:: Hand Painted Ceramic Tile

Tiles are available in all industry standard sizes. Commercial grade tiles make it easy to incorporate into larger projects. My favorite are the English bisque tiles which are great for art tile and murals. Glazes are lead free (unless noted) and based on commercial formulas which help with consistency but variations will occur. Coordinating field tile as well as light switch and outlet plate covers are also available.

In residential settings: fireplace surround, accent wall, mural, stair risers, mirror surround, counter top, back splash, accent and border tiles.

In commercial & public settings: counter tops, accent walls, mural, donor recognition installations, signage.

:: Technique

My primary glazing technique is known as cuerda seca. It is a Hispano-Moorish technique used to create multicolored glaze decorations, which allows for greater control in color and design. In order to keep the glaze separated during application and firing, a line is drawn with liquid wax, the wax hardens and creates a cuerda seca (dry rope). The glaze sticks to the bisque areas but not the waxed area. The wax burns off in the high temperatures of the kiln, leaving behind a line between glazed areas. The line work is the color of the bisque or black if there was black pigment in the wax. The exposed bisque areas are sealed to repel oil and dirt. The cuerda seca technique creates a distinctively textured effect as the glazed areas are raised and the waxed areas create shallow depressions.

:: Design

Texture, pattern and color in nature are the primary source of inspiration. I lean toward the modern aesthetic, but am also drawn to the arts & crafts style. I look ahead to trending, but more often follow personal preferences and respond to what catches my eye or sparks my imagination. All designs are original, except for a few I have resurrected from historical tile drawings.

:: Specs

Projects/tiles are created at the time of order. Designs are based on current portfolio. Custom design requests are available. Quote will vary depending on complexity of design. Range: $75 to $125 per sq. ft. Accent tiles range from $10 to $30each. Delivery time/shipping charges vary according to project complexity and weight. Contact me for more information.

Please visit my Etsy store for more design ideas for your tile project and for products in my ceramic home goods collection.