Relocating the Foundation’s collections to a planned new wing at the TCNA campus will increase accessibility to all
Tile Heritage Foundation (THF) – an independent non-profit organization founded in 1987 by Joseph A. Taylor and Sheila A. Menzies – has been a treasure trove and time capsule of priceless historic and contemporary tiles, documents, publications, and artifacts for nearly 38 years. And efforts are in the works to make it more accessible to members of the industry and the public at large.
As the literal guardian of American tile history, the Foundation’s collections have been housed at the THF site in Healdsburg, Calif. The Foundation has been a wellspring of information for anyone in the industry to call on – for design, academics, restoration and more – and the source of numerous programs and publications that celebrate the legacy and creativity of tile making over two centuries, right up to the present day.
“Tile Heritage involves more than the promotion and protection of tiles, murals and mosaics,” Co-founder Joseph Taylor said. “The Foundation represents the need to preserve a perception of ourselves. From the time of the earliest cave paintings and molded clay forms, people have always sought to conceptualize themselves and inspire others through artistic endeavors. Safekeeping ceramic surfaces today is an integral part of preserving ourselves, a means of being remembered and understood by future generations.”
All industry sectors have ownership of the legacy
Co-founder Sheila A. Menzies added, “THF reflects the ownership every member of the industry has in the history and legacy of our industry. This applies to installers and contractors too – the majority of tile is made to be installed architecturally, and installers are a key part of that process, ensuring enduring installations.
“Commercial tile manufacturers are also part of this tradition, of course,” she continued. “Besides companies like Crossville and Florim, which are firmly rooted in the U.S. tile manufacturing tradition, it’s heartening to see factories and brands like MILE®stone, Portobello, and Wonder establishing a presence in
the U.S.”
And everyone from tile makers to tile installers is invited to open a free file in the THF Archive to help expand the font of information available and preserved for posterity. Have you created distinctive handmade tiles? Have you transformed an exterior or interior space with an installation of commercial or handmade tiles? The THF Archive is for YOU. Find out more here: https://www.tileletter.com/build-your-legacy-by-opening-a-file-in-the-tile-heritage-foundation-archives or https://tinyurl.com/THFArchiveInvite
Website redesign and a planned new THF wing at TCNA
The first step in making Foundation treasures and resources more accessible online is through the redesign of its website www.tileheritage.org, which Cindy Smith of Tile Council of North America (TCNA) has been indispensable in crafting. This process is currently in the works. And, to advance the accessibility of the physical and digitized Foundation resources, the THF Board – together with its founders – have deliberated on relocating its extensive and valuable collections. After much consideration, plans are now in place to begin moving the materials to a new Tile Heritage wing to be built in Clemson, S.C., as part of the TCNA complex, while the organization will continue to be run from THF’s offices in California.
This new home for THF collections will afford climate-controlled storage for ephemera (paper collections, catalogs, books, and documents) and dedicated space for the tile collections. The intent is to create a material library, accessible to designers, architects and creatives seeking inspiration for design, both on site and in traveling exhibits to places like The TileWorks in Doylestown, Pa.
Situated in close proximity to Clemson University, the collection will be a resource for the academic program there, for professors and faculty and for student research in its College of Architecture, Art and Construction – and specifically its ceramic studio. Having this living archive and its resources at the fingertips of those interested in history, historical design and inspiration will supercharge the importance, influence and impact of ceramic tile as an architectural and artistic medium.
“Tile started as an art form and still is more art than science,” said Ron Nash, President and COO of LATICRETE International, and a THF board member. “The THF collection connects us to history,” added Menzies.
Uniquely American
The move will also provide a historic showroom for this uniquely American form of design. Resources include catalogued, coded, museum-quality photography, preserved in perpetuity.
What does the collection contain?
- Periodical collection – approximately 150 titles
- Select archives of historic manufacturers, tile artists, ceramists and contractors
- Catalog collection – about 1,000 different catalogs representing 180 historic tile companies.
- Library of books – approximately 1,200 books representing 20 different countries
- Architectural renderings of rare, one-of-a-kind drawings in color dating from the 1920s
- Historic tile collection – 4,200 different individual tiles.
It’s no surprise that bringing this collection to the fingertips of the tile industry will require funding and support from the industry. The first – and most extensive – of two moves is set for mid-October of this year. Professional packing and shipping for this initial move will be upwards of $40,000.
To date, a Special Moving Fund account has $10,000 in grant funds and so far, the Foundation has additional generous pledges of $4,000 towards the goal. The goal by September 30, 2025, is to raise $50,000 to move and protect the collections in their journey to their new destination in South Carolina.
This is where you come in. Join in this effort to stimulate public appreciation and support for our national ceramic treasures. Taylor urged, “Invest in preserving one of America’s most permanent, yet vulnerable, artistic traditions.”
How? To contribute to the THF Moving Fund, click on https://tinyurl.com/THF-Move to make a donation by PayPal.
“Securing the Tile Heritage collections presents a unique opportunity to both protect and offer this unparalleled resource to a wider audience of designers, architects, historians, and artists, all while continuing the good work of the Foundation from a soon-to-be purpose-built facility,” said Eric Astrachan, TCNA Executive Director and THF board member. “We hope the entire industry will support – and benefit from – this effort.”
Taylor concluded, “Why should we care about the fate of ceramic surfaces in America? Because we are all a part of the tradition; this is our heritage.” Help support this heritage of an industry that we love. Make your donation today.
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.
