Earlier this spring, Motawi Tileworks in Ann Arbor, Michigan released one of its latest handcrafted tile additions: the 4-by-12-inch Eucalyptus art tile, which depicts the gentle draping and verdant growth of Eucalyptus trees in the Pacific Northwest. Motawi, an eclectic art and installation tile crafter, is known for its intricate, handmade tiles inspired by painters, illustrators, lithographers, and designers, from Frank Lloyd Wright and Charley Harper to the letterpress and block printer Yoshiko Yamamoto, whose prolific work in the Arts and Crafts style inspired the addition of Eucalyptus.
“Arts and Crafts is a favorite style of mine, and Yoshiko Yamamoto’s designs capture that aesthetic beautifully and intriguingly,” said Nawal Motawi, owner and artistic director of Motawi Tileworks in a press release. “Collaborating to bring Yoshiko’s artistry to Motawi tiles is deeply rewarding.”
The new Eucalyptus ceramic tile pays homage to the Eucalyptus tree, an Australian native species known for its medicinal qualities and invigorating, mint-like scent. Yamamoto’s woodblock and letterpress prints produced by the Arts & Crafts Press in Tacoma, Washington are a recurring source of inspiration for Motawi due to their pairing of Japanese design sensibility with fine craftsmanship. The designer has created several art tiles based on Yamamoto’s work, such as the 6-by-8-inch tiles Winter Cardinals, Raven – Midnight, and Montana de Oro.
To discover more work inspired by the designer, visit Motawi Tilework’s diverse collection of art tile and view its online gallery of the new Eucalyptus tile, which is also available for purchase online. The tile is also available at the Motawi gallery at 170 Enterprise Drive in Ann Arbor, and several art tiles are also sold in more than 300 locations in the United States and Canada.
Text: R. Collins
Photography: Motawi Tileworks
