Welcome to my website. I have been a tile artist since 1987, but just recently began making individual decorative tiles.  I will continue to add new designs over the next few months, so please drop in again and see what’s new.

This first group of tiles is inspired by the early 1900’s Arts&Crafts movement, which focused on humble simplicity in the crafts. I began creating this palette of velvety, muted glazes for small plaques to mount in my own 1920’s California bungalow. Out of that endeavor grew this collection of decorative art tiles, which will continue to grow with new designs of florals and landscapes.

Please note that these tiles are carefully hand-glazed, and therefore no two are exactly alike.  Each has its own unique character, occasionally with crackles or subtle color variations which are natural and inherent in these particular glazes.

As a tile artist over the past twenty years I began making bas-relief tiles for kitchens and bathrooms and over the last ten years focused on murals for residences and public arenas. My mural website is www.cottonwoodtile.com, where you can see some of my early work. I will occasionally post my more recent murals on this website, tiletree.com. 

I work in the ancient technique of cuerda seca (dry line). The design outline is a resist made with stains and oil or wax, and the water-based glazes are puddled inside the lines, sometimes bulging enough at the edges, that once fired the lines appear to be incised and the image seems to be in low relief.

Through many years of experimentation I have basically come up with my own glaze palette, which allows me to create a more painterly or watercolor effect in my work.

Thank you for visiting Tile Tree.  I welcome your comments.

Susan Ahrend