Support the Tile Heritage Foundation

By Bill Buyok, Avente Tile

"Tiles tell tales!" is the way Sheila A. Menzies, Executive Director of the Tile Heritage Foundation, explained it to me many years ago. As the year draws to a close and you consider year-end donations, don't forget about this amazing organization. They need your support and engagement!

The Tile Heritage Foundation (THF) is a well-run, non-profit organization that is benevolent and generous. The THF works tirelessly to validate both the art and craft of tile as a cultural treasure. As a national non-profit, THF is focused on keeping tile history, both past and present, publicly accessible in the THF Archives and with an online index. Since it was founded in 1987 by Sheila A. Menzies and Joe Taylor, this California-based non-profit has been supporting the preservation, history and appreciation of tile. This organization gives back to the tile community and works to preserve our tile heritage. Avente continues to proudly support their efforts and thanks the directors, staff and volunteers.

The Importance of Preserving our Tile Heritage

I admit, I love tile and it's one of the reasons I started Avente Tile. Tile can take you places and the story behind each tile is an important part of our culture. Shortly after I started Avente Tile, I remember Jorge Aguayo, of Aguayo Tile explaining that he had discovered many floors in disrepair while visiting Cuba. His goal was to preserve these amazing tile tapestries. He archived the Cuban tile patterns and colors found in homes and estates on the island. We are able to share that with you today with our Cuban Heritage line. If we don’t strive to preserve and record these amazing works of art, we lose so much in the collective history of who we are.

Cuban tiles found in Old Havana and Camaguey were in disrepair and nearly lost.
Photo Credit: Aguayo Tile

The Preservation of our Tile Heritage

The Tile Heritage Foundation promotes an awareness and appreciation of tiles in the United States. It provides consultation and research services, leads preservation efforts, and shares information about tile. Its library and research facility also offer a wealth of knowledge, including books and slides about ceramic tile surfaces, by providing historical perspective and depth on all ceramic surfacing materials. Because of these efforts, the organization now plays a major role in the preservation of rare existing ceramic installations. They promote contemporary tile work as well.

Detail of sunflower tiles on stair risers in Beverly Hills circa 1925.
THF works to preserve significant historical tile installations.

THF Member Benefits

As a member of Tile Heritage, you become an advocate for the preservation of significant tile installations throughout the United States. You become a part of an international network of tile enthusiasts from around the globe! I can tell you this, it's a great group of people that really support each other. THF's archive, which is publicly accessible, offers information and examples about U.S. tile makers, business records of dealers and installers, historic catalogs, periodicals, and photography from the last 150 years.

Additionally:

• You support the continued development of a unique library of information and archival materials that are available to the public for purposes of research, restoration and preservation.
• You protect the Tile Heritage archives. This rich archive of tiles and related materials represent one of the largest public collections in the country! The tiles are available to galleries and museums for display and exhibitions as well as to members for personal examination.
• You receive a free listing in the THF Resource Directory, which is revised annually and distributed nationally.
• You receive Member discounts on selected merchandise, services and events.
• Tile Heritage keeps you connected with impartial tile news, multiple tile resources nationwide, information about new and old tile discoveries, as well as special tile-related events.

I could go on about the great folks at the THF and the membership benefit; but, just visit www.tileheritage.org and discover what a great resource they are. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook for the latest information.

 Most importantly, I encourage you to join Avente Tile in supporting this great organization with a donation.

Portuguese Ceramic Tile: Architectural History and Preservation Through the Ages

Ceramic tile façade in Portugal

Portugal is a land of Medieval castles, cobblestone villages, captivating cities and golden-sand beaches, history, great food and wine, and beautiful scenery. Aside from all these wonderful things are the ceramic tiles of the country.

Map of Portugal

In Portugal, the tiles (or Azulejos in Portuguese) that cover the country’s buildings are a distinctive part of this land. These tiles come in a staggering array of shades (mostly of blue) and designs. Near the coast, everything is tiled. They’re distinctive as much for their individuality as for anything else, with whole blocks of buildings bursting with color, each façade different.

Portuguese ceramic tile serves as a beautiful, functional and architectural element on structures and homes. Above image by Robert L. Peters.

Portuguese wall mural image via The Read Headed Traveler.

Portuguese ceramic tile adorn walls as architectural elements, as well as act as sign posts. Image via Candace Rose Arden.

The terrace of the Four Seasons Hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, pays homage to the use of the country’s ceramic tile heritage. Image by Viktor Keech.

The azulejos stem from a time when the Moors controlled the Iberian Peninsula. The patterns evolved from early designs, and the basic tin-glazing and shaping technique has changed little since. Brought to Portugal in the 1400s from Morocco and Algeria, the ceramic tiles are not only beautiful to look at, but also serve as a functional need in reflecting sunlight, trapping cold air, and keeping houses cool during the hot Portuguese summers. Additionally, these ceramic tiles help preserve the mortar and soft stone of Portuguese seaside houses by protecting them from the effects of moisture and salt.

Overview of Porto’s Sé Cathedral. Image via Local Porto.

Portuguese ceramic tile adorns the cathedral's upper cloisters. Image via Nigel J. Ross.

