Handmade Tile

A Giveaway! Beautiful Hand Painted Tile with Italian Olive Design!

2011-08-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Would you like us to send you this tile for free?
This gorgeous 4" x 4" accent tile is from our Italian Sketchbook Collection. Just for fun, I've decided to give this tile away - the exact tile shown in this photo! I'll randomly pick a winner at 5pm PST August 9, 2011, so you have until then to enter.

Here's what you need to do to be eligible:

Join our Mailing List (just click here.)
Leave a comment on this post.

Et voila! Watch this space for the winner.

About The Italian Sketchbook Collection:
The tiles of our Italian Sketchbook Collection are decorated with a wax resist technique which gives a beautiful fluid surface to the glaze.

The motifs on the tiles of our Italian Sketchbook evolved from Bronwyn's notes, photos, and sketchbooks made when she lived in Florence. The goal was to create designs that were whimsical but not cutesy, simple line drawings that would evoke memories of Italian afternoons.

The whimsical scenes and objects are emblematic of the Tuscan landscape and kitchen. We love the simplicity of the lines combined with the complexity of the glazed surface.

These tiles would be wonderful in a kitchen back splash, but they also make great stand-alone pieces, hung on the wall, set on an easel, or used as a coaster.

To see the collection and purchase, click here.

Follow @TerraHome

Large Handmade Tile with Japanese Motifs of Flying Cranes, Plum Blossoms, and Moon

2011-08-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

New from our Japanese inspired Kyoto Series, this large 8.5" x 12" ceramic plaque can be installed as the focal point in a back splash or shower. It also makes a beautiful stand-alone art piece either displayed on an easel on your mantel, or hung on the wall (we can fit it with a picture hanger at your request.)

Cranes symbolize long life, and a pair of cranes in flight represent long, happy, successful marriage, so this plaque would make a wonderful wedding or anniversary gift. (Actually we have already sold several as wedding gifts! If you mention it at the time of your order, we can inscribe the back of the plaque with the couple's name and wedding date or a special message.)

Each piece is hand pressed from our original hand carved mould. After an initial firing, I carefully rub the piece with a deep burnt-umber underglaze to bring out the intricate detail (look at the tiny carved plum blossoms!) and to create an aged appearance. I then finish each piece with a matte-satin verdigris green glaze which resembles aged copper or lichen covered stone.

This plaque is priced at $108. If you order one today, we will ship within 15 business days. You can use the button below, or drop me an e-mail if you have any questions or would like the personal touch on your order!

Hand Made Subway Tile with Turquoise Crackle Glaze

2011-06-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is our most popular glaze. You can see why, right? It's rich and jewel-like and the subtle colour variations run from sea green to deep mineral turquoise. It has the distinctly unromantic name of Nepheline Turquoise, named for one of the glaze components. But it's watery surface and vivid stained-glass depth make it an absolute pleasure to live with day to day in your home. This glaze works especially well on our hand made subway tiles.

Our subway tiles are unique. The usual method for creating hand made subways is to roll out a big sheet of clay on a slab roller, then cut each piece from the slab, either by hand, or with a template. This creates a nice tile with crisp edges and a uniformly flat surface. But what people love about our subways is their sensuous rounded edges and their very tactile softly varied surface texture - all this in a uniformly sized and shaped tile. Our secret is hand made plaster molds. Each tile is pressed by hand into a hand made mold. We have about ten different molds just for this plain subway piece, so each piece is a little bit different in surface character from the next.

These are the most unique and sensual (can you say that about a tile? we can!) hand made subways on the market. You'll see what we mean if you hold one in your hand.

If you are planning a project, we'd be happy to send you a sample, just click the button below.

Tile Back Splash in White and Navy Blue, Modern Handmade Tiles

2011-05-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

These beautiful tiles are from our Hacienda Collection, in the Sky colourway. I love the freshness of this colourway, especially in this modern kitchen with lots of stainless steel.

The white field tiles really show what is special about our handmade tiles; even with a plain white 4" tile, there is so much lovely creamy variation in the colour and surface texture - just so much more beautiful than a flat, uniform commercial tile, don't you think?

Call us today to talk about your kitchen backsplash ideas! (250) 335-3149

Luxe Travertine Stone Shower Features Our Turquoise Crackle Glaze Disc Tile

2010-09-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today we are featuring the 4 inch turquoise glazed accent tile from our Hacienda Collection, Ocean Colourway.

The simple disc motif on this tile has a strong graphic impact and a modern feel, while the softly blended edges and the gorgeous variation in texture and colour give the tile a tactile, sensual, and handmade feel.

Three of our favorite glazes are meticulously hand-painted on to each piece, in different combinations.

Our glossy, transparent Turquoise Crackle Glaze with its gorgeous sea-green variations is placed next to our Turquoise Matt glaze, which is satiny to the touch and definitely reminiscent of the mineral turquoise. Our Matt Green is thinly applied so the buff stoneware body of the tile can peep through.

This is a very versatile piece.

We've even seen it used as a field tile, with a large number of discs grouped together over a cooktop creating a daring, modern backsplash installation.

More often, our clients use this piece as an accent in a field of 4" buff or turquoise tiles.

In a recent shower installation, shown above and below, the turquoise glazed tile sets off the varied natural grey of travertine beautifully.

We like this tile as an accent in a kitchen backsplash. It's a good pairing with stainless steel, but would also work with distressed buff-to-cream old farmhouse style millwork. We love that versatility.

How would you use this tile?

Do you love that luxe double shower with travertine and handmade tile? If you like the work that you see here on our site, please share it with your community, using the share buttons below. We appreciate it!

Regards,

P.S. E-mail us to purchase the turquoise accent tiles shown in this post!

How to Choose the Right Color Tile for Your Kitchen Backsplash

2010-09-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

Choosing color for your home is a challenging, and sometimes anxiety-inducing task, especially when the choice involves a long term commitment to a permanent surface like tile. Our clients often ask us to help them find just the right glaze color for their kitchen tile backsplash, and we have developed some strategies to help you make a color decision you know you'll be happy with. I'm going to focus just on the kitchen backsplash in this post - next week we'll take a look at the special colour considerations for bathroom tile.

Let's look at some of the most common questions homeowners have about kitchen tile color choices:

When should I decide on my kitchen tile glaze colour?

In any kitchen build or renovation project, there are a multitude of surfaces to consider. A good general rule is to choose your most permanent surfaces first, then base your other color/surface choices on those primary surfaces. In a kitchen, you'll generally want to consider floors and cabinetry first, then countertops and tile, and finally walls and fabrics.

There are always exceptions of course - we had a client who based her whole kitchen on a fabric swatch she adored, and another who chose all of his surfaces based on the shades in our Kyoto Collection Plum Blossom Tile (that was flattering!)

It is most likely that you will be choosing your millwork and flooring, and then beginning to think about your counters and backsplashes.

How can I make sure my tiles match the rest of the kitchen?

We encourage our clients not to think in terms of matching, but rather to take a more sophisticated approach to color, and think in terms of harmonizing or complementing. The colours of a handmade ceramic glaze are complex and varied, with lots of potential for creating beautiful color harmonies with other surfaces. But where do you start?

Bear with me while I take you back to my first year of art studies, and introduce you to the color wheel. Colors can relate happily to each other in two different ways, as complementary (opposite on the wheel) or as analogous (side by side on the wheel). Either relationship produces a harmonious effect, and either relationship can be used as a jumping off point for bringing tile color into your kitchen.

I can hear you saying "Yikes! Are you saying I should combine red cabinets with green tiles? Or orange with yellow?"

Yes! Remember each primary and secondary hue on the wheel represents a whole family of colors, including the most gentle and subtle. So, red cabinets with green tiles? Absolutely. Here is a beautiful example:

As you can see, the cherry cabinetry works beautifully with the lichen green tile (red and green complements!) The variation in the wood grain and in the underglazed ceramic surface bring another level of harmony to this stunning combination.

Now, here is an example of analogous colour. The yellow, orange, brown, and buff colours in the woodwork, stone and tiles (from our Firenze Collection) harmonize without having to "match." This example also shows the versatility of earth tones or neutrals, which reside at the center of the color wheel and go with everything! That means you don't have to sweat matching an exact colour in your granite or stone countertops - just relax and trust the harmonies of these beautiful natural surfaces.

How can I be sure I've chosen the right color?

Now that you know when and how to choose your kitchen tile color, you just need to decide. Here are my tips for being sure you have the right glaze color for you.

Order samples, and look at them in your new space, at every time of day, and under all the kinds of light they will be seen in.
Take your time! Look at the samples in your kitchen, and look again.
Trust your own instincts. It's nice to hear your friends opinions, but remember they won't be living in your kitchen!
Go with what makes your heart sing. The kitchen is the heart of the home. Chances are, you will be spending many hours here, for years to come. Choose something that is going to bring you joy.

Do you have any insights or experiences you'd like to share about choosing color for your home? Leave a comment, we'd love to hear your story.

Need to buy a sample to check glaze color? Visit our new on-line tile shop.

Next week we'll look at tile color in the bathroom.

Cherry Blossom Liner Tile for a Backsplash or Shower Feature

2010-08-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Click here to purchase this cherry blossom tile.

This 8" x 2" cherry blossom liner tile is brand new, fresh out of the kiln this morning! It is always an exciting moment, when we get to see the very first finished, glazed piece of a newly created design. The translucent blue green glaze has a slight milkiness evocative of jade. The hints of white underglaze and buff clay peeking through bring to mind a piece of very old, gorgeously time-worn Chinese stoneware, like an antique ginger jar. The lively, roughly carved cherry blossoms have the vitality and movement of the Japanese woodblock prints that were their inspiration. I'm just thrilled to add this very versatile decorative piece to our line. A piece like this will work as an accent liner in showers, on backsplashes and tub surrounds, as a stand alone decorative piece in a field, or in an arrangement above a cooktop - just about anywhere. It has enough decorative impact on its own, but it will also combine well with pieces from our Kyoto and Hanabi Collections. Click here to purchase this cherry blossom tile!

