Woodland Creature Owl Tile by Parran Collery

This colorful handmade tile shows an owl hooting to a night sky. From my Woodland Creatures series.

Size: approximately 8" x 8".

Handmade by Parran Collery of Eartha Tile in Prince Frederick, Maryland.

All of my tiles are designed for hanging and come with felt dots on the back corners.

Due to their handmade nature, the tile you receive will be similar, but not identical to the one pictured.

Artistic expression has been the definitive element of my life for as long as I can recall. Encouraged by my mother, also an artist, I started keeping a sketchbook at an early age, working on drawings and paintings, taking every art class I could.  But as college approached art didn’t seem like a good choice for a major.  Then one day in my second year at the University of Vermont (Groovy UV!) I happened upon a ceramics class firing a raku kiln behind the art building:  smoke and fire and students moving with purpose.  One look and I was hooked!

From that moment on I focused on art, and went on to obtain a MFA from Rutgers University.  Now, how to make a living?  Fortune shined in an out-of-the-blue job offer to work at a small tile manufacturing studio in Buck’s County, Pennsylvania (tile mecca, go visit!).  I got my hands back in clay and began learning traditional tile making techniques.  So much to learn:  elements of design, glaze chemistry, kiln firing, tile and mosaic installation.  A door had opened on a whole new world, the art of tile.

Eventually I was ready to start my own studio.  I picked the name based on my love of terra cotta clay and nature:  Eartha Handmade Tile.  My little studio in Southern Maryland is located in a funky purple building outfitted with thrift store chandeliers and a deck filled with flowers. Adventure dog Finn is a welcome companion (play please).

Find more of Parran's work here.