and before my camera battery ran out of juice. :)

Up-cycled Studio

I am a HUGE fan of architectural salvage.  If awesome old homes are going to be destroyed, at least craftsmanship from the past can be preserved in pieces.  My favorite source is Gothic City Antiques in Buffalo, NY. Our latest project for the studio involved taking apart an old stair banister & spindles and reconstructing them at a different slope, adding salvage newel posts, and melding an exterior railing/spindle to the works.

Join Us for Th3 in Syracuse!

Join the Syracuse Ceramics Guild in our gallery at the Delavan Center in Syracuse for Third Thursday, a community event with dozens of open galleries; 5-8 PM!  The SCG entrance is on Wyoming street.  Anne will be exhibiting both pottery and glass, as well as works from Denise Dowdall and Pam Steele.  We'll also have fab finger food and good company!

For more information on the Syracuse Ceramics Guild:  http://ceramicguild.com/

For more information on Th3 in Syracuse:  http://www.th3syracuse.com/

Ithaca Arts Trail GOING ON NOW!

OCTOBER 6-7 AND 13-14, 2012; 11AM TO 5PM EACH DAY Join us for the Greater Ithaca Art Trail, featuring the open studios of 45 artists!  Download a map and brochure at www.ArtTrail.com (or pick up one at my studio when you visit :)).  This is an amazing opportunity to see how the artists create their work and to purchase unique fine art items straight from the studio!

Come and see us in the Clay Decor studio!  I will be demonstrating how I make tiles and murals, and possibly working on carving a new wood tile mold.  There will be plenty of work for sale, and even some discounted seconds.  Relax and enjoy with homemade cookies and coffee/tea!

Syracuse Pottery Fair

AUGUST 18 & 19, 2012: Thank you for joining us for the Syracuse Ceramic's Guild Pottery Fair!  http://ceramicguild.com/pottery-fair/

Here are some fun pictures from the Fair.  From the large selection of unique artwork to exciting interactive Raku activities and children's make-your-own-pottery, the fair was a tremendous success!!

Thank you for supporting the Syracuse Ceramics Guild!  The guild is a wonderful non-profit resource for artists, providing educational programs and service to the local community.  Syracuse Ceramics Guild:  http://ceramicguild.com/

Ithaca Artists Market

Come see our artwork at the Ithaca Artists Market:  Friday, July 27 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM in Ithaca, NY at the Farmer's Market.  http://artspartner.org/news/story/spring-writes-literary-festival-this-weekend.html  Clay Decor will be in Booth 35. This is a juried show of 70 fine artists, and also includes food, wine (we're in the Finger Lakes wine country), music and boat tours.  Come and have access to handmade art locally created and one of a kind!

Featured in Remodeling Magazine

The current trend in remodeling is to personalize your space.  Our dealer, HomeTech Renovations (Fort Washington, PA), has highlighted the idea of using local artists for the ultimate customization of a space.  The article, by Nina Patel on page 85 in the June 2012 Remodeling Magazine, features comments from David Cerami (gotta love that name...) :), President of HomeTech  about how local artists can come together to make a space totally unique.  Not only can you guarantee an interior different from your neighbor, but it's also a great way to support artisans in your country and community!

Amazing Barn/Studio

For those of you who have ever met a potter, many of us have our studios in barns.  Pottery requires somewhat bulky equipment and room to move with the clay.  The bigger your work, the more room you need!  My studio is in an 1850 barn (original section was built around 1800, I think :).  I'm also an old-house nut, so working in a historic building with wonderful old bones gives me inspiration and comfort.  My work is traditional because I love history and tradition.  I am surrounded by that which was built by another craftsmans' hands 2 centuries ago--how cool is that??!!

Most recently, I decided to refurbish the old floor boards from a damaged section of floor we had to take up, and will use them as wall coverings (not that the insulation isn't attractive....). :)  I did need to pressure-wash 100 years of grit and grime, so I took a picture of the boards drying.  Keeping with the salvage/re-use theme, I also had my hubby cut one of the old hand-hewn beams (severely damaged on one end), and I made a bench-half-wall out of it.  Upstate NY winters require somewhere to put on your boots!

I kept as many of the old elements as I could when converting the barn into my studio.  The original floor with it's 18-inch wide planks wherever possible, the interior doors (check out the door to my glass room), exposed beams, etc.  Although the restoration of the studio/barn is an ongoing/constant thing, I would say I am most fortunate to have such a lovely place to work all the while!

Featured In Central Jersey House and Home

Clay Decor's backsplash is featured in Central Jersey House and Home interior design magazine this month (June, 2012)!  The article (page 46) "Timeless Kitchen Trends" by Beth Puliti, features an entire installation of Clay Decor Tiles on page 47.  This amazing installation (courtesy of HomeTech Renovations in Fort Washington, PA) includes Imaginatio tiles with Chair Rail frames and custom 4x8 handmade tiles.  Imaginatio and all 4x8s are in Earthly Plum glaze, and the Chair Rail is in a light application of Antique Bronze glaze.

Ithaca Arts Trail

A new year just started with the Ithaca Arts Trail.  Come and visit artist studios in and around Ithaca, and browse the amazing variety of artists on their site:  http://www.arttrail.com/  I'm participating in this event, although the Clay Decor studio is still undergoing some repairs until we are officially visitor-ready.  Hopefully we will be able to swing a first Saturday at the end of Summer. :)  If you want to experience art firsthand, this is the way to do it! There is an open house weekend October 6 and 7 (2012), and certain studios open the first Saturday of each month.  Otherwise, you can contact the artist and make an appointment to visit their studio.

This is a juried exhibition put together by the hardworking folks at the Community Arts Partnership of Tomkins County.  Also, keep in mind this Arts Trail overlaps the Cayuga Lake wine trail...I'm just saying... :) http://cayugawinetrail.com/

Dear Friends, Fabulous Artists

Artisan tile is a small world (artisan, as in--tile handmade by actual artists, not carried by hand from a pressing machine to the kiln...).  These three artists (spouses included) are very dear friends and brilliant artists.  Their work is unique and beautifully formed.  We exchange technical information, moral and artistic support, and important gut-checks about shared experiences.  I cherish the connections with these amazing artists! Bella Vista Tile:  http://www.bellavistatile.com/   These tiles are a feast of color and texture woven into stunning compositions.  Check out the Tile Gallery on their site, it'll blow you away.

B.A. Schmidt Arts:  http://www.baschmidtartstiles.com/  Barbara is a wonderful, talented sculptor.  These relief sculptures are thoughtfully created with beautifully hand-applied finishes.  Her Yoga Tile Collection is amazing, but truth be told I like all her work so much I can't pick a favorite.

Also, new friends Oscar and Izzy: http://www.oscarandizzy.com  These super-nice folks were next to me at the recent Coverings Tradeshow.  But I'm not putting them in the post because they happened to be my booth neighbor...their work is FABULOUS!  Oscar and Izzy's bold retro designs feature luscious colors and outstanding compositions.  Modern and whimsical, this brilliant graphic designer is super-on-trend!