Hand Made Tile Installations

2010-08-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

We wish all of our clients would send photos of their completed tilework! Here are some recent beauties, including a back splash featuring brightly hand painted koi, a buddha tile mural set into a stone niche, and our a recently completed arts and crafts style fireplace in delicious cocoa brown... enjoy! If you see something you love, e-mail us... we can help you create something similar for your home:

Arts and Crafts Style Fireplace with Hand Made Pine Bough and Pinecone Tiles

2010-07-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

This custom-designed fireplace surround became the basis for our Vancouver Island collection of tiles with realistic relief patterns of pine cones and pine boughs. The arch and keystone pieces were custom made by us for this fireplace, and the varying sizes of the field tile (4", 2", and 2"x4") give a real Arts and Crafts flavor. The fireplace is the stunning focal point of a lovingly restored Arts and Crafts style living room. Are you designing a fireplace? We'd be happy to send you tile samples and/or get you started with design ideas, just e-mail us.

Hand Made Tile with Fused Glass: Little Jewels!

2010-02-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

I've been experimenting with techniques for using fused glass on our hand made tiles for a while now. These 3" jewel-like amber beauties are samples for a commission we're working on, and may end up paired with our pewter subway tiles on an elegant tiled fireplace surround. I love the molten, mineral effects of the glass-on-glaze: like agate and crystal. Drop us a line if we can design a finish like this for your project.

Happy New Year from Terra Home

2010-01-04T09:46:00.001-08:00

The plum blossom, shown here in our Ume tile from the Kyoto Collection, represents hope, new life, and perseverance. From all of us here at Terra Home, we wish you a 2010 filled with beauty, abundance, and well-being.

Hand Made Dishes, Not Just for Sushi - New for the Gifting Season!

2009-11-14T16:09:00.000-08:00

We think these new slab built dishes are serene, chic, and elegant, if we do say so ourselves. Hand built from white stoneware, they vary in size from 8" x 6" down to 2" x 4". Beautiful for serving small delicacies like sushi, cheeses, etc.. They could also hold a pillar candle, a bar of soap, live in the bathroom to hold jewels or make-up, or in the hall for your keys... lots of possibilities!

The turquoise glaze is luscious and silky to the touch. The edges are glazed in a warm sienna, cobalt blue, or rich iron oxide, showing glimpses of the turquoise beneath. The graceful, imperfect shapes were cut from a hand rolled slab and draped on a plaster mold. The plant and fish motifs were hand painted with black underglaze and have an elegant ink-brush feel.

Gift Idea: you could buy a set, and present them individually as holiday hostess gifts, on their own, or holding a beautiful bar of soap, a round of good brie, or a scented candle. To purchase a set of four in your choice of colour/motif, click on the "buy now" button below.

Terra Home Holiday Events & A Special Offer on Our Beautiful Venetian Urn Tile

2009-11-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

Special Holiday Offer
This gorgeous tile from our Firenze Collection measures 6" x 8" and features a Renaissance urn in high relief. The glaze is Dry Stone, which creates a warm, aged effect. This tile makes a beautiful stand-alone decorative piece, either hung on the wall or displayed on a small easel. We think this piece would be an elegant holiday gift, so we are offering free regular shipping (to Continental U.S and Canada) until December 24th, and including a display easel and hand written descriptive card gratis with all orders. You can complete your purchase right here by clicking the button below, or just give us a call at (250) 335-3149.

Terra Home Holiday Events
If you are on beautiful Vancouver Island, we invite you to join us at one or all of these upcoming events:

The Denman Island Christmas Craft Faire, Dec. 5 & 6 An island tradition for 28 years, featuring quality art and fine craft from all over Vancouver Island. Visit our award winning booth just inside the doors of the Community Hall. For more info and directions, go here.
An Afternoon to Celebrate Women and Creativity, Nov. 22 at the Courtenay Museum, Courtenay. I'll be one of several features women artists on hand to chat about my work and about the challenges and joys of living a creative life. I'll also have some of our new Not-Just-For-Sushi dishes available for purchase. This event will include a screening of the film Who Does She Think She Is. Learn more and purchase a ticket here.
Open Studio at Terra Home. We'll be opening the studio for the December weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun, 12 -4) leading up to Christmas. Come by for mulled cider, and browse our gift selection. We're also happy to show you around the production side of the studio, and talk to you about tiles and your renovation projects. If you're going to be on the island, call for directions to the studio (250) 335-3149.

Hand Made Tile Installations

2009-11-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

A gallery of a few of our recent installations - enjoy! To view a slideshow of these images, click here. Do you have an installation of our tiles? We'd love to see it! Just e-mail us.

Hand Made Tile Inspirations

2009-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

A gallery of concept boards, showing ideas for installing our tiles. Enjoy! To see a slideshow of these inspirations, click here.

Hand Painted Tiles Inspired by the Tuscan Landscape and Kitchen: Our Italian Sketchbook Collection

2009-09-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sketching outside the apartment in Florence

The tiles of our Italian Sketchbook series are decorated with a wax resist technique which gives a beautiful fluid surface to the glaze.

The motifs on the tiles of our Italian Sketchbook evolved from Bronwyn's notes, photos, and sketchbooks made when she lived in Florence.

The goal was to create designs that were whimsical but not cutesy, simple line drawings that would evoke memories of Italian afternoons.

The whimsical scenes and objects are emblematic of the Tuscan landscape and kitchen.We love the simplicity of the lines combined with the complexity of the glazed surface.

These tiles would be wonderful in a kitchen back splash, but they also make great stand-alone pieces, hung on the wall, set on an easel, or used as a coaster.

4" x 4" accent tile with wine motif

4" x 4" accent tile with olive motif

4" x 4" accent tile with fountain motif

4" x 4" accent tile with pot of geraniums motif

4" x 4" accent tile with farmhouse motif

4" x 4" accent tile with lemon motif

To purchase, choose your motif and click "Add to Cart."

Handmade Tile Inspired by the Northwest Coast: Our Vancouver Island Collection

2009-09-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

Above: Pine Plaques, 4" x 12" accent tiles. Wonderful as side pieces for a fireplace. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Teak. Click on the image to see full page.

The handmade relief tiles in our Vancouver Island Collection are inspired by the natural beauty of the Northwest Coast that surrounds us every day at Terra Home. Each design in this collection is an original Terra Home creation. The relief images are cast from actual natural objects gathered from forests and beaches; real pine cones, pine boughs, and seashells. Once the master mold is created, subsequent tiles are pressed by hand into the mold, in a labour-intensive, traditional process. No machines or presses are used in the creation of our decorative relief tiles - just the touch of the human hand.

Above: Pinecone Pair, 4" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Teak. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Pinecone, 4" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Teak. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Small Pinecones, 4" x 2" accent tile, 2" accent tiles. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Teak. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Pinecone and Pinecone Pair, 4" accent tiles shown here with 4" Teak field tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Teak. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Installation idea for handmade pinecone tiles.Above: Seashells, 4" accent tile. Shown here in Sand, available in a range of glaze colours. Above: Seashells, 4" accent tile. Shown here in Sand, available in a range of glaze colours.

For purchase information, visit our How to Order page.

Hand Painted Tiles Inspired by the Frescoes of Pompeii + Video of Painting a Handmade Tile!

2009-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to share with you the process of hand painting a tile with slips and underglazes. This video shows me working on a 6" tile for our Pompeii Collection. These designs are inspired by the frescoes of Pompeii which I visited in 2001. I especially loved the garden murals in the Villa of Venus, with their worn surfaces and naive, charming songbirds and flowers. I wanted to capture that naive charm and something of that mysterious, aged surface in my hand painted, hand made songbird tiles for this collection. These hand cut tiles are rustic red earthenware. In the video above, I have already covered the unfired tile with a coat of pale yellow slip, and worked back into the slip to create an antiqued, distressed surface. The colours in the paintbox are not watercolours as they appear, but specially prepared underglazes. After painting, the tile will be fired, then glazed with a clear crackle glaze, and fired again. For purchase information, call 250.335.3149, or visit our How to Order page.

Above: Songbird , 4" accent tile from our Pompeii Collection. Below: two murals in the Villa of Venus at Pompeii, which provided inspiration for the tiles.

Designing with Handmade Tile: An Interview with Rachel Hulan of Path Design

2009-09-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

One of the things I enjoy most about my work is collaborating with interior designers. I love getting to know talented people from different parts of the continent, and seeing and being inspired by their work. It's always a thrill to see how our tiles fit in to many beautiful and varied interiors. I'm happy to introduce a new feature in our blog this month. Each month we will feature a different interior designer and their work, and talk to them about what inspires them, and their favourite ways to use tile. Our very first featured designer is Rachel Hulan, Assoc. IIDA, Principal and founder of Path Design. Path Design is a full service design and consulting firm, located in Santa Ana, California, with a primary focus on residential and small commercial projects. Their mission is to provide clients with beautiful, healthy, innovative surroundings through a commitment to sustainable design principles, and aesthetically pleasing colors and materials.

Tell us a bit about yourself & your business.

I'm an interior designer in Orange County, California, and I own my own business specializing in sustainable design.

If you had to describe your design aesthetic in five words, what would those five words be?

Balanced, appreciative, creative, textural, playful

Where do you find inspiration for your work? What inspires you?

I find inspiration in photographs of unique places, as well as paintings, architectural details and fabrics. The natural world is my biggest inspiration - that and old places full of the past.

Tell us a bit about your studio/work environment.

I live in a wonderful 1925 Spanish Revival house, which was originally built as a home and business, so it still has two front doors. I've taken over the portion of the house that has the reception/parlor and office for my studio. It can be a little chaotic at times, but it's a perfect it for me.

What is the most interesting and unusual use of tile you've seen or worked on in a project?

I've used tile as insets on pieces of furniture, which still surprises people when they see it, although that sort of thing was done quite a bit during the Arts and Crafts era. I've recently seen some tile insets in wooden floors, which I haven't yet done myself, although I would love to give it a try.

