Inspiration for the Exhibition
“Tell-Tale Tiles & Fractured Fantasies” was inspired by the rich history of tile and mosaic art in the Philadelphia area over the past 100 years. The online catalog is available for review and can be printed.
Description of the Exhibition
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Tags: Contemporary tiles, Mosaic, Philadelphia, Exhibition, Inspiration, PMG, Zagar

AWARDED "Best Mural" in International category for Precita Eyes Mural Center Awards, San Francisco, CA Title: "Spirits and Folklore of Ghana"
A community project in partnership with Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc. Facilitated by: Laurel True with Lillian Sizemore, and Anna Webb with participation by community members of Nungua, Ghana Completed: July 2004 Sited at: Aba House Cultural Center, Nungua, Ghana, West Africa Dimensions: 22 feet wide x 6.5 feet high (143 sq. feet) Materials: Ceramic tile, mirror, pebbles, seashells, glass, and mixed media. READ MORE ....

Tags: Mosaic, Ghana, Lillian Sizemore, Laurel True, Community, Ceramic tile

Grueby Arts And Crafts Masterpiece Rescued In Cleveland

TARPON, FLA. - A remarkable installation of nearly 1,200 matte-glazed Grueby tiles has been preserved in its entirety in Cleveland, Ohio. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of a private educational foundation based in Florida, the owners of a 1900 lakefront mansion and two well-known Arts and Crafts dealers on both coasts, all of the tiles were carefully removed from the floor, walls and ceiling of a small bathroom and will be conserved for future exhibition. READ MORE ....

Tags: Grueby tiles. Florida, Mobley

Tile Restoration of the Spectacular Spanish Pool of the West Side YMCA

Spain’s history with the YMCA dates back to 1929, when King Alfonso XIII of Spain donated the original artistic tilework, the year the Great Depression hit America and building screeched to a halt - to achieve the Moorish interiors architect Dwight James Baum wanted to create. And although this legacy was clearly a motivation to help with the tile restoration, without the one-woman catalyst who brought the project to Spain’s attention, it ís unlikely it would have come about. So this is also the account of one woman, Caridad Lopez, Spanish expatriate and West Side Y member, who made it her business to help restore what ís considered to be an architectural masterpiece ñ the 63rd Street YMCA. Her reason, this place reminds her of home. READ MORE ....

Tags: Spanish tiles, New York YMCA, Majolica

For 20 years Joe and Sheila have worked together to preserve the history of ceramic tile and to educate individuals about its beauty through the Tile Heritage Foundation (THF). Founded in 1987 as a nonprofit charitable organization, the Foundation serves the need for a historical perspective regarding all ceramic surfacing materials, both past and present. In addition to aiding in the education of the public about the rich and varied history of tile, the organization has become a major voice in the preservation of existing installations of rare and unusual ceramic surfaces, while enhancing the visibility of contemporary tile work as well. READ MORE ....

Tags: TCNA, Tile Heritage, Archives, Motawi,

In 1943, the Texas Legislature recognized Ethel Wilson Harris for her role in ìthe revival and perpetuation of Mexican arts and crafts,î skills Spanish friars taught Native Americans long ago on mission grounds, skills almost lost as Americans rushed pellmell into an age where machines mass-produced what once had been crafted carefully by hand. Now, a tile mural created some 70 years ago at her Mexican Arts and Crafts workshop on the banks of the San Antonio River is returning home.
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Tags: Cuerda seca tiles, Texas, San Jose Potteries, Murals

Sankey Arboretum in Kit Carson Park, the late Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002) created a unique mosaic masterpiece, the only American sculpture garden of its kind and the last of her major international projects. Queen Califia’s Magical Circle, inspired by California ís mythic, historic and cultural roots, measures 120 feet in diameter and consists of nine large-scale sculptures, a circular, 400-foot snake wall and maze entryway, sculpturally integrated bench seating, an egg-shaped fountain and native shrubs and trees planted within the interior plaza and along the outer perimeter. The garden opened to the public on October 26, 2003.
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Tags: mosaic, Niki de Saint Phalle

Here is something new! A feature-length documentary about the life and work of Simon (Sam) Rodia and the Watts Towers of South Central Los Angeles has recently become available on DVD produced by filmmaker Ed Landler and Brad Byer, Rodiaís great-nephew.

A jewel of a film, I Build the Tower, is magnificent to watch! This is the true story of Sam Rodia, the Italian immigrant who built the world-famous Watts Towers on a small residential lot in South Central Los Angeles over roughly 30 years beginning in the 1920s. READ MORE ....

Tags: Laurel True, Simon Rodia, Los Angeles, DVD, 1920's, Mosaic