I love starting projects. I love finishing projects. Then somewhere in-between, I get antsy. I want the destination but don’t necessarily like the journey. I keep getting new ideas, and I want to do them all NOW. My husband thinks I’m not very patient. He’s a detail guy—lots and lots of details, expanded further by even more details of the details. I’m already thinking eight projects ahead while he’s still talking about the first. I get it…I get it! Slow and steady wins the race.
I don’t mind the work; it’s fun and builds bone density. And, I don’t mind the mistakes. They’re inevitable and oddly seem to happen all at once. Presumably, the unlikeliness of hitting the bull’s eye over and over would happen all at once as well. Nonetheless, my passion is to make things beautiful whatever amount of time or effort it takes but when working with ceramic tile, that beauty can be dang near close to everlasting.
Countless creative paths led me to produce architectural ceramic art tile at RTK Studios (which offered the bonus of a super hunky boss-man!). My husband, Richard, started RTK Studios in 1979. After many solicitations to join him making tile, in 1990 I succumbed. We are a good team!
Raising kids gave way to all kinds of wacky artsy opportunities: wild birthday cakes, cheap yet cool Halloween costumes and Christmas tree decorations, with their annual abstractions. Our holiday cards and gifts were mostly handmade. Throughout the years, we also compiled books of our family escapades, adventures and bumbles.
During one incarnation, I was an avid quilter. I absolutely loved the graphic blocks of patterns and colors and their repetition. Because of this, with nary a thought, I jumped heart first into making tile! I caught the clay bug and have ever since had a kiln and lump of clay regularly ready.
Fast-forward 29 years (40 for Richard) and the boxes of tile are much heavier now. Ol’ Sparky the kiln sits out there chugging away with its endearing ticks and twitches. Our stalwart, though quite arthritic, tile saw is still surprisingly eager in all its duct-taped glory. And, two much older tile makers are commiserating with the lot. Yet, finally, the glazes are starting to behave, as are our clients who are loyal and wonderful (for the most part).
We will be breaking ground on the neighboring property, adjoining the two lots which will allow us to more than double the size of the studio. The long-awaited super studio will give us a grown-up place to “Show & Sell” in addition to providing the coveted indoor “acreage” desperately needed to dismantle the burgeoning shed-city we currently have out back.
Neither of us has given a thought to a “Plan B” or anything resembling retirement for that matter. We’ll be going down with the ship on this one or at best be floated out on a tile shaped iceberg.
I really do love the work. I love designing tiles and designing with tiles. I’m thankful to be passionate about creating a level of craftsmanship with all the subtle nuances of beauty that we both strive to attain in this art form.
Pencils and reams of paper are stationed at every port-of-call eager to capture new ideas and patterns, whether it is for the redesign of a piece of furniture, a house or a quick image of an angelic babe napping.
I love starting projects. I love finishing projects. Then somewhere in-between, I get antsy. I want the destination but don’t necessarily like the journey. I keep getting new ideas, and I want to do them all NOW. My husband thinks I’m not very patient. He’s a detail guy—lots and lots of details, expanded further by even more details of the details. I’m already thinking eight projects ahead while he’s still talking about the first. I get it…I get it! Slow and steady wins the race.
I don’t mind the work; it’s fun and builds bone density. And, I don’t mind the mistakes. They’re inevitable and oddly seem to happen all at once. Presumably, the unlikeliness of hitting the bull’s eye over and over would happen all at once as well. Nonetheless, my passion is to make things beautiful whatever amount of time or effort it takes but when working with ceramic tile, that beauty can be dang near close to everlasting.
Countless creative paths led me to produce architectural ceramic art tile at RTK Studios (which offered the bonus of a super hunky boss-man!). My husband, Richard, started RTK Studios in 1979. After many solicitations to join him making tile, in 1990 I succumbed. We are a good team!
Raising kids gave way to all kinds of wacky artsy opportunities: wild birthday cakes, cheap yet cool Halloween costumes and Christmas tree decorations, with their annual abstractions. Our holiday cards and gifts were mostly handmade. Throughout the years, we also compiled books of our family escapades, adventures and bumbles.
During one incarnation, I was an avid quilter. I absolutely loved the graphic blocks of patterns and colors and their repetition. Because of this, with nary a thought, I jumped heart first into making tile! I caught the clay bug and have ever since had a kiln and lump of clay regularly ready.
Fast-forward 29 years (40 for Richard) and the boxes of tile are much heavier now. Ol’ Sparky the kiln sits out there chugging away with its endearing ticks and twitches. Our stalwart, though quite arthritic, tile saw is still surprisingly eager in all its duct-taped glory. And, two much older tile makers are commiserating with the lot. Yet, finally, the glazes are starting to behave, as are our clients who are loyal and wonderful (for the most part).
We will be breaking ground on the neighboring property, adjoining the two lots which will allow us to more than double the size of the studio. The long-awaited super studio will give us a grown-up place to “Show & Sell” in addition to providing the coveted indoor “acreage” desperately needed to dismantle the burgeoning shed-city we currently have out back.
Neither of us has given a thought to a “Plan B” or anything resembling retirement for that matter. We’ll be going down with the ship on this one or at best be floated out on a tile shaped iceberg.
I really do love the work. I love designing tiles and designing with tiles. I’m thankful to be passionate about creating a level of craftsmanship with all the subtle nuances of beauty that we both strive to attain in this art form.
Pencils and reams of paper are stationed at every port-of-call eager to capture new ideas and patterns, whether it is for the redesign of a piece of furniture, a house or a quick image of an angelic babe napping.
