The Motawi Tileworks as created a stunning collection of Landscape tiles. The Classic Motawi Pine Forest landscape has been Joined by the River scape and the new Marsh landscape tiles.
The special limited edition Motawi Tileworks Pine Landscape is a massive 12 inches x 12 inches. Inspired by the tiles of the Grueby Faience Company (1898-1920) Nawal Motawi has created this landscape as a tribute to the tile maker William H. Grueby and the designer Addison Le Boutillier, two of the great 20th century tile artisans.
Each Pine Landscape artfully rendered in the rich velvety matt glazes that are the hallmark of the Motawi Tileworks. This magnificent tile, carefully pressed by master craftsmen. Each tile is then glazed by hand and personally inspected by Nawal herself.
This dramatic tile design is limited to 250 pressings and each is signed by the artist.
William H. Grueby (1867-1925) founded the Grueby Faience Company in 1894 in Boston, Massachusetts. Beginning in 1898, focusing primarily on art pottery vases, he introduced his own version of French matte finishes, including the matte green finish that became his signature work. The popularity of his work, however, spawned mass market competition and eventually resulted in the company's demise in 1909. Grueby emerged from bankruptcy and began limited production runs that included statues, pottery, and tiles, before the company closed for good in 1920.
Addison B. LeBoutillier: A most versatile Massachusetts artist and architect, A. B. LeBoutillier was equally gifted as an etcher, ex-libris engraver, wood carver, medalist, painter and pottery designer. After his formal studies as an architect, LeBoutillier first gained recognition in Boston in the 1890's for his pen and ink illustrations. His initial exhibited etchings date from the later First World War (1917-18) when he produced a number of striking plates detailing the devastation of French cities and towns. After the war LeBoutillier returned to Boston and continued creating etchings of New England architecture and landscapes.
Perhaps Addison LeBoutillier's best known art, however, was in the medium of Faience pottery. Along with Henry Belknap, A. B. LeBoutillier was a primary designer for the famous Grueby Pottery. Today the art of Addison LeBoutillier is included in such major public collections as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