What is your best tip for designing effectively with tile?

Try to make sure the tile you will use fits the style of the space you will use it in. I've seen some pretty amazing tile work done in places where it looked out of place. And don't be afraid to go soft on the details. It doesn't have to be over the top to look beautiful.

How have the trends towards green design and interest in hand made, artisan objects affected your design work?

Green design should be just as much about the people who make the product, as it is about what the product is made of. Sustainability means something that can go on and on without taking anything away. Artisans work in small quantities, on products that are made with care and consideration for resources. I always choose to work with handmade products whenever possible.

What is special about your community, environment, and region, and how is that reflected in your design work?

Right now the quality of light where I live has a strange, golden glow to it, which means it's fire season. We live in a warm, arid climate here, but the ocean is not far away, and there are forests of oak trees to hike through if you know where they are. Southern California is a very populous place, and there are so many cultures that have made a home here. I think it all shows in the many facets I bring to my designs. I love color, cultures, nature and contrast - all things you find in abundance here.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Getting to know my clients and working on new ideas with them.

Contact Path Design:
rachel@path-design.net
www.path-design.net
twitter: pathdesign
714.953.1518

Handmade Tile Inspired by Vintage Japanese Textiles: Our Hanabi Collection

2009-08-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

I've always been charmed by the soft, sophisticated colourways of vintage Japanese kimono silks, and fascinated by the symbolic language of their surprisingly modern, graphic patterns. I worked with these inspirations to create the shapes, patterns, and colours of our Hanabi Collection of handmade tile. The starburst pattern I used is actually a traditional, stylized version of the chrysanthemum, a beautiful flower of late Fall, and an important motif in the symbolic language of Japanese textiles. Nobility, natural order, longevity, and good fortune are qualities associated with the chrysanthemum. The bell shaped tile is based on a traditional wave pattern. Stylized water patterns appear often in Japanese textiles. Eight positive qualities are attributed to the water symbol: it is clear, cool, healing, soothing, odorless, delicious, light, and soft. I would love to see a walk in shower tiled in the turquoise wave pattern tiles! Below are some installation ideas for our Hanabi tiles (by the way, hanabi means 'fire flower' or fireworks!)

4" Diamond Chrysanthemum, and 2" x 6" Kimono Border

6" Wave in Turquoise and Matt Turquoise

6" Wave in Amber and Teak

4" Chrysanthemum Hex and Plain Hex in Shino and Linen

Click on the image at left for a full size, high resolution printable file of the catalog tear sheet for our Hanabi Collection. For current pricing contact Bronwyn, (bronwyn@linguaterratile.com) to request a wholesale, trade, or retail price list. Wholesale pricing is available to showrooms and retailers who carry our tiles. Trade pricing is available to professional interior designers, architects, building contractors and developers, landscape designers, and interior decorators. For more information on how to order our tiles, visit our How to Order page here, or call 250.335.3149.

Handmade Tile Inspired by the Courtyard Gardens of Old Mexico: Our Hacienda Collection

2009-08-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the courtyard gardens of Old Mexico, the bold graphics and floral motifs of the tiles in our Hacienda Collection capture the brilliant colours of the tropics. (For more about the magical garden, at left, that inspired the Hacienda Collection, read this post!) Our Hacienda tiles come in three rich & evocative colourways: Ocean captures the layered turquoise greens of tropical seas, Sky grades from deep twilight navy to pale sun-washed cerulean, and Earth evokes the transparent depths of Mexican amber, and the textures of soft sand and desert earth. Each tile is meticulously hand painted with multiple layers of glazes. All the glaze colours are also available in field (plain) tile to complete your installation.

Three tiles below: 4" Disc Accent in Earth colourway variations.

Three tiles below: 4" Disc Accent in Ocean colourway variations.

Three tiles below: 4" Stripe Accent in Earth colourway variations.

Three tiles below: 4" Stripe Accent in Ocean colourway variations.

Below: 4" Stripe Accent in Sky colourway:

Below: installation showing Ocean colourway with coordinating field tile, showing our 6" x 1" Banana Leaf Mosaic pieces between rows of Stripe accents:

Below: 4" x 8" Banana Leaves creates a continuous pattern when set end to end:

Click on the image at left for a full size, high resolution printable file of the catalog tear sheet for our Hacienda Collection. For current pricing contact Bronwyn, (bronwyn@linguaterratile.com) to request a wholesale, trade, or retail price list. Wholesale pricing is available to showrooms and retailers who carry our tiles. Trade pricing is available to professional interior designers, architects, building contractors and developers, landscape designers, and interior decorators. For more information on how to order our tiles, visit our How to Order page here, or call 250.335.3149.

Handmade Tile Inspired by the Japanese Garden: Our Kyoto Collection

2009-08-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Above: Buddha Mural, 9x 4"decorative relief tiles, 12.5" x 12.5" in total. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Stone. Click on the image to see full page.

Inspired by the natural serenity of the Japanese garden, Our Kyoto Collection, in colours of stone and lichen, feature koi fish, plum blossoms, bamboo, pine, and Buddhist imagery. Each design in this collection is an original Lingua Terra creation. After a long process of creating, sketching and refining, the final design is meticulously drawn out to scale, then transferred to a block of wet clay. The image is then carved carefully into the clay, creating a relief pattern and delicate detail work, like the veins on bamboo leaves or the Buddha's serene smile. This painstakingly carved original, which can take up to a day to execute, is destined to be destroyed so a mold can be created. Once the master mold is created, subsequent tiles are pressed by hand into the mold, in a labour-intensive, traditional process. No machines or presses are used in the creation of our decorative relief tiles - just the touch of the human hand.

Above: Ume or Plum Blossom, 4" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Lichen. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Kuro Matsu or Black Pine, 4" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Stone. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Crane and Moon Frieze, 2x 4" accent tiles create a continuous pattern. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Stone. For more info about using decorative friezes, click here. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Koi and Willow Frieze, 2x 4" accent tiles create a continuous pattern. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Ice Blue. For more info about using decorative friezes, click here. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Bamboo Forest Frieze, 2x 4" accent tiles create a continuous pattern. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Stone. For more info about using decorative friezes, click here. Click on the image to see full page.

We produce a line of hand built vases which coordinate with our tiles. Here is our Ume vase, measuring 11" x 6".

Click on the image at left for a full size, high resolution printable file of the catalog tear sheet for our Kyoto Collection. For current pricing contact Bronwyn, (bronwyn@linguaterratile.com) to request a wholesale, trade, or retail price list. Wholesale pricing is available to showrooms and retailers who carry our tiles. Trade pricing is available to professional interior designers, architects, building contractors and developers, landscape designers, and interior decorators. For more information on how to order our tiles, visit our How to Order page here, or call 250.335.3149.

Chinoiserie Inspired Hand Painted Tile Mural

2009-08-04T11:52:00.000-07:00

There has been renewed interest lately in the hand painted tiles from our Provence Collection. The songbird and flower mural shown here is inspired by hand painted french wallpapers of the 19th Century, which were, in turn, inspired by Chinese porcelain and painted screens. This mural is hand painted in our studio, and requires many layers of glaze and underglaze to achieve the wonderful aged appearance. I start with hand cut tiles made from traditional red earthenware. Over this I sponge layers of creamy white and pale yellow slip, rubbing gently to expose bits of the rosy clay beneath. On to this background I paint the flowers and songbirds in rich underglaze colours. A clear, crazed glaze is applied, and after firing, ink is rubbed in judiciously to highlight the crazing (crackle.) This piece would be exquisite in a traditional white, yellow and cream kitchen, installed over the cooktop. We can also provide field tile, trim, and listello in a matching cream & yellow crackle glaze to finish the project. For purchase information, see out How to Order page or call us at 250.335.3149.

Handmade Tile Inspired by the Italian Renaissance: Our Firenze Collection

2009-07-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

Above is a sample installation of Firenze Collection tiles in Dry Stone glaze, combined with our beautiful elongated diamond field tile in Balsamic glaze. We've used the corner tiles together here to form a patterned 4" square between the Fleur de Lis.

With motifs drawn from Bronwyn’s Italian sketchbooks, these tiles, in rich colours of marble and plaster, feature designs adapted from Renaissance stone carving in Florence, Venice, and Rome. Each handmade tile design in this collection is an original Terra Home creation. After a long process of creating, sketching and refining, the final design is meticulously drawn out to scale, then transferred to a block of wet clay. The image is then carved carefully into the clay, creating a relief pattern and delicate detail work, like the veins on bamboo leaves or the Buddha's serene smile. This painstakingly carved original, which can take up to a day to execute, is destined to be destroyed so a mold can be created. Once the master mold is created, subsequent tiles are pressed by hand into the mold, in a labour-intensive, traditional process. No machines or presses are used in the creation of our decorative relief tiles - just the touch of the human hand.

Above: Venetian Urn, 6" x 8" decorative relief tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Stone. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Firenze Border and Corner, 2" x 6" border tile with rounded glazed top edge, and coordinating 2" corner piece with two glazed edges. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Dry Stone. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Florentine Fleur de Lis, 4"decorative relief tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Balsamic. Click on the image to see full page.

Bronwyn with her sketchbook in the garden of her apartment in Florence, 2001.

Handmade Pine Cone Tiles with an Arts and Crafts Flavour

2009-07-14T15:21:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the finished tiles which we custom designed and created for the Arts and Crafts fireplace project I told you about in this post. These tiles were created from plaster molds, which I cast from actual pine cones. I gathered the pine cones in the beautiful Provincial Park on the ocean just a short walk from our studio. I will post photos of the fireplace once the tiles are installed! These tiles are available in Teak, the rich brown glaze shown above; they also look great in our Lichen Green and Emerald Green glazes. For purchase information, see our How to Order page, or give us a call at 250.335.3149.

