(Available on the first of each month to Tile Heritage members who e-mail the Foundation from the address they
would like
E-News sent to. Contact: foundation@tileheritage.org)
Labor Day 2004. The Russian
River looking west from Tile Heritage.
Seven large ceramic plaques by ceramic artist Kenneth J. Dierck of El
Cerrito, California, have been recently donated to the Tile Heritage
Foundation. All of the work is featured in this month's Tile of the Month.
"Lonesome Pine" by Kenneth Dierck. Kenneth Dierck Collection.
Gift of John Eiselein.
The governing board of Coverings, the largest international tile exposition
held each year in the United States, has approved a proposal by the Tile
Heritage Foundation for a major display of Italian, Spanish and U.S.
historic tiles at the convention in Orlando next May. Nearly 50-feet in
length, with three commanding showcase towers (one for each country), the
exhibit will feature both historic artifacts and photo enlargements of
historic tile installations from around the world (the masterpieces!).
Make
plans now to attend!
The 2004 summer workshop series, "Keeping The Craft Alive," presented by
Tile Heritage in cooperation with a great group of artist-teachers is now
behind us. We would like to especially thank
Donna Billick, who serves on the THF board of directors, has just completed
a massive mosaic and terrazzo project in Huntington Beach, California.
Selected out of a field of six finalists, Billick designed, fabricated and
installed art along a 1/2-mile strand of beach south of the municipal pier,
part of a major restoration project along the water front. The community
"face-lift" involved lifeguard facilities, public rest rooms, concession
stands, handicap access and all the connecting sidewalks in between.
With the beginning of fall in northern California the danger of wildfire
reaches its peak, our having had virtually no rain since last March. Over
the Labor Day weekend here at Tile Heritage we have had three days of ash
from the Geysers Fire falling like snow and covering everything in sight as
the fire has crept slowly south and westward towards us, burning over 10,000
acres thus far.
Major Gift of
Ceramic Art
A special thanks to John Eiselein, who
donated the tiles to the Foundation.
Tile History at
Coverings
Keeping
The Craft
Alive!
Donna Billick, Irene de
Watteville, Joan Gardiner,
Frank Giorgini, Kenyon Lewis, Sheila Menzies,
Christie Rodgers and Diane Stacey who headed up the 2 to 3 day hands-on
programs in their own backyards and studios. And to the many participants
across the country, many of whom traveled considerable distances, thank you
all!
We have never experienced as successful a season.
Hope to see you next Summer!
Here are a few of the comments:
Surfin’ the Rock at
Huntington
Beach
"Beach Play," one of Billick's four specific sites, is a 2,400 sq. ft.
pebble mosaic that decorates the sloped sides of the handicap access ramp.
With pebbles from around the world, this masterpiece of ocean delights
includes a surfer girl, a fisherman, boats, crabs, octopus, jellyfish, ray,
dolphins, seahorses, fish, turtle, birds, Tiki God and an imaginary sea
serpent. Including Billick, her son Wes, and artist Mark Rivera from Billick
Rock Art, there was a core group of six who lived at the beach and completed
the work at this site in 4 weeks. Occasional participants included Irene de
Watteville and Sheila Menzies from the Tile Heritage board, and THF member
Betsy Schultz.
Conceived and directed by Donna Billick, the overall project took 2 full
years to complete, 9 weeks to install. Other sites included "Surfing USA," a
22-foot wall composed of 14 life-size surf boards in cast terrazzo with a
steel frame to anchor them; "Rescue Plaza," a 1,200 sq. ft. mosaic mural
with handmade elements produced by local junior lifeguards and a 2-ton
terrazzo "Whale Tail" bench in the center; and "Dive In Plaza" featuring an
8-foot bronze female figure "diving in" with bronze fins kicking up in the
air.
Congratulations
on an incredible job,
done with flare
and mastery
of the
craft!