Cloister of Porto’s Cathedral. Image via Rota das Catedrais.

One such structure is the Porto’s Sé Cathedral. According to Mário Pastor of Local Porto, Porto’s Sé Cathedral is a historic landmark in the city’s old center. “In fact, Morro da Sé is the oldest district in Porto. Its characteristic neighborhood and its residents are the most genuine part of the city,” Pastor notes. He goes on to say:

“Right next to the cathedral, you can see the beautiful medieval tower from the 13th century. A few steps above, there’s the tourism information office, built over the ruins of another medieval tower, the Casa dos 24. The Cathedral itself is a 12th Romanesque structure. It was built by Bishop Hugh, a French nobleman who came to Porto even before Portugal’s independence, and ruled the city from 1113 to 1136. Despite its Romanesque roots, you will see that the cathedral, all over the centuries, has been suffering many changes of different architectonical styles, like the baroque roofs of the turrets next the front door, or even the loggia outside the north wall of the building, designed by Nicolau Nasoni, in the 18th century.”

Historic Portuguese ceramic tile wall mural on display at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo's (National Tile Museum) in Lisboa, Portugal.

Thankfully, efforts in preserving these historical ceramic tiles have become engrained in the day-to-day life of the Portuguese. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo's (National Tile Museum), located in the ancient convent of Madre de Deus (Mother of God) in Lisboa, was founded in 1509 by Queen D. Leonor. According to its website, the museum’s mission “is the preservation, presentation and study of its collections and the building in which it is located regarding its safeguarding and enjoyment by present and future generations.” Portuguese ceramic tiles have lasted and become part of the language of the architecture. Houses are still built with the tile, and old buildings remain as vibrant as when they were first constructed.

If you’d like to bring home a bit of Portuguese history, then take a look at Avente Tile’s collection of Portuguese ceramic tiles. Inspired by centuries-old styles from Portugal, these decorative ceramic tiles are hand painted on red bisque and finished with a high-gloss glaze.

- Written by Arpi Nalbandian, Tileometry

Thanks to the Tile Heritage Foundation

Editorial Note (Jan. 2, 2012) - After publishing this post, I was thrilled to read this article, Foundation crafts artisan-tile archive, honoring the co-founders of the Tile Heritage Foundation and their commitment to preserving our tile heritage.

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As another year draws to a close, I want to shine the spotlight on a great organization that is benevolent and generous, The Tile Heritage Foundation. Since it was founded in 1987, this California-based non-profit has been supporting the preservation, history and appreciation of tile. This organization gives back to the tile community and works to preserve our tile heritage. Avente proudly supports their efforts and thanks the directors, staff and volunteers.

The Preservation of our Tile Heritage

The Tile Heritage Foundation promotes an awareness and appreciation of ceramic surfaces in the United States. The Foundation provides consultation and research, leads preservation efforts and shares information about tile. The Tile Heritage library and research facility has a wealth of knowledge including books and slides about ceramic tile surfaces. They provide historical perspective and depth on all ceramic surfacing materials and educate the public by sharing tile’s rich history. Because of these efforts, the organization now plays a major role in the preservation of rare existing ceramic installations. They promote contemporary tile work as well.

This year the Foundation celebrates their 25th-anniversary. A big drive is to transition their archive to an online searchable resource available to the industry and to the public.

Tile and our Collective History

One of the reasons I started Avente was my love of tile - both in the beauty of the hand painted design and the sense of place and time it conveys. A mosaic brings you back to the Roman Empire. The light hand painted blue and white strokes of a stylistic floral pattern on tile can have you dreaming about a centuries-old street corner in Portugal. It's pretty amazing what tile can convey!

Shortly after I started Avente Tile, I remember Jorge Aguayo, of Aguayo Tile explaining that he had discovered many floors in disrepair while visiting Cuba. His goal was to preserve these amazing tile tapestries of pattern and color found in Cuban tile. If we don’t strive to preserve and record these amazing works of art, we lose so much in the collective history of who we are.

Cuban Tiles found in Old Havana and Camaguey are in disrepair
Photo Courtesy of Aguayo Tile

I occasionally get calls from friends and customer’s saying they found some amazing tile after removing layers of other surface coverings during a remodel of their early 1900's home. These moments warm my heart. I am reassured that people do want to preserve well-crafted design and they value the history of a very special place. They want to help document, record and preserve the collective history that is ours.

When I can’t identify that tile, where do I send them? The Tile Heritage Foundation, of course.

Tile Identification Services

The Tile Heritage Foundation offers tile identification services to the public at no charge. Pretty darn amazing. Who else offers such a great service for free? I've sent many architects and designers their way. To take advantages of this service, Simply email foundation@tileheritage.org with clear, images of individual tiles or tile installations. Include other relevant information like site, city, state, size, date (approximate), architect/designer if known. If the experts at Tile Heritage are not able to identify the work, your email will be forwarded to others who are likely to know.

I could go on about the great folks at the THF; but, just visit www.tileheritage.org and discover what a great resource they are. Most importantly, if you can, I encourage you to join Avente and support this great organization with a donation.

Thanks and Happy Holiday!

- Bill Buyok, Avente Tile