2009-07-13T11:21:00.001-07:00

A new addition to our tableware collection, this vase is made from a beautiful pure white porcelainous stoneware, glazed in a delicate celadon/turquoise. It is constructed using a combination of slab building and press molding techniques. Now available in the tableware shop!

Our Handmade Tile Collections: An Introduction

2009-07-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Each of our tiles is individually made by hand in our studio, using traditional methods.

Our studio is an airy post-and-beam building which we built from trees sustainably harvested on our property. Plenty of big windows look out over meadow and forest views; if inspiration is needed, the ocean is only a short walk away. It's a wonderful space in which to work and create. Our tile collections are inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us, and by history and cultures of the past, from Renaissance Italy to Medieval Japan.

Our relief decorated tiles are individually hand pressed into handmade plaster molds cast from hand carved originals. Every step of this labor intensive process is done with mindfulness, attention to detail, and pride. Each tile is a unique work of art, made with love.

Our tiles are grouped in collections, with different themes, to complement different design schemes. Visit our online tile shop to purchase any of these tiles:

Kyoto

Inspired by the natural serenity of the Japanese garden, these tiles, in colours of stone and lichen, feature koi fish, plum blossoms, bamboo, pine, and Buddhist imagery. Shop the full collection of Japanese inspired tiles here.

Alhambra

Inspired by the timeless beauty of Moorish architecture, this collection of rich turquoise tiles feature stylized floral motifs and traditional arabesque patterns. Shop the full collection of Moorish, Persian, and Turkish inspired tiles here.

Firenze

With motifs drawn from the designer’s Italian sketchbooks, these tiles, in rich colours of marble and plaster, feature designs borrowed from Renaissance stone carving. Shop the full collection of Italian Renaissance inspired tiles here.

Italian Sketchbook

A more whimsical take on the Italian theme, these wax-resist decorated tiles feature charming line drawings which capture the essence of the Tuscan kitchen and countryside. Shop the full collection of whimsical Tuscan inspired tiles here.

Hacienda

Inspired by the courtyard gardens of Old Mexico, the bold graphics and floral motifs of these tiles capture the brilliant colours of the tropics. Click here to view the entire collection, CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE TEARSHEET OF THE HACIENDA COLLECTION.

Hanabi

Inspired by the modern sophistication of Japanese textile design, these unusual tiles feature stylized chrysanthemums, waves, and cherry blossoms, in a soft but colourful palette reminiscent of antique kimono silks. Click here to view the full collection. CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE TEARSHEET OF THE HANABI COLLECTION.

Vancouver Island

Inspired by the natural beauty of the Northwest Coast that surrounds us every day at Terra Home, the relief images on these hand pressed tiles are cast from actual natural objects gathered from forests and beaches. Click here to view the whole collection.

In addition, we produce a full line of hand pressed field (plain) tiles in various shapes and sizes, including 4” square, 4” hex, and 3” x 5” traditional subway, as well as border, corner, and listello tile for most applications. Field tile is available in a wide range of glaze colours.

We are happy to work with you on your installation. Projects are priced individually, depending on glaze choices, custom elements, design time, and deadline. We are happy to provide you with a quote for your project. For more information, visit out How to Order page, or contact our designer Bronwyn.

Tiny Spotted Plates

2009-07-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Wonderful, bright, and cheerful, this Trio of Tiny Spotted Plates in Lime Green are great for holding little jewels and treasures, tea lights or tea bags, condiments, tiny craft supplies, teddy bear picnic food, etc. They will definitely bring a smile to your face. The little plates measure 3" across. They were cut by hand from a hand rolled slab of white earthenware, and draped over plaster molds. They were then fired, glazed, and fired again. All the glazes are lead free and food safe. Buy here. Check out recent mentions at DecorGreen and WickedlyChic!

Beautiful Handmade Buddha Tiles in Soft White Glaze

2009-07-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

Our Buddha Mural is one of the pieces I get the most feedback on. People love it. It makes me happy to think of creating an image that brings beauty, and a reminder of peace and mindfulness, into people's homes and lives. When I carved the original piece, I took the process very slowly and savoured my time working on this lovely image. Now, each tile in the mural is pressed by hand, by me or my partner, into our original mold. I can't help but think that this care and attention in the making translates into a feeling of peacefulness about the finished piece...

We've been using the same lovely stony glaze (Dry Stone) on this piece for a while, and I like the way the glaze texture suggests a low relief sandstone carving. When a client requested the mural in a white glaze, I was hesitant at first - I wasn't sure I'd care for the results. I chose a semi-transparent soft porcelain white, and fired a test tile. I love it! You can see the finished piece here. I brushed the glaze on carefully, then rubbed it back to reveal bits of the rosy tan clay body here and there. I'm so pleased with the results that I'm adding this glaze to our regular glaze options for the Kyoto Collection. See our How to Order page or give us a call at 250.335.3149 if you'd like to order a beautiful white Buddha like this one. CLICK HERE to view the whole Kyoto Collection.

The Alhambra - Inspiration for Gardens, Colour, Tile Design...

2009-07-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

2009-07-05T21:47:00.001-07:00

By lovely coincidence, our Plum Blossom tile was showcased in not one, but two beautiful Etsy treasuries today, both on the theme of aged metal. They are here and here.

Custom Handmade Floor Tiles with Old World Feel

2009-07-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Remember this custom job? We were commissioned to create an accent floor tile for the client's gorgeous summer home on in Ontario lake country. The beautiful calligraphic motif has special meaning for the family. Here are a couple of photos from the client, of the tiles being set in place. Once grouted and finished, I think these floor tiles will have a wonderful, been-there-forever feel.

Hand Made Tile in Lichen Green Complements Architect's Kitchen

2009-07-02T14:30:00.001-07:00

This stunning Florida kitchen features tiles from our Kyoto Series; the Plum Blossom, and the hand-pressed field tile in our unique Dry Lichen glaze. Note the gorgeous earth plaster walls tinted to match this glaze! We worked closely with the client to assure the gorgeous results you see here. FOr a quote on tiles and design for your dream kitchen or bath, contact us with your ideas!

Featured Tiles: Our Kyoto Collection

2009-07-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

The tiles in our Kyoto Collection are inspired by the natural serenity of the Japanese garden. Glazed in the colours and textures of stone and lichen, these elegant tiles feature koi fish, plum blossoms, bamboo, pine, and Buddhist imagery. Create a serene, spa-like bathroom, a warm, traditional kitchen, a meditative entryway or yoga room... enjoy this slide show, featuring Kyoto tiles alongside the natural beauty which inspired them... (Click here for full screen version)

hand made cake stand with birds!

2009-06-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

Here it is - I didn't have time to get a good photo of it, because it sold to the very first person who walked in the door and saw it - there she is on the left! I will be making more cake stands over the next two weeks. Drop me a line to pre-order yours. Cake is festive! We need more excuses to eat cake!

Celebrate Summer

2009-06-21T14:35:00.001-07:00

The studio is filled with the fragrance of antique roses. I'm making wedding cake stands. It feels like summer. Look how pretty the roses look in a blossomware tumbler!

Today In the Studio: Making a Custom Wedding Cake Stand

2009-06-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

It's wedding season. Weddings on our little island are often gentle, handmade affairs, taking place on the beach or in the meadow, with receptions in the Community Hall, transformed for the occasion. Flowers come from local gardens, as do many of the feast ingredients. Decorations are handmade and often upcycled. Everything from gowns to cakes to rings are made with love by local artisans. This is the norm for our community, but I have been happy to see a new trend towards green, handmade weddings everywhere. More and more people are realizing that embracing sustainability and buying handmade does not mean sacrificing elegance, style, and beauty - in fact, just the opposite is true. Letterpress invitations, fresh, organic, seasonal food and flowers, lush sustainable fabrics, and of course, handmade ceramics, all add luxury to a special celebration. I'm working on a commission right now for a wedding cake stand; I'm having so much fun designing and prototyping these pieces! Several styles of cake stand, from every day sweet to all out elegant, will debut in the shop in August. In the meantime, here's a peek at a piece in progress, featuring lovebirds, whimsical scallops and a hat-box shape. If you'd like me to design something for your special occasion, whether it's nuptials or a special birthday, just drop me a line. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Whimsical Hand Made Ceramic Sunflower Vase

2009-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Coming soon to the shop!

Installation of Hand Made Koi and Plum Blossom Tiles

2009-06-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some beautiful images from a recent installation of our Koi and Plum Blossom Tiles from the Kyoto Series. This is a great example of how to effectively mix artisan tile with commercial tile for stunning results.

Fresh, Colorful Handmade Dinnerware

2009-06-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of custom Blossomware orders fresh out of the kiln, making the showroom look pretty while they're waiting for packing and shipping. I LOVE some of the new colour combos, especially the lime/mango:Isn't that delicious, fresh, and summery? We have some Blossomware available in our shop, but what we'd really like to do is make you some place settings in the colours you love most. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss your colour inspirations and tableware desires!

Open Studio: A Fantastic Weekend!

2009-05-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

We want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the studio this weekend and made our open house such a success! It was wonderful to meet new people, touch base with old friends, and share our excitement about what we do. The weather was warm and soft and sunny, the mood was light and happy, children and dogs were playing in the meadow, and the Blossomware was flying off the shelves. When I finally had time to sit down with the comment book this morning, I was thrilled to see so many exclamation marks: "very beautiful!" "...it makes me happy!" "...LOVE your colours! " "...Wow!!... " "it makes me feel peaceful!" "... lovely!..." Thanks everyone! Here are a few pics of how our little gallery space looked... and we're happy to announce that this summer the studio will be open to the public most days - so if you missed us this weekend, you can stop by any sunny day!

Pottery Studio Tour This Weekend!

2009-05-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to extend an invitation to all of you to drop by the studio this weekend, as we open our doors to show you how we make our tiles and wares, and to offer you a sneak peek at new Blossomware as well as great deals on tile overstock. Here's the press:

If you love beautiful hand-crafted objects, have a special interest in ceramic art, or are on the lookout for a memorable day-trip, then mark Saturday and Sunday, May 16 & 17, on your calendar. This is the weekend of the 22nd Annual Denman Island Pottery Tour, which runs from 10 - 5 daily and is FREE.

