May 2007 Handmade Tile Association Newsletter
Main Body
Coverings
MN Tile Festival Marketing Committee Report
Nancy Froseth is featured in China Paint & Overglaze" by Paul Lewing Book
Tile Setting Updates
2008 Directory Design?
Next Handmade Tile Association Meeting
Side Bar
Art A Whirl
Pick up MN Tile Festival Propaganda
Beach Pebble Mosaics and Technical Installation Workshop
Did You Know
Smoke and Mirrors
Last meeting
Host Clay Squared to Infinity - Josh Blanc
Special Guest - Louis Voight
Jane Swan, Chad Fitch, Roger Mayland, Lucy Grantz, Marcia Glancy, Cathy Bryson, Tina Schowalter, and Norma Hanlon.
Coverings
The Handmade Tile Association was well represented at the 2007 Coverings show with three tile companies, Mercury Mosaics, North Prairie Tile, and Clay Squared all showing and selling their tile lines. Over 250 HTA directories were handed out at the event by the participating artists. Many HTA members also came to Chicago to see what the event was all about. Nancy Froseth, Sheryl Tuorila, Jane Swan, Joe and Wendy Kerber, Alan and Louis Voigt and Jan Hohn were some of the faces we saw at the show. By all accounts people were impressed by the overall quality and variety of the tiles and tools showcased from all over the world. The show gives us a snapshot of where tiles are going in trends as well as creativity. The quality, inventiveness and sophistication of the Art Tile Village and
the Avenue of the Artisans was very impressive. The techniques of selling handmade tile should be noted as well. There were handmade tile companies who made exclusive booths by building walls all around and showing no products unless you entered. Once inside the viewers were treated to a dazzling presentation of the tile companies' products and individual attention with another enclosed table for negotiations all with the goal of making their work feel exclusive and desired. Other companies had very open spaces that all going by could see what the product was. In this scenario artists had to decide who was serious about considering their tile lines and who was just fascinated.
Next year Coverings moves back down to Orlando with rumors that it will alternate every other year back to Chicago. With Chicago's close proximity to Minnesota and Wisconsin, great places to eat and excellent transportation, we would welcome that scenario.
MN Tile Festival Marketing Committee Report
1000 visitors is the goal for the 2007 MN Tile Festival.
The tile festival committee met and discussed the next step to reach the
goal of 1000 attendees. Roger Mayland, the committee head, expressed that the most important component this year is that everyone must be involved at some level if we plan to reach our goal. Some basic things that all participants can do is make sure they have the MN Tile Festival on their website with a link to the event. www.handmadetileassociation.org/MNTileFestival.htm
Those of you who would like to use the tile festival graphic for your website please copy and paste the one in the right hand column for that use. The link on the website will allow people to get a dollar off the show entrance and they can print as many as they wish.
Other involvement will be that people have postcards available to hand out and that we build a mailing list that will receive the postcard two weeks before the tile festival.
Creating a press release to send to your local newspaper where ever you live is essential to getting media attention all around the region. At the next HTA meeting we will have a professional media writer discuss how to make a successful press release. The HTA does send over 200 press releases all over the country but some local newspapers only cover local stories so you can make a major contribution to the media coverage by sending out a press real ease yourself to your local paper. Here is some basic
info: monthly magazines need info three months in advance. Daily media needs information at least one month in advance to be considered.
Things that the tile festival committee is exploring :
Having special speakers at the tile festival. On the short list is David Heide of David Heide Design a local star architect and designer of Arts and Crafts houses. Also on the list is Jonathan Esten from Meshmount Paper and Tape who makes the mesh mounting materials.
Members who know someone that should be considered please contact Roger at 612-871-3421.
Lastly is the idea of a tag line that might help define the MN Tile Festival for those who have never heard of such an event. Brainstorm on some concepts and contact Roger or bring them to the next meeting for voting
Nancy Froseth is featured in China Paint & Overglaze" by Paul Lewing Book
 Nancy Froseth of Tierneys Tile has had three of her works selected for Paul Lewing book. It is for the ceramic artist interested in exploring this robust medium to the lifelong china painter, “China Paint & Overglaze” is the essential text. Considered a groundbreaking book, the first to showcase the work of traditional china painters and contemporary potters and clay sculptors together, includes many unique features on every aspect of an exciting and colorful medium. Click here to find out how to purchase the book.
Tile Setting Updates
Louis Voight's gave a very engaging talk on tile setting and new products from his trip to Coverings. Louis said the Tile setting industry has gone green and weighs less too!
Mapie, Custom and Laticrete all have come out with 99% green adhesives that are 50% lighter to boot. So one can buy a 25lb bag of adhesive that can cover the same as a 50lb bag could. The major advancement is the use of glass beads in the process. Grouts have also moved in this direction with the advancement of the glass beads being dyed and now have no need for any sealers saving time and money- you don't have to maintained by using sealer which can yellow and is not environmentally safe.
