Tile Stories – Italian Maiolica Style

Maiolica hand-painted tile by Broadmoor Pottery, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1933-1939.

Maiolica refers most often to Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance. It is decorated in bright colors on a white background, frequently depicting historical and legendary scenes.

Though the designs and techniques were applied primarily to earthenware plates, bowls and vases, the style also made it’s way into ceramic wall and floor tiles, as evidenced by these images.

“Terra Nova” tile by Tierra y Fuego on Etsy

Maiolica in the portal of a St. Petersburg mosque.

Art Influence: the Group of Seven

“Red Maple,” 1914, by A.Y. Jackson

Tile has an inescapable connection to the natural world, in its material connection to earth and fire, and in our desire to create textures in our homes that are available only through the designs and creations of nature herself.

Maybe that’s why we’ve long been fans of the work of Canada’s Group of Seven artists–a group of Canadian landscape artists who believed a very close connection to nature would help distinguish their techniques and even define a new “school” of painting.  Their success resulted in widespread influence among succeeding generations of artists.

“Mount Lefroy” by James E. H. MacDonald

The Group of Seven — sometimes known as the Algonquin school — was a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael (1890–1945), Lawren Harris (1885–1970), A. Y. Jackson (1882–1972), Frank Johnston (1888–1949), Arthur Lismer (1885–1969), J. E. H. MacDonald (1873–1932), and Frederick Varley (1881–1969). Later, A. J. Casson (1898–1992) was invited to join in 1926; Edwin Holgate (1892–1977) became a member in 1930; and LeMoine Fitzgerald (1890–1956) joined in 1932. (Souce: Wikipedia)

Designer Amy Laner on Parkwood Tile

You have used whitewash parkwood in a few of your latest designs, what do you like about that particular tile from Everitt & Schilling.

Whitewash Parkwood captures a “repurposed refined” look that offers a shabby chic impression. The distressed whitewashed finished reveals a slight warmth of the wood, yet the smooth face and clean-cut edges of the material collectively creates a final product unlike any of our other products.

You use E & S Products often in your designs.  What are your three favorite qualities about the tiles, and how do they help your design process?

1: Texture!! This quality is key and adds the element of visual appeal and that urge to touch these amazing and stimulating materials. Also don’t forget its sound absorbing capabilities. It’s my favorite-looking soundboard for sure.  Say goodbye to plain and common!

2: Timeless… Wood is a material that can, and in our opinion should, be incorporated into all design concepts. Given the options available in the E&S line, the flexibility of color, finish, texture, pattern, and size allows this material to be any space.

3: The story behind material! We find our clients seek not only great design and function but also purpose. Knowing the story creates a sense of pride and a desire to tell the background to everyone. From the reclaimed and re-purposed story behind E&S products, to the story of the company’s roots and the locally handcrafted origins, this product is show-and-tell worthy! Ask the owner/entrepreneurs themselves about their family investment and creating products that start with local scraps and become community treasures!

Why do your clients like Everitt & Schilling Tile?

Like it? They love it! For everybody from architects to do-it-yourselfers, E&S Wood Tiles are making dream designs happen across the nation. It’s the design element that truly allows our clients to love the space they are in!

Amy Laner NoCo IIDA LEED AP

Contact Us for More Information About Parkwood and Our Extensive Line of Handcrafted Wood Tiles

Tile Stories: Portugese Azulejo

The transept of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré in Nazaré, Portugal is a stunning example of the azulejo style of tile.  From Wiikipedia.

Azulejo panel in the São Bento Train Station in Portugal

Celebrating Handmade: Moulton Bikes

The Moulton Bicycle is the original full-suspension, separable, small- wheeled, high performance bicycle.

Today’s small-wheeled cycles owe a debt of gratitude to the original Moulton ‘F’ frame, designed by Dr. Alex Moulton in the mid-20th century in England.  From the beginning, the bikes used front and rear suspension systems for improved comfort and performance.

The video below illustrates the craftsmanship that goes into producing these celebrated and quirky machines, which are not only used in racing but have been called ” the best touring bicycle in the world.”

MOULTON BICYCLE COMPANY – MADE IN ENGLAND from WellPlastic Films on Vimeo.

Moroccan Tile Craft and History

Zellige is the name give to the colorful style of enamel-covered terra cotta tile that originated in northern Africa and migrated to Spain in the 8th century. The art form arose from the need of Islamic artists to create spatial decorations that avoided depictions of living things, consistent with religious teachings.  Today Moroccan or Moorish tile usually plays an accent role in Western design, where it brings romance and visual interest to monotone interiors.

“Zellige making is considered an art in itself. The art is transmitted from generation to generation by maâlems (master craftsmen). A long training starts at childhood in order to master exceptional skills.

Assiduous attention to detail is very important in the process of creating zellige works. The small shaped (cut according to a precise radius gauge), painted and enamel covered pieces are then assembled together in a geometrical structure as in puzzle to form the completed single mosaic. The process has not varied for a millennium, though conception and design has started using new technologies such as data processing.”  From Wikipedia.

Note the incredible manual skill required to shape the small enamel tiles in the video below.

Mexican Tile Fabrication

As craftsmen, we appreciate historical continuity of skills that go into all kinds of handmade tiles.  This video shows how Mexican fabricators mash, roll, cut and fire the classic tile associated so closely with their culture.

Celebrating Handmade: Mast Brothers Chocolate

From The Scout magazine: “The life of a mariner is one given over to wanderlust—the quest for adventure, crossing unseen horizons to secure precious goods—only to bring them back to their home port. This same love of adventure and curiosity defines the brotherhood of Rick and Michael Mast. They share a fiercely independent spirit, leaping into the unknown and trusting that they’ll find the answer through endurance and dedication to their craft.”

Installing E&S Parkwood Tile

Parkwood Tile adds a distinctive accent to this living/dining area.  And it’s easy to install.

Watch the video below to see how easy it is to install E&S Parkwood tile on any wall area.   Only a few simple tools and materials are used, and the results are dramatic.

13th Century Norwegian Wall Tiles

Stave churches are a style of medieval wooden Christian church buildings, so named because of the post and lintel construction which is a type of timber framing.  The load-bearing posts are called stafr in Old Norse and stav in Norwegian. Two related church building types are also named for their structural elements, the post church and palisade church, but are often also called stave churches.  Read more on Wikipedia.

Carved wooden wall tiles from 13th century A.D., from Toenjum stave church, Laerdal, Western Norway, exhibited at Bergen museum.

photo by Arild Nybø