Come to Motawi Tileworks on any given day and you can find founder Nawal Motawi and her studio team hard at work making Motawi Tile in their Ann Arbor studio. Using locally-produced clay and glazes that are mixed on-site to their own recipes, Nawal and the Motawi team are passionate about exploring new design, technical ideas and healthy business practices. The studio team has turned their emphasis toward recycling and energy efficiency as next steps in improving their own environmental responsibility, which may be one of several reasons their production staff agrees, “Advancer® kiln shelves are our #1 choice in kiln shelves.”

Aside from the fact that the thinner cross-sections and excellent thermal properties of Advancer® shelves result in faster heat transfer and greater energy efficiency, the Motawi Tileworks team has experienced several other benefits from their Advancer® kiln shelves. When asked how using Advancer® shelves has impacted their firing, their work and/or their life, they had great things to say.

Their Work

“Dependable product with no unexpected issues.”

“Durable and easy to keep clean, helping lower our kiln debris related defects.”

“Advancers® last longer than kiln shelves made with other materials.”

“Advancers® all allow us to get more square footage in each kiln load.” 

Their Lives

“Advancers® are easier on your body because they are lighter than other kiln shelves.”

“Advancers® are easier and safer to pick up, less shape shelf fragments.”

While oxidation firing tiles in their electric kilns, Nawal and her studio team separate their Advancer® shelves with standard kiln posts. When bisque firing, they load tiles vertically from front to back on the Advancer® shelves, which is typically a very heavy load. And when glaze firing, the Motawi Tileworks team loads their tiles horizontally on the back of their Advancer® shelves.

Overall, the team at Motawi Tileworks sees their Advancer® kiln shelves as a great investment. They have not had to replace them!

 
About Motawi Tileworks

Motawi Tileworks
170 Enterprise Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
www.motawi.com
Find us on Facebook – Motawi Tileworks

Having studied sculpture, ceramics and glaze chemistry, Nawal Motawi graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Fine Art. She founded the Tileworks in a small garage in 1992, set up a table at the local farmer’s market and was commissioned to create her first local fireplace installation. Today Nawal employs over 20 artisans and staff in the 12,000 sq. ft facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“We make Motawi Tile in our Ann Arbor studio using locally-produced clay and glazes that are mixed on-site to our own recipes. Our aesthetic influences include early 20th Century decorative artists such as Mary Chase Stratton, Adelaide Robineau, Louis Sullivan, William DeMorgan, Dard Hunter and Frank Lloyd Wright. Our designs have evolved from our continuous exploration of historic decorative art.” Nawal believes “in respecting the best of historical design - rendering old motifs in new ways and creating works that will be enjoyed in this lifetime and passed down for generations to come.”

Nawal is passionate about exploring new design, technical ideas and healthy business practices. The studio team has turned their emphasis toward recycling and energy efficiency, their next steps in improving their own environmental responsibility. Motawi’s arts and education “outreach” programs are a positive artistic force in the community.

Whey you buy a piece of art with your own money, it’s because it speaks to you in a way that words cannot express. It provides a daily dose of beauty. Nawal whole-heartedly believes we are all a little happier when surrounded by such accessible art. It’s a high compliment to us that so many people choose our tile as a special gift or for their own home. Motawi Tileworks’ handcrafted tile can be found in homes and businesses nationwide and is featured in over 375 gift shops, galleries, museum shops, botanic gardens and home decor galleries worldwide.