This long-running Tour is only getting more popular as the global mood shifts more and more towards simplicity, authenticity and sustainability. As an alternative to mass-production, what better than a hand-crafted bowl or mug, made from earth, water, fire, air and the touch of the human hand?

"There's a hand-made revolution going on right now," says Bronwyn Simons, who along with her partner Bob runs Terra Home, producer of beautiful art tiles and hand-built tableware. This is the Simons' first year on the Pottery Tour.

"I think there's a hunger for simplicity and connection expressed through these trends. We're paying more attention to where things come from and what they're made of.

"Is it sustainable? Is it ethical? Does it have enduring value? Does it connect me with others in a positive way? Is it special and unique? A well and lovingly hand-made object usually answers 'yes' to all these questions," says Simons. As a result, she says, micro craft and artisan businesses are becoming increasingly viable as a livelihood.

The Simons' hand-made art tiles feature relief designs inspired by Japanese fabric design, Moorish motifs and Buddhist images. This year they have expanded beyond tiles and added a new line called Blossomware. This collection includes plates and platters, bowls, tumblers and pitchers. These pieces are hand-built from sheets of clay that are cut and slumped over plaster forms. Delicate garden colours and wavy lies give Blossomware a fresh and contemporary feel.

Bronwyn, who has a background in visual art, art history and dance, designs everything, while Bob focuses on production. He also built their airy, light-filled studio, which nestles into the forest next to their home. A visit to Terra Home is likely to give you abundant inspiration for your own island sanctuary.

This year's Pottery Tour features 11 studios in nine locations, including five potters who have never been on the Tour before.

Maps for the self-guided tour are available at the Buckley Bay ferry booth on the way to the Island, as well as at the Denman General Store and Abraxas Books on Denman.

Today in the Studio: Pine Branches and Cones on Tile

2009-04-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here Bob is cleaning up the edges of a plaster cast which will become a tile for a custom fireplace we're working on. The fireplace is in a 1930's era home which is being renovated in a lighthearted contemporary interpretation of craftsman style. These pine branches will grace either side of the fireplace, which will also feature pine cone tiles in several sizes. I took a long walk this morning and gathered pine branches and cones; by the end of the day we had translated them into plaster. More on this project as it progresses!

Today in the Studio: Whimsical Earthenware Flower Tiles

2009-04-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

These cuties were a special request from a designer at one of our favorite showrooms. A client brought in a picture of a funky flower similar to these, wanting a three inch tile in the same style, with a variety of flowers. Here is the colourful and whimsical result; in progress, above, and fresh out of the test kiln, below. I really like the effect of the deep red claybody showing through in the outline of the design, and I love the humorous personality of the flowers!

Today in the Studio: Handmade Tile Workshop

2009-04-20T08:27:00.001-07:00

Four students joined us in the studio this weekend for an intensive workshop on the basics of creating press molded relief tiles. We had a wonderful time! Here's a bit of what we did:

Early Saturday morning, the studio is shiny clean with student workstations set up on my glazing counters:
We spent the morning learning how to design for clay, and refining our imagery. Here, two students work on thumbnail sketches:
Bob helps a student roll out her slab for carving:A beautiful owl takes shape in clay:

Time for a break and a chance to peruse our library of design books:Next weekend the students will finish their tiles & I'll post some of their work! If you'd like to know about upcoming workshops in the studio, sign up for our newsletter in the sidebar, or check back here for updates to our schedule. Have a wonderful week!

Today in the Studio: Round Moorish Tile

2009-04-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I'd feature this magnificent piece from our Alhambra collection, because it's getting a lot of attention on our Etsy shop. We originally created this piece for a custom Moorish fountain; six of these medallions were placed atop the six points of the star shaped fountain. Today I was asked by another client to draw up some designs for a Moorish style wall fountain, and I'm looking at ways to incorporate this piece in that project - I think it would be beautiful and dramatic to have the water spout emerge from the centre of this piece. I'll post more on this project as it progresses. See this post for more about moorish fountains.

Happy Easter! Spring Flowers on Cream Jugs

2009-04-09T16:25:00.001-07:00

Coming soon to our tableware shop!

Today in the Studio: Hand Made Cream Jug in Spring Colours

2009-04-01T14:05:00.001-07:00

I spent the morning hand building a half dozen cream and sugar sets for our Blossomware Collection. Here are the creamers, in their raw state, above, and finished, in a Lime/Turquoise glaze combo. We love these sweet little jugs - they fit the hand so nicely, and they're so useful! We use ours for cream, of course, but also salad dressing, syrup, and gravy. You can buy one here.

Today in the Studio: Gorgeous Blue Koi Fish Tiles

2009-03-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

Beautiful blue Koi pond from our Kyoto collection. These tiles will grace a new custom shower in the "Morning Glory Room" at the Shanti House, a gorgeous Bed & Breakfast on our own island. The image is inspired by the serenity of a Japanese garden in spring, with the young willow fronds just brushing the surface of clear water. The koi, willow frond, and stylized ripple pattern are all designs traditionally found in Japanese textiles; Kimono silks in particular often have seasonally themed motifs. UPDATE: See these tiles installed, here. To view the artist's inspirations for this tile, click here.

Green Design Maven

2009-03-16T14:24:00.001-07:00

Rachel over at Path Design recently did a lovely feature on us in her green design blog. Thanks Rachel! Rachel is a talented interior designer and entrepreneur with a passion for things green. Her firm is on the leading edge of green design in Orange County, California. Visit her here to experience her flair for the eco-friendly!!

Today in the Studio: Hand Made Buttons & Bowls in Spring Colours

2009-03-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

The two Blossom Bowls are for a client. The buttons are just for fun! They are shown here after glazing but before firing. I'm anticipating selling even more Blossomware in the next few months - the gentle but vivid flower colours are SO yummy and perfect for a Spring table (think Easter, Mother's Day, etc...)

Today in the Studio: Sea Shell & Sand on Hand Made Tile

2009-03-02T16:18:00.000-08:00

Here are the sea shell tiles fresh out of the kiln. I'm pleased with how convincingly sandy the glaze is! The shell motifs were cast from actual shells that a client picked up on the beach on Jeju Island (a subtropical island off the south coast of Korea). The tiles, installed in her powder room, will be a welcome reminder of warm beaches through our grey west coast winters. Purchase these tiles here.

Today in the Studio: Lovely Turquoise Crackle Glaze on Simple Hand Made Tile

2009-02-27T06:54:00.000-08:00

I love this new Turquoise Crackle glaze we've added to our glaze options.

The rich, delicious translucent turquoise color varies between sea green and vivid sapphire.

Its watery surface and vivid stained-glass depth make it an absolute pleasure to live with day to day in your home. This glaze works especially well on our 3" x 6" handmade subway tile and on our simple handmade 4" x 4" field tile.To order a sample of this gorgeous glaze on one of our handmade tiles, just click below:

Questions? Or ready to order more than one tile? Just click here to e-mail us!

Today in the Studio: Hand Painted "Italian Sketchbook" Tiles with Lemons, Olives, Flowers, and Wine

2009-02-27T06:28:00.000-08:00

This order is going out today; I hope the client sends pics, because I know this will be a gorgeous kitchen! Not shown are the soft yellow field tile which will complement the grey. The grey tiles are a new colour for us - I call the glaze "Sketchbook Grey," because it was designed to go with our Italian Sketchbook series, and also because the colour and surface texture have the feel of charcoal on fine linen drawing paper. I think this colour would be smashing in a modern kitchen with lots of stainless steel, but also in a traditional kitchen with distressed painted cabinetry. Below is a batch of accent tiles in progress on my work table.

Click here to purchase tiles from our Italian Sketchbook collection.

Today in the Studio: Gorgeous Green Subway Tiles, Olive Accent Tile

2009-02-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

The last batch of these beautiful tiles came out of the kiln today. I'll post another pic. when they are installed. This emerald green glaze is a new one for us; like many great creations it came from an "accident" in glaze mixing. The result is this varied, rich green with a slight, elegant "oil slick" metallic sheen.

Rustic Earthenware Songbird Plate

2009-02-26T17:23:00.001-08:00

Here is the songbird plate, fresh out of the kiln! (Here it is before firing) I'm really pleased with the way it came out - I love the contrast of the clarity of the lines in the illustration with the rough, rustic look of the white glaze. I'll be posting this for sale soon on my Etsy shop.

Blossomware on TV!!

2009-02-25T22:19:00.000-08:00

This is so cute! My Blossomware co-starring in this Florida TV spot with Jaden of Steamy Kitchen... watch and spot the Blossomware!

Today in the Studio: Emerald Green Subway Tiles & Hand Painted "Italian Sketchbook" Tiles

2009-02-25T16:43:00.001-08:00

I was SOOOO excited to see these beauties come out of the kiln early this morning. This is a big batch of emerald green hand pressed subway tiles for a kitchen back splash (they'll be fantastic with the granite counters and cabinetry hand made with local woods!) Interspersed among the emerald green will be a few Italian Sketchbook accents...the motifs look amazing on the gently varied surface of the hand pressed tile. I love them! Shop our Italian Sketchbook Collection here.

Today In the Studio: Seashell Tiles

2009-02-25T10:47:00.001-08:00

A client gave me a handful of beautiful shells she had gathered on Jeju Island (a subtropical island off the south coast of Korea), and asked me to do something with them for her powder room back splash. I cast each shell in plaster, then created molds for these 4" tiles from the casts. I love the way each detail of surface texture is captured in clay! These are the tiles before their first firing, while I was cleaning up the edges and smoothing the surfaces. I'll post the finished product next week! UPDATE: Here are the finished tiles!

