Featured Artists

Motawi Style Origins - Nawal Motawi is the artistic director of the Tileworks. She admires and draws inspiration and designs from a wide range of historical decorative traditions. Her early influences were Celtic art, Art Nouveau and 20th Century American art potteries like Pewabic Pottery. More recent influences include Grueby Faience, Louis Sullivan and artists of the Keramic Studio. "The evolution of our artwork is the result of my various visual enchantments and discoveries combined with some very determined pushing by my brother, Karim."

Motawi Tile is made by the sibling duo of Karim and Nawal Motawi and their staff of skilled craftspeople. Nawal studied sculpture, ceramics and glaze chemistry at the University of Michigan and tile-making at Pewabic Pottery. Nawal develops glazes, tile designs, and installation concepts. Karim, also educated at the University of Michigan, also develops glazes and experiments with process improvements. He is an adept mold-maker, kiln fireman, and sweet talker.

Motawi is an Arabic name, as are Nawal and Karim. Their father, Kamal, is from Egypt where Motawi is not so unusual. Their American looks come from their Mom, Karen, who is from Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I believe we are all better off when we give our eyes a daily dose of beauty. Artistic beauty should be in our homes as well as the museum. In this country nearly everyone can afford to put at least a little art in their surroundings. That is why I find it rewarding to  make even the littlest tile." When a museum buys a piece with public money it's because it's 'important." When you buy a piece of art with your own money, it's because it speaks to you in a way that words cannot express. That is a wonderful compliment. We like making tiles for real people living here and now."  -- Nawal Motawi