Making a Tree of Life Mural

  Once again our popular, handmade, carved, ceramic Tree of Life wall tile art will adorn a public space: this time a church in Florida.  The piece, measuring 36" x 36", will be hung in the lounge at the church.

Cynthia Parker-Houghton, studio designer, created this piece. We thought it would be fun to document the process of making this piece.

handmade, carved, ceramic wall art tile by Natalie Blake

The first step in the process is laying out the handmade forms over which the clay tiles will drape, thus creating undulations in the tiles.  Here's what Cynthia says about this step:

"The reason I stay interested in this tree icon is because it is familiar, comforting, grounding. And I think these qualities are especially important when the piece will be displayed in a sacred space.  When I lay out the forms, I always start with the trunk--the forms flow out from there and down into the roots.  I get the feeling that these forms represent the flow of energy from the nutrients in the soil to the roots, up the trunk and out the leaves. Because of our carving style--we carve away the black slip to reveal the white clay underneath, the piece has an energetic look to it.  You can imagine the wind and the particles flowing around it. "

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forms laid out

tiles on forms

After the clay is laid over the forms we paint on the slip:

handmade ceramic tiles

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After the slip dries we begin carving, using a special tool that removes the darker slip.

handmade, sgraffito-carved, ceramic wall tile by Natalie Blake

Cynthia Carving tree

handsculpted, ceramic tile by Natalie Blake

Here's what Cynthia has to say about carving:

"I get inspiration from nature.  As I'm carving I'm not thinking of a specific species of tree but the "feeling" of the tree-- the sturdiness or the delicateness or other qualities that the tree embodies.  I can feel those as I'm carving. There's always a little personification too: like this is the body of the tree, these are the arms.

My carving style is a kind of dance. I use my whole body when I carve. If I just use my hand I don't have the grace.  So I use my shoulder, my whole arm, my trunk,--there's a flow to it.  The lines I choose to make are based on that flow. Sometimes it's appropriate to make small, tight lines, but generally I use more fluid, flowing lines."

The final steps are bisque-firing and glaze-firing, which takes about a week.  We then glue on our custom backings for easy hanging.  Start to finish, the process takes about 4-5 weeks.

When I Am Among the Trees

When I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness. I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and never hurry through the world but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out, "Stay awhile." The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say, "and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine."

    -Mary Oliver