Today In the Studio: Earthenware Songbird Plate

2009-02-24T07:12:00.000-08:00

Today the early morning sun was pouring in the studio clerestorey windows, and it almost felt like Spring. Here is that beautiful sunlight illuminating my worktable. Between tile jobs I like to do little creative experiments like this Songbird Plate, shown ready for firing. It is done in a traditional majolica style, with a white tin glaze on red earthenware, decorated with cobalt oxide. I'll post another pic. after it's fired.

2009-02-05T20:19:00.001-08:00

Hacienda Stripe tiles laid out waiting to be prepped for their third firing. These tiles are destined for the kitchen of a waterfront home with elegant, modern finishes like earth plaster and stainless steel. A beautiful marriage of sleek and minimal with rustic and handmade - these tiles will fit right in! I'll post pics soon of the finished project.

upcoming hand made tile workshop

2009-01-14T22:43:00.001-08:00

The Denman Island Arts Centre has organized a workshop to take place in our studio, starting on April 18th. I'll be teaching a group of students how to create their own set of hand pressed relief decorated tiles. We'll be making tiles like the one shown above (Ume from our Kyoto Collection) The three day event also includes a talk at the Arts Centre, in which I'll present a visual history of art tiles. I'm really looking forward to this fun and challenging experience. More details to follow! FMI or to register, visit the Arts Centre here.

celebrating colour

2009-01-08T12:34:00.001-08:00

This week's designer's pick is the Blossom Bowl. I love these fabulous flower colours, they are so happy! This time of year I look out of my studio window and see a lot of brown and gray - plus a little bit of muddy white. Working with these warm, yummy fruit-and-flower colours really helps to lift the winter gray a little bit, and serving my meals on these every night brings a bit of spring to my winter table. The top bowl is a new colourway, Pansy. below are old favourites Mango and Lime. To bring some Blossomware to your table, click here.

happy new year! and this week's designer's pick

2008-12-31T10:05:00.000-08:00

A great way to welcome the New Year is by clearing out the clutter and revitalizing your home with symbols of new life and growth. This week's designer's pick is our beautiful earthenware buddha mural, shown here installed in my entryway niche. The entryway is where I started my New Year decluttering. In Feng Shui, the entryway is considered the "mouth of Chi," or the place where all energy and nourishment enters the home. Here are a few common-sense ways to create a more harmonious and beautiful entryway, whether to "enhance the Chi," or simply to create a feeling of welcoming and serenity for all who enter your home:

keep clutter out! even a small entryway can feel spacious when it is clean and clear.
keep a vase of fresh, seasonal flowers on a table. I change my flowers weekly, and keep them in a Terra Home Plum Blossom vase; the plum blossom is a symbol of new life and hope.
add a tabletop fountain, to enhance the flow of energy and create a soothing sound. I made a very simple and inexpensive fountain for our entrance from a big ceramic bowl filled with beach stones, into which I put a small submersible pump.
keep a candle burning in your entryway while you are home. I use a tealight in a decorative bowl (show below).
images and symbols of helpful beings, from human role models to deities, protect your home with their positive energy.
use your imagination and enhance this important space with anything you feel brings more light, life, harmony, abundance, and spaciousness into your life!

Christmas Craft Faire

2008-12-09T12:17:00.001-08:00

Here is where I spent the weekend! The faire was packed, we had a lot of fun, sold lots of bowls, tiles, and porcelain pendants. I heard other artisans saying this was the best faire in several years. I believe the economic climate is actually encouraging people to shop more mindfully this year, investing in high quality hand made pieces instead of plastic or electronic gadgets... hooray for hand made! I really enjoyed being out in the mix - I spend so much time alone in the studio, it's refreshing and gratifying to meet clients face to face, talk about my work, receive feedback and compliments. Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by to see us this weekend! (By the way, we won "Best Display" award for our new booth!!)

Anatomy of a Custom Job - Part One

2008-10-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Much of the hand made tile work we do is custom, and clients are often curious about how the process works. I thought I'd share a behind the scenes look at a custom job we're working on right now, to demystify the process. About two weeks ago a charming couple contacted us, hoping we could help to fulfill a vision they had for a special accent tile to incorporate into the tile floors in their new lakeside home in Ontario. Here is their exquisite home site:Often, the design process is the most time consuming aspect of a custom job - it's not unusual for us to go back and forth for a few weeks exchanging ideas with the client and refining their vision into a motif that will work on our tiles, then choosing colours, etc. These clients, however, were way ahead of the game. They had already chosen a glaze colour and "feel" from our current line, and they had purchased rights to the artwork they wanted, and even sized and formatted it for us to work with easily! This made it easy for me to get right to work in the studio. My first step was to create an original tile from the artwork provided. Here is my clean workspace with a pristine clay slab waiting for carving:

First, I transfer the artwork onto the slab. In this case, it was a motif provided by the clients, but often it is an original work I create in response to the clients vision:
Next, I carve the motif into the slab:
Once the original tile is carved, and working quickly before the original dries, Bob mixes up a batch of plaster:The mold form is set up, and we hold our breath as plaster is poured over my original carving: The plaster is allowed to set for a few hours, then the original tile is removed and discarded. After several days, the plaster mold is dry and ready for use. Bob cuts a slab the correct size, and carefully hand presses it into the waiting mold. Excess clay is carefully removed from the tile, and the first tile is removed from the mold! This process is repeated until we have the right number of tiles, then the tiles are off to the drying racks. That's where the tiles for this job are right now. The next step will be bisque firing and glazing... I'll post on that next week!

Another Beautiful Kichen Featuring Lingua Terra 'Kyoto' Tiles

2008-10-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

These photos came in the mail yesterday, from a client in Florida. This gorgeous kitchen features our Kyoto Plum Blossom tiles and field tiles in Lichen. I love the way the Plum Blossoms are featured over the stove, set corner to corner to create an interesting, rotating motif - very creative! This client was a pleasure to work with and the installation is just beautiful.

Using Decorative Friezes

2008-10-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here is an example of a unique and beautifully effective use of a decorative frieze as a stand alone design element. The tiles are our Koi Frieze from the Kyoto Series, used to great effect in the Design Bar at Path Design in Santa Ana, California. The designer, Rachel Hulan, has cleverly combined textures and materials to highlight these gorgeous tiles in her showroom. A frieze is simply the architectural term for a continuous horizontal running pattern. From the great abstract running patterns in Islamic architecture to the more humble Arts and Crafts fireplace, the frieze has been used often, and beautifully, in architectural ceramics. Hand pressed tiles lend themselves well to the creation of a running frieze pattern. The pattern may be created by the repeat of a single tile (as with our Alhambra border tile) , or may be created with two or more tiles to give the effect of a continually changing pattern (as with our Bamboo Forest and Koi patterns from the Kyoto series.) The frieze creates an effect of rhythmic, but interesting, repetition that can't be achieved with the simple repetition of a single motif. Making an effective and graceful continuous pattern is a tricky bit of design work. Both edges of the pattern must meet up flawlessly without a visual break. The motif must stand alone as an effective composition, without sacrificing grace and fluidity in the overall rhythm of the repeat. The eye must flow along the horizontal with ease. Creating the patterns for the sophisticated friezes in our Kyoto series was a long process of trial and error, but I think the results are worthy. In creating the Bamboo forest set, I wanted to achieve a pattern that emphasized the graceful verticals of the stalks and the dynamic horizontal reaching of the leaves. I wanted the pattern to communicate the serene feeling of standing in a grove of bamboo, and to represent the nature of the plant as both erect and supple. For the Koi pattern, my goal was to capture the abstract elegance of the traditional Japanese water/willow pattern, often seen on textiles. Here are some examples of installations using the Koi Frieze; you can see how custom colour can really change the feel of the tile, from elegant to whimsical.

There are many ways to use a decorative frieze of ceramic tile in your home. They make a beautiful backsplash, as in the bathroom shown here, or a featured accent combined with other materials, as in Rachel's Design Bar. Use friezes on stair risers, fireplace surrounds, fountain surrounds, above doorways or decorative niches, or inset into furniture. Tile friezes can be used in place of baseboards and window trim, or as a border on a ceramic floor. So many possibilities! For more information about the friezes in our Kyoto and Alhambra series, visit us here.

more blossomware

2008-09-28T22:06:00.001-07:00

handmade tile festival

2008-09-19T11:36:00.001-07:00

For any of you in the Minneapolis area, be sure to check out the Hand Made Tile Association's annual festival, featuring over 40 midwestern tile artisans. This festival grows each year, indication of the trend towards greater appreciation of our wonderful and ancient craft.

blossomware

2008-09-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Finally, after months of prototyping, our Blossomware line is almost ready for market. The full line will include dinner plates, dessert plates, salad bowls, ice cream bowls, platters, chargers, tumblers, mugs, and more! This tableware is slab built: hand rolled then draped over plaster molds to dry. The shapes are soft and organic, reminiscent of natural vessels such as gourds. The colours are delicious blossom hues which make food (and flowers!) look gorgeous. Our new e-store is going to be up and running by the end of October, and the full line will be available there. For updates, sign up for our newsletter (see sidebar.) Your comments on this new line are most welcome!

Moorish Fountain

2008-08-29T12:42:00.001-07:00

We're working on a very exciting commission right now: creating the tiles and helping with the design for a beautiful star-shaped Moorish fountain destined for a California courtyard. Back in 2004 when I designed our Alhambra Series, I visualized them in a gorgeous, traditional Moorish fountain. The tiles have graced many kitchens, some bathrooms and gardens, but never a fountain -- until now! I can hardly wait to see the photos of the final installation, which will be in the capable hands of San Jose landscape designer Molly Urban. In the meantime, we are hard at work in the studio, creating hundreds of turquoise border tiles, cobalt blue hex tiles, and a few big custom medallions -- have a peek below at the work in progress (clockwise from top left: workstation for carving the custom medallions, two welcome visitors to the studio, hand pressing border tiles, border tiles ready for the drying racks, Islamic Star pattern in turquoise and black, finished medallion prototype ready for mold pouring.)

