From creating ceramic tiles in the garage and selling them at the local farmers market to now having them sold in more than 300 locations in the U.S. and Canada, Motawi Tileworks is a local success story.
This unique business has its headquarters right in Scio Township, where they create handcrafted tiles as art pieces and for residential and commercial installations. Motawi sells handcrafted ceramic art tiles in their gallery, on their website and through shops across the country. They also design larger-scale tile installations for homes and public spaces, including fireplace facades, kitchen backsplashes, bathrooms and hospitality feature walls.
The Sun Times News recently paid a visit to Motawi Tileworks at 170 Enterprise Drive to see first-hand what they do and the end results. Sarah Fuller, Motawi Tileworks Retail Manager/Marketing Support, gave us the tour and explained each facet of the company.
The story begins with Nawal Motawi, the owner and artistic director. After graduating from the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art & Design, she moved to Detroit to learn tile-making at the renowned Pewabic Pottery. After learning for a time, she then looked to go out on her own which led her to her garage where she made tiles and then sold them at the farmers market.
Things went so well that in time it inspired her to create the company, The Tileworks, in 1992. Today they employ more than 40 people; have sales revenue of $3 million per year and are now a company with nation-wide and international reach. In 2011, they purchased their clay supplier, Rovin Ceramics, which is also located in Ann Arbor. Rovin provides clay, pottery tools and supplies for schools, potters and ceramic artists and organizations.
During the tour, you first get to see the gallery where there are handcrafted art tiles made in vintage and modern styles on display and for sale. Motawi specializes in Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts and Midcentury Modern aesthetics.
From the gallery, you go to the Boneyard and see where they have second-quality, overrun, discontinued or just plain weird tile at discounted prices. There are a variety of unique, eye-catching tiles.
They are also licensed to produce art tile based on the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and Charley Harper.
Fuller said they make three types of tile:
Art tile: glazed, multicolored tile for individual display or installation.
Field tile: glazed, single-colored tile for installation.
Relief tile: glazed, single-colored tile with a sculpted surface.
Walking through the work area on the tour you see the creation process in action with making tile designs by etching into plaster molds and using clay that is pressed into the mold, trimmed and bisque-red in the kiln. They glaze each tile by hand and return it to the kiln for a final ring. Fuller said Motawi art tile glazers employ the centuries-old Cuenca technique that has them carefully filling glazes into the “basins” that are created by thin, raised lines in the clay.
The end result is something you need to see for yourself. Each tile is a unique piece of art. This work has helped make Motawi Tileworks a local gem.
It’s worth paying them a visit, either to see the gallery/boneyard or take a tour. An upcoming event includes their second annual Winter Market event on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All events are drop-in; no registration required.
The Tileworks gallery and Boneyard is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Factory tours happen weekly on Fridays at 11 a.m. They last approximately one hour. Tour e-tickets are $5 per person and must be purchased in advance.
To learn more, go to https://www.motawi.com/.
Photo: Motawi Tileworks is located 170 Enterprise Drive. Photo courtesy of Motawi Tileworks
Photo: Motawi Tileworks Nouveau Collage Fireplace. photo credit Daniel Moore
Photo: Motawi bulb-glazing process. Photo courtesy of Motawi Tileworks
Photo: Motawi Tileworks art tile 6×8 Spring Woodland. photo credit EE Berger