Louis also stated that Wedi board which has been around since the 1950's is only good for art walls and he does not recommend it's use for anything that will have to be touched since it is made mainly from Styrofoam and can easily be broken. Hardibacker is one of the best tile setting materials and is made from a mix of recycled newspaper and concrete. Louis has always stated that people should stay away from Mastics or better know as premixes. They are not only bad adhesives since they are made from bone marrow and mineral spirits that break down but they can also create mold issues. As Louis always says, "Tile is only as good as the surface you put it on."
2008 Directory Design?
It is time to start thinking about the design of the 2008 HTA directory. I am looking for a committee to study and dissect the current directory and see where we can improve. How can the directory create better sales and contacts for all that advertise in the directory. The committee would meet three times and set up times to meet. Dinner or lunch would be on the HTA for those who volunteer. Our directory is one of our greatest achievements and it is important that it does not become stagnant and does not surprise viewers. Please contact Josh if you are interested josh@handmadetileassociation.org or call 612-781-6409
Next Handmade Tile Association Meeting
When: Tuesday July 17th 2007
Where: Thomp Arts Lucy Gantz Studio
Northrup King Building 1500 Jackson St NE
Suite #394
Call for directions: 612-929-9490
Time: 6 pm
Agenda:
Mn Tile Festival Marketing Committee report
Press releases
Pot Luck |
Art-A-Whirl
Mark your calendars it is almost here
2007 Dates & Times
Friday, May 18th
5-10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 19th 12-8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 20th 12-5:00 p.m.
"Art-A-Whirl is an open-studio and gallery tour of Northeast Minneapolis More than 400 artists participate in AAW, including potters, tile makers, painters, sculptors, musicians, photographers, glass blowers, printmakers, and textile designers. They showcase their art in warehouses, homes, storefronts and cafes." Read more at NEMAA.org
There are five HTA members who have studios open during AAW. Sharra Frank, Sheryl Tuorila, Clay Squared, Linda Taylor, Thomp Arts, and FK Art Glass. Other HTA artists being show at Clay Squared, Jane Swan, Blackhawk studios, laura McCaul, Elk Hollow Pottery, Mercury Mosaics, North Prairie Tile, SoMi tilworks, Stone Hollow Tile, Stephanie Kaczrowski, and Tina Showalter.
Check out the new NE Minneapolis Arts District website to. It tells you where to eat and see art and things to do. It is an amazing website. www.northeastminneapolisartsdistrict.com
Pick up MN Tile Festival Propaganda
MN Tile Festival Posters & Postcards now available
We have 10,000 postcards to distribute and 100 posters to place. All are free for people to pick up and distribute. If you can not make it to the office we can send you a packet of postcards. contact the HTA at josh@handmadetileassociation.org
Beach Pebble Mosaics and Technical Installation Workshop
July 27 to August 2, 2007
Mountain, Wisconsin
Contact: Kim at Wits End Mosaics OR phone 1-888-494-8736
Participants in this workshop will learn the fundamentals of mixing and pouring reinforced concrete into a form followed by designing and mudsetting a pebble mosaic. This workshop is a combination of technical and creative skills for handmade tile and mosaic artists. Please see preceding description of the Holter Museum of Art workshop for a technical description. July 27th and August 2nd are airport arrival and departure days. The five days in between are full day workshop days. Lodging (shared occupancy) on beautiful Lake Grindle and transportation to and from Green Bay's Austin Straubel airport is included in the $675 workshop tuition. For biographical information about internationally renowned mosaicist Eric Rattan, click here.
Did You Know?
Ever had customers ask how to install tile and you just wish you had a professional how to guide? Well the HTA website can help you out. Go to the resources page on the HTA website and click on "How to install tile " in the left hand side bar. Make a link to your website and direct your customers to a quality tile setting guide.
Tile Setter Louis Voight who just got back from Coverings will be doing writing updating of the new products and concepts presented at the show. Check back regularly to make sure you keep up on all the newest techniques!
Smoke and Mirrors
Opening reception with the artists:
June, 9th, 6pm to 9pm
Gallery Show runs: June 6th thru September 29th
Clay Squared to Infinity hours: Monday through Saturday, 11am - 5pm,
Clay Squared to Infinity is pleased to bring together two of the most venerated women tile artists in the Upper Midwest, Laura McCaul and Sharra Frank. Their show, “Smoke and Mirrors”, will feature Laura’s signature smoke fired Blackware handmade tiles and Sharra’s Cinderella-esque ornately elegant mosaic mirrors.
You are invited to our opening reception.
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