Traditionally, the fountain forms the centrepiece of the Islamic garden. For a desert people, the element of water is rare and life-sustaining, precious, magical and sacred. The ornamental garden with fountains evolved naturally from the orchard with its cruciform irrigation channels, with the shapes of the cross and super-imposed squares taking on a sacred geometry. Penelope Hobhouse describes the contemplative nature of the Islamic garden in her beautiful book "Plants in Garden History:

"The chabutra, a stone or marble platform, was often placed above the meeting place of the four main channels (of water), and was a resting place for contemplation, an integral part of garden appreciation. An owner might sit for hours or days, lulled by the musical sounds of the water, the presence of the dark-eyed houris, and the scents and colours of ephemeral seasonal flowers... To the nomad's dream of cool shade, running water, fruit and scent inside protective walls was added a new symbolism that enhanced the garden as a private place for contemplation where man could try to find an equilibrium between himself and God...."

The meeting place of the four water channels represents the crossroads of the world, the still centre and eternal source: "For the Arabs the number four assumed a cosmic importance based on traditions inherited from Babylonian, Pythagorean, and Hindu sources. The interaction of the cube, representing the multiplicity of nature's manifestations, with the heaven-inspired dynamic circle, dictated how sacred Muslim architecture developed. The four-fold garden can be considered as an open-air version of this theme - not only a place of refuge and beauty, but also an expression of spiritual understanding of the universe."

The fountain which our tiles will grace is designed in the traditional star pattern, with two super-imposed squares creating the balanced and magical shape. We've incorporated the circle motif in the form of eight medallions which will be placed on each of the eight points of the star. As the centrepiece of a courtyard with lush tropical plantings, we hope the fountain will serve the traditional role of a place of beauty and contemplation!

Handmade Tile Inspired by Moorish Gardens and Architecture: Our Alhambra Collection

2008-08-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Above: Floral Plaque, 4" x 8" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise. Click on the image to see full page.

Inspired by the timeless beauty of Moorish architecture, this collection of rich cobalt and turquoise tiles feature stylized floral motifs and traditional arabesque patterns. Each design in this collection is an original Terra Home creation, inspired by historical designs. After a long process of creating, sketching and refining, the final design is meticulously drawn out to scale, then transferred to a block of wet clay. The image is then carved carefully into the clay, creating a relief pattern and delicate detail work, like faux arabic script or delicately carved stylized tulips on the borders of the tiles. This painstakingly carved original, which can take up to a day to execute, is destined to be destroyed so a mold can be created. Once the master mold is created, subsequent tiles are pressed by hand into the mold, in a labour-intensive, traditional process. No machines or presses are used in the creation of our decorative relief tiles - just the touch of the human hand.

Above: Arabesque, 4" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise on white claybody. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Floral Urn, 4" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise on white claybody. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Arch Frieze, 4" accent or border tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise on buff claybody. Click on the image to see full page. Below the same tile is shown as a continuous border.

Above: Abstract Hex, 4" hexagonal accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise on a buff claybody. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Arabesque Border, 6" x 2" border tile. 2" coordinating corner piece not pictured but available. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise on a white claybody. Click on the image to see full page.

Above: Circular Arabesque Plaque, 9" accent tile. Available in a range of glaze colours, shown here in Turquoise on a buff claybody. Click on the image to see full page.

Islamic Star motif available by the square foot in loose tiles (not mesh mounted.) Plain hex tile is 4", tiny triangle is 1". Shown here in Turquoise with a blue underglaze, with triangles in black. Available in our full range of glazes.

Click on the image at left for a full size, high resolution printable file of the catalog tear sheet for our Alhambra Collection. For current pricing contact Bronwyn, (bronwyn@linguaterratile.com) to request a wholesale, trade, or retail price list. Wholesale pricing is available to showrooms and retailers who carry our tiles. Trade pricing is available to professional interior designers, architects, building contractors and developers, landscape designers, and interior decorators. For more information on how to order our tiles, visit our How to Order page here, or call 250.335.3149.

espresso anyone?

2008-07-28T10:34:00.001-07:00

These beautiful bags were created by the talented designers at Braun/Allison in Vancouver for a start-up coffee roasting company specializing in traditional Italian style coffee. And the logo? The floral and scrollwork plaque from our Firenze series!

gorgeous installation!

2008-07-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

These beautiful images were in my in-box this morning. The client chose tiles from the Kyoto collection in Dry Lichen glaze for her gorgeous new kitchen. I think the Lichen glaze was a brilliant choice to complement the cherry cabinets. The client said " I get wonderful compliments every time someone comes into the kitchen. In addition, the tile installer stated it was the BEST quality of tile she ever worked with!! Thank you so much for your talent & vision!!" This is absolutely the most satisfying part of my work - to see the results and to know they are bringing beauty and pleasure into people's lives! Thank you Rena'!

the smell of wet stone

2008-06-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here are the four hand built vases I made this week, in various stages of dryness. I'm really pleased with this shape, and this new way of using the tiles. I like the clean sharp edges of this form, and it's graceful slimness when viewed from the side. This grey earthenware clay body has a distinctive and beautiful smell when its drying. The smell is archaic, organic, and nostalgic all at once. It smells like a very clean root cellar in a cold seaside cottage. Or like wet stone, or like the smell of land from far out at sea.

2008-06-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

I've had a run of long, productive days in the studio, as evidenced by the piles of laundry and clutter accumulating in the house. Oh, that elusive life-balance! The drying rack is now absolutely full of bowls of all different sizes, even some cute TINY ones with scalloped edges which I want to glaze to look like little confections. They could hold a ring or a tealight. Ai (shown here rolling out slabs) keeps me on my toes -- she's in the studio at 9 sharp every morning, so I am too. No more "gee, maybe I'll just do some yoga/dust the bookshelves/blog/organize my cutlery drawer/answer my e-mail... before I go over to the studio...", the downfall of many of us self-employed persons. The discipline of a regular daily work schedule has often eluded me. I tend to work in longer rhythms, periods of intense work and creativity followed by more dormant times to regroup and strengthen creative roots, and of course do the laundry... the new routine chafes just a little, but I feel open and curious about how it will effect my creativity and flow of ideas. It certainly has helped the flow of bowls... I can't wait to get some colour and pattern on them, so stay tuned for that!

hand-built plum blossom vase is here!

2008-06-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

Here it is, our first hand-built vase ready to go out into the world. It's earthenware, 12" x 6" x 3", and I've used our lovely aged-looking verdigris glaze from the Kyoto collection, called Dry Lichen. The plum blossom motif is one of my favorites. Plums bloom very early, often in the snow, so the blossom represents hope and new life. We have a few wild plum trees on our property and I always look forward to the February day when they burst into a froth of white on cold, knarled branches. This vase would look fantastic filled with a big bundle of those frothy branches, or with some tall stalks of bamboo, or with autumn grasses. It has enough presence to take a tall elegant branch or bloom. In front of a mirror on an entryway table it would convey elegance and substance holding seasonal branches. To purchase one today, simple click on the "Buy Now" link in the left hand sidebar. Fill with your favourite blossoms, and send us a picture!

2008-06-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

We are happy to welcome our new intern Ai to the Terra Home family. She will be working with me in the studio this summer. Ai is from Hiroshima, Japan, and has been in Vancouver for the last year continuing studies in English which she began in University. She's kind, sensitive, funny, and great company in the studio. In the photos above, you can see her working on the slabs for one of our new hand built vases -- in this case the plum blossom vase. Ai is a meticulous worker, as you can see from this page from her studio notebook:

2008-05-24T13:11:00.001-07:00

I'm really excited. I've been dreaming about these stacks of colourful bowls for months now. This morning I took these out to the picnic table in the spring sunshine and did a little photo shoot. This is just a sneak preview, these are prototypes! I want to refine my colour palette and get some kinks out of the glazes, but they should be up on the website by summer solstice, so you can shop then. I'd love to hear your feedback on these prototypes...colours? suggestions? what do you think?

Italian Sketchbook 2

2008-05-23T07:18:00.001-07:00

I thought I would share with you the evolution of a couple of the images from our new 'Italian Sketchbook' series. My goal was to create designs that were whimsical but not cutesy, simple line drawings that would evoke memories of Italian afternoons. I went through all my Italian photos, choosing scenes and objects that were emblematic. I played with the images in my sketchbook until I had simplified and abstracted them into a few lines and colours. The tiles are created with a wax resist technique, and I think the results are exciting. I love the simplicity of the lines combined with the complexity of the glazed surface.

A sultry summer afternoon in Siena:

I love the shape of the trees and the misty contours of the hills on the horizon:

I capture these essentials in my sketchbook:

and the final result:

A moment of sensual joy in Rome - the sound, smell, and sensation of cold flowing water on wet stone & hot skin on a hot urban afternoon:

I love that these fountains have been providing refreshment to passersby for centuries. I play with the essentials in my sketchbook:

And the final result:

Denman Island Craft Shop

2008-05-09T07:12:00.000-07:00

Our small island community has been a haven for artists for many years. This charming building houses the Denman Island Craft Shop, which was founded two decades ago by a collective of women artists, many of whom are still involved in the Craft Shop today. The collection of art for sale here is varied and high quality, including world-class ceramics and sculpture alongside local watercolours, beautiful knitting and handmade preserves!Each month a different local artist is featured in the Craft Shop, and the lovely month of May, 2008, belongs to Lingua Terra Tile! Here is our display, which greets you as you enter the shop. We took this opportunity to test market our new hand built vases. Here is a prototype of our Buddha Vase, brimming with our signature flower, the plum blossom. We are adding a line of vases to our collection, simple shapes adorned with our tiles. We'd love to hear what you think of these new products, so please comment! I'll be posting more prototypes as I develop the line. The full line will debut for sale on the website June 21st, so stay tuned.

