500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series) [Paperback]

Lark Books (Author)

Book Description

Series: 500 Series | Publication Date: January 1, 2008

From press-molded pieces to carved works showcasing spectacular surface treatments, these magnificent tiles will inspire beginners and professionals, as well as collectors and enthusiasts. Some of the larger handcrafted displays here were made to decorate public and private spaces; others use single tiles to interpret nature, tell a story, or make a bold cultural observation. As always in this acclaimed series, all the contributors are accomplished artists, renowned in the field. Mary Lynn Buss creates the ultimate kitchen backsplash: a field of mosaic-tiled long-necked irises. Peter King and his wife and working partner Xinia Marín fashion large, expressively rendered, and sculptural installations. And Melody Ellis’s low-relief earthenware tiles pack intriguing narratives into every tile.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* The humble clay tile is one of humankind’s most ancient, enduring, and versatile inventions. From the simplest of squares to art objects of extraordinary refinement, tiles are at once utilitarian and beautiful. Ceramic tiles offer craftspeople and artists alike a two-dimensional surface on which to explore color, line, and shape, as well as providing the perfect medium for sculpting in relief. As ceramic artist Angelica Pozo, who juried this spectacular exhibition-in-a-book, writes in her introduction, tiles hold up so well and require so little maintenance, they are one of the “favorite mediums for public art commissions.” The contemporary tiles displayed on these lustrous pages vary splendidly in technique, style, and intent, ranging from exquisite to funky, realistic to abstract. From works as delicate as fossils to bold, brilliantly hued mosaics; from painterly to needlepoint-precise, the 500 tiles shown here depict plants, animals, birds, insects, human figures classical and playful, landscapes, interiors, and a marvelous array of patterns organic and geometric. Detailed yet concise technical information accompanies each remarkable work. No one who spends time with this pageant of ceramic creativity will ever take tiles for granted again. --Donna Seaman

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Lark Crafts; 1 edition (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579907148
• ISBN-13: 978-1579907143
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Pottery & Ceramics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Inspiring, February 14, 2008

By 

Craig E. Wood (Tulsa, OK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series) (Paperback)

At the risk of being self serving (my work is featured on page 411) I have to say as a clay artist in general and more particularly as a tilemaker this collection is inspiring. The depth of styles and techniques used here is incredible; as someone who has to date been primarily using glazes and underglazes, the examples in this book have immediately sent me back to my local clay supplier in search of new ways to express myself in clay. A must have for anyone who aspires to create art through the medium of tile.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL tiles, lots of ideas, differing styles. RECOMMEND HIGHLY., April 21, 2008

By 

Tori Frost "forgetthediamonds" (New England) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series) (Paperback)

This book is a bounty of styles and artistic ideas for what tiles could and may become, with an open mind and some creative techniques. As a beginning ceramicist, this is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for; as I wanted to break out of the traditional 4x4 square and make something wholly unconventional. I wasn't sure if my ideas would work, but after seeing what others have done I am inspired to make my dreams a reality. Thanks to books like these, I can let my imagination run wild and my only limit will be time and creativity.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a multitude of design and creation, March 17, 2008

By 

C. Robert Friedman "GA Review" (Savannah, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series) (Paperback)

Among the very best of the Lark Books "500" series. Brilliant color and design, not limited to traditional tiles and encouraging to the artist craftsman.