Celebrating 25 Years in the Ceramic Arts
Lead Designer Cynthia and Natalie in the middle of a large tree, custom designed for the Jewish Community Center in Texas
Over the past two decades, our small Vermont studio has collaborated with hundreds of interior designers, homeowners, and committees across the country to create custom designed, hand-carved works of art in clay.
Professionalism and artistic integrity are at the center of our creative work, and we strive to ensure that our commissioned artwork is delivered on-time, within budget, and imbued with love and care through every stage of the process.
Custom tile installations from Natalie Blake Studios can be found in children's hospitals, healthcare waiting rooms, public libraries, restaurants, boardrooms, college campuses, and places of worship.
Our work has won over $500,000 in public art grants awards in the past fifteen years, and we specialize in working with art commissions to bring the healing power of nature-inspired art to public spaces.
Natalie on the wheel
Studio Founder and Owner,
Natalie Blake
Natalie Blake began her professional career in 1994 after winning the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship in Ceramics. She traveled the world studying with indigenous artists from Indonesia to Nepal, and returned to create her unique line of carved vessels, urchin lids, and hand-sculpted tiles in Southern Vermont. Her work quickly gained exposure through art shows like the Smithsonian Craft Show and the American Craft Exposition, and Natalie’s exploration of the ceramic arts has deepened over 25 years.
Natalie continues to expand her inventive line of vessels, with new designs, styles, colors, and shapes coming out of the studio every few years. With her Lead Studio Designer, Cynthia Parker-Houghton, she has continued to develop her line of sculptural wall art tile, with new motifs and textures joining the the studio portfolio in an exciting and evolving stream of creative output.
Lead Designer, Cynthia Parker-Houghten
Cynthia joined NBS in 2009 while completing her MFA in Sculpture. Specializing in the sgraffito method of carving and the representation of botanical and animal forms, she brings both an artistic and technical approach to large, complex projects. Together with Natalie, this creative duo explores the potential of sculptural ceramic art, and they both delight in discovering new forms and possibilities.
Cynthia carving a Koi Disk
The Studio Team
We are a small team of enthusiastic artists and art lovers, dedicated to building strong relationships with each of our clients and customers. We believe in the healing power of art and manage each project with care and intention, from the first inquiry all the way to shipping and installation support.
The studio team planting a spring garden behind our studio on the West River. We eat fresh fruits and vegetables from our gardens all summer long!
“I have found Ms. Blake and her staff to be unfailingly professional, clear communicators, attentive to the questions and concerns of our community, and understanding in the face of certain, inevitable delays. Many times I have thanked my lucky stars that not only is Ms. Blake’s artwork an excellent fit for our project, but so too are Ms. Blake and her colleagues.””
From
About Our Tiles and the Custom Design Process
Our tiles may be unlike any you have seen before — they are not flat. They are sculptural, dimensional, bold and energetic, and no two are alike. Each tile is hand-crafted through the multiple stages of the production process, and every piece reflects the artistry of the hands that touch it.
Each custom project begins with conversations, photos, and sketches — the artwork being created should reflect the energy of the space, and we work with each client to ensure the alignment of both form and function.
Our tiles are hi-fired at 2100 degrees and are designed to last a lifetime. They are easy to clean and maintain, and can be installed three ways:
permanently installed with security hardware
hung with backing and hanging system
grouted in place
Ceramic art is an enduring medium that has been around for millennia — it’s an ancient, endlessly adaptable art form, a synthesis of earth, fire, and the hands of the artists.
See our studio in action. Visit us in Vermont.
Open Studios and The Fire Arts Gallery
Our studio is in the small Southern Vermont town of Brattleboro, four hours from New York and two from Boston. Natalie's studio is part of Fire Arts Vermont, a collaboration between Natalie Blake and Randi Solin, owner of Solinglass. Together, they run Fire Arts Vermont, a gallery of fine ceramic and glass art, and an open studio experience.
Come by for a visit next time you’re in Vermont, or plan a visit just to see us! The gallery offers studio tours and we recommend contacting our studio directly to make sure we’ll be in on the day you plan to visit if you’d like to be sure to meet the artists. Check the Fire Arts Gallery website for their hours.
Natalie Blake Studios at
Fire Arts Vermont
485 West River Road
Brattleboro, VT 05301
802 254-9761
info@natalieblake.com
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