500 Tiles

We have a beautiful new book that would be of interest to anyone who likes decorative arts and fine craftsmanship. 500 Tiles: an inspiring collection of international work, edited by Suzanne Tourtillott, is a survey of some of the most creative ceramic artists working today. There is a wide range of styles and themes in this book. Some of the tiles have an Arts & Crafts look reminiscent of the famous Rookwood pottery, while other pieces are like tiny little minimalist paintings or abstract sculptures. There are individual, highly detailed tiles as well as entire installations covering over 20 feet. Grasshoppers, faces, guns, flowers, car grilles, fruit and coffee cups all appear in glimmering colors and voluptuous bas-relief that just cries out to be touched (well, the tiles themselves are 3D. Obviously, the photos in this book are not). Hand-cut, air-brushed, silk-screened, press-molded, slab-rolled, hand-built: these tiles exhibit just about every technique and style you could possibly think of and the results are truly beautiful. This book is well worth sitting down with for a good, thorough browse.