Artist Yoshiko Yamamoto is a self-taught block printmaker who strives always to fuse Japanese design sensibility with fine craftsmanship. Several years ago, Nawal Motawi, a longtime admirer of Yoshiko's work, approached her for a collaboration. Motawi thought Yamamoto's bold prints would work well as a raised-line tile design. She was right. Yamamoto's graceful, swaying scenes brought the clay to life.

Near San Luis Obispo, California, there's a state park named "Montana de Oro." There Yamamoto first sketched the scene that would become this ethereal ceramic seascape.

Actual tile size: 5-13/16" x 7-13/16"

Motawi Tileworks:
Nawal Motawi founded Motawi Tileworks more than 20 years ago. A University of Michigan art school graduate with a restless spirit and an interest in applied arts, Nawal moved to Detroit to learn tilemaking at Detroit’s storied Pewabic Pottery. She returned to Ann Arbor after a few years and began making her own tiles in a garage studio and selling them from a stand she rented at the local farmers’ market.

Today, Nawal is still designing and making tiles in Ann Arbor. Her companies, Motawi Tileworks and Rovin Ceramics, employ more than 30 people. Her company utilizes Toyota-Style Production and practices an intentional workplace culture.

Recently, Motawi tiles have been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Dwell Magazine.

Why Motawi Tile?
Motawi polychrome tiles are striking individual art pieces as much as functional tile installation accents. These tiles will give you serious cred in gift-giving circles. Each one is made by hand and with heart in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

At Motawi Tileworks they embrace variation and handmade beauty. The bold heft of each Motawi tile reveals serious craftsmanship. Time-honored hand-glazing methods produce a nuanced range of color with depth and translucence.