Connections

2008-04-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

I was in the studio late last night after a long day with lots of pressures. I had set a goal to complete a certain number of drape-molded bowls by the end of the day, and I was struggling through tiredness, irritation, and a distracted mind to meet that goal. The pieces I was working with are prototypes for a new line: very simple, modest, primitive bowls reminiscent in shape of hollowed gourds and other natural vessels. I was holding one in my hand, shaving extra clay from the lip. Suddenly the sensual fact of the moment stopped my busy mind in its tracks. The bottom of the bowl was exactly the size of my cupped palm, sat in it easily, echoing the receptive shape of my hand. My arms were streaked with red earthenware - red ochre, the original earth pigment, iron-rich and red like life-blood. The clay was moist but starting to be solid, pleasantly cool and alive feeling against my skin. I had one of those precious moments of feeling connected to millennia of human experience, through a simple sensual act. Ceramics is an ancient craft, and hand-building especially has traditionally been the province of women, whose creations served the often-overlapping purposes of beauty, domestic function, and ritual. I love feeling connected to this lineage, and I love creating objects that are humble, yet capable of bringing a sense of beauty and connection into our homes. The pics show the ancient craft as it is still practised today in many parts of the world. (I found these photos embedded in a description of a ceramics exhibition at Aberysywth University in Wales... unfortunately the photos were not attributed. I'll do some research and try to find out more about them -- if you know where this might be, leave a comment and let me know!) If you are interested in the subject of ceramics in women's history, check out my links in the sidebar.

Hand Painted Tile Workshop

2008-04-18T18:56:00.001-07:00

This winter I had the pleasure of sharing art & design skills in my community: I taught a weekend workshop on hand painted tile murals. During the two intensive days, students produced two murals each, and I took the murals back to our studio for firing. I was so impressed with the finished products! From a whimsical village scene in bright colours to detailed botanical drawings in underglaze pencil, the results were diverse and inspiring. Many of the students had no ceramics experience, but all made beautiful murals. It's wonderful to take a full two days and immerse yourself in a creative project. Even though my art is my work, I seldom have the chance for an immersion experience like this. Combine this with the chance to work with and get to know a group of interesting & talented people, add cookies and tea and good music in a warm and inviting setting, and you have a fabulous weekend experience like we had! Here's a pic of students in deep concentration, and one, above, of two underglaze painted tiles in progress. The workshop took place at Denman Island Arts Centre, our own arts centre in the heart of our island village, in a restored 100 year old historic island home. To check it out, click on the title of this post.

Mexican Inspirations

2008-04-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

Unbelievably, it snowed this morning! The daffodils, salmonberry blossoms, and tiny green alder leaves all had a dusting of white... winter in the spring, yikes! The winters here are long and gray and wet (but not THIS long!) and in February there is a mass exodus for points south, especially the Pacific coast of Mexico. My favourite magical winter escape is Hacienda Mosaico, in Puerto Vallarta. This very special artist's retreat nurtures creativity and healing within it's high flower-covered garden walls. The smell of fresh limes, the sound of water bubbling in a fountain, laughter and low music coming from the studio as I sit in a shady corner of the garden, sheltered by huge banana leaves... the pink glow off the bright stuccoed walls, warm rough stone under bare feet, delicious Margaritas in the company of creative mentors... pure magic. After my first visit there, I came home and designed a line of tiles called 'Hacienda', inspired by the shapes and colours of the Hacienda Mosaico gardens. You can see a few of them below, along with a pic of the courtyard just outside my favourite room... if you click on the title of this post, you can visit the Hacienda virtually.

More Italy...

2008-04-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

After reminiscing about Italy yesterday morning, it was a pleasure to find this image in my inbox. This gorgeous installation of our Firenze tiles was created by Rachel Hulan of Path Design in Santa Ana, CA. (They specialize in Green Design, which makes us happy!) The glazes of the Firenze tiles were designed to mix well with stone, and I love them with the warm Italian colours and dark wood here. Rachel said " The clients already had a stone backsplash installed in their butler's pantry when I was brought in on the job, and were really unhappy with how monolithic it looked. I suggested an inset of your tile, and they now LOVE how it looks..." Thanks, Rachel! One last note... look closely at the tile at left, you'll see elements from the sketchbook page I posted yesterday.

Italian Sketchbook

2008-04-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

I Love Italy. The city of Florence is one of my favorite places on earth. Several years ago I lived for a while in a beautiful apartment just off the Piazza Santissima Annunziata. The huge french doors in the back opened on to a private garden with roses and fig trees, the ceilings were 15 feet high, and the cool terazzo floors felt so good on bare feet sore from walking on cobblestones in high heels. If I flip open my journals and sketchbooks from that time, everything comes back: the smell from my window, dry stone, lemon blossoms, and exhaust fumes; the noise and dirt of the streets, and the cool dusty hush of the churches; afternoons spent in a silent courtyard, in the dry shade of the colonnade, my mind slow from the heat, precious solitude. I carried around a big sketchbook, a 35mm camera, (the kind with film!) and a small camp stool so I could plop down anywhere and draw. I've been making art for five years from that treasury of images! Our Firenze collection came from those sketchbooks, and this winter, when I began to play with wax resist and painting with glazes, I turned once again to that imagery and came up with a series of casual line drawings based on thumbnails and marginal notes in my journal. These became bits of whimsical shorthand evoking things Italian... a bottle of Chianti Classico, a tall poplar on a hill, an olive branch, a cup of dark coffee. So the Italian Sketchbook line was born! Here's a peek at a few pages from my own Italian sketchbook. Enjoy!

help wanted

2005-05-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

We are in need of a part time studio assistant, starting right away. Here are all the details:

Hours
This is a part time casual position. Our production schedule varies greatly throughout the year, and we cannot guarantee regular weekly hours. There will be long periods of time when we don't need production help at all, times when we need a few hours a week, and rush times when we'll need 10 to 20 hours per week or more. You'll need to be able to be flexible and comfortable with this variability.

Compensation
We'll start you at $10 per hour and review every 6 months. If you are interested it will be possible to negotiate use of the kiln and some studio time to do your own work. Please be aware that this is a contract position, and you will be responsible for your own taxes and insurance.

Description of Duties
The job mostly consists of pressing ceramic tiles, both by hand into plaster molds, and by machine with a small RAM press. The job takes some physical strength and stamina, and you need to be comfortable with repetitive production work. You'll also need to feel comfortable wearing a dust mask. Other duties will include glazing tiles (both by hand and with a sprayer,) rolling out, cutting, and draping dinnerware pieces, packing tiles, studio clean-up, loading and unloading the kiln (which requires some heavy lifting.) You will learn a lot about the ceramic production process, and the studio is spacious and sunny. Our studio and grounds are smoke free.

Your Most Important Qualities

a cheerful and positive attitude towards repetitive physical work
attention to detail
ability to work quickly and accurately
willingness to learn, and to take detailed instruction
your own transportation

To apply, please provide us with a resume, and a cover letter telling us why you’d like the job. E-mail these to us, or mail to Lingua Terra Tile, 1421 Schmidt Road, Denman Island. No phone calls or visitors please.
DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MONDAY MAY 16 AT 5 PM

Thanks!
Bob & Bronwyn Simons, Lingua Terra Tile

Our Story

2001-01-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

Lingua Terra Tile and Terra Home is a family run business built by people with a love of great design, a passion for fine craft, and a commitment to healthy and sustainable industry. Our business was born four years ago in a tiny rose-covered cottage. We are now housed in a sunny 1000 square foot hand built post-and beam studio on four acres of meadow, garden, and woodland. This pristine property nestles in the heart of Denman Island, one of British Columbia’s jewel-like Gulf Islands, home to gorgeous mountain and ocean views, lush rain forest, and a vibrant community of artists and entrepreneurs.

Founder Bronwyn Simons was a practicing artist and designer for many years before launching Terra Home. During years of travel, Bronwyn has filled sketchbooks with the visual detail and colour that she loves. From Renaissance stonework in a Florentine palazzo to wild lotuses on a lake in the far North, details are lovingly observed and carefully recorded. This collected and cherished beauty from around the world becomes the foundation for Terra Home’s themed tile collections. Every design pays tribute to an inspiring work of art or nature, and conveys a strong sense of place and the passionate inspiration of the artist.

Our hands on manufacturing process is based on centuries old tile making traditions. A few innovations such as an electronic kiln assure consistency and relative speed, while retaining the individuality and subtle variation that make artisanal tile so special. Terra Home is founded on the idea that art can be woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We envision homes that nurture a sense of peace, well being, and beauty for all who enter them, and we envision our tiles becoming part of those homes.

Ceramic Art Tile and Custom Tile Designs from Lingua Terra

2001-01-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

Exquisite Artisan Tile

From our sunny post-and-beam studio nestled in meadow and forest on lovely Denman Island, we send our traditionally made artisan tiles across North America. We offer hundreds of original ceramic tile designs in seven gorgeous collections. Along with our exquisite decorative relief tiles, we create hand painted accent tiles, tile murals, field tile in square, hex, subway, and mosaic, as well as borders and listellos. Custom tile design is a specialty. We believe in quality, tradition, sustainability, beauty, craftsmanship, and an artful approach to life and business. Our website and blog is designed as a resource for our friends and clients, and anyone interested in creating a more beautiful, serene, hand-made, and eco-positive living space.

How to Use Our Website
There are lots of resources on our site, including several years worth of blog archives full of tile design tips, design history, and eye candy. You can browse by using our search button at the right, or jumping from post to post through the "link within" buttons at the bottom of the post, where it says "you might also like." Learn more about our gorgeous tile collections and how we can help you design a tile installation by using the navigation buttons at the top right under the banner. Any questions at all? Rather talk to a person than browse a website? Call us. 250.335.3149, 9am to 9pm daily, PST.

Thank You!

2001-01-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for ordering a sample!

We think you are going to love this tile even more once you hold it in your hand. It usually takes about 3-5 days for us to glaze and fire your sample and get it in the mail to you, and another 5 business days for the package to reach you.

Once your sample arrives, or even before, we'd love to talk to you about your tile project, help with design suggestions, and here about how the tile will fit in your home.

E-mail any time, or give us a call during business hours (PST) 250.335.3149.