Decorative handmade relief carved ceramic dragon tile

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Happy year of the Dragon!

This is our 14 x 7 half round dragon tile #2 surrounded with custom shaped field tile.

Available at earthsongtiles.com

Dragons are deeply rooted in, and their legends permeate Chinese culture from ancient times untill today. The benevolence of the dragon signifies greatness, goodness and blessings, many Chinese still often refer to themselves as decendants of the dragon. In ancient China there was not doubt of their exsistance and great respect was shown for any writing or art depicting dragons. Being a divine mythical beast, dragons can ward off evil spirits and protect the innocent, the ultimate symbol of good fortune. According to Chinese mythology dragons lived under the earth, surfacing only in the second month of the Chinese calendar to create rain & thunder. They looked like snakes and had no wings but could still fly.

This is the year of the less selfish and opinionated water dragon. Being less power hungry than the other dragons tend to be, the water dragon can accept defeat gracefully.  A good negotiator knowing when, where and how to apply pressure. They are a little on the over optimistic side and must remember to relenquish the unfeasable in order to concentrate fully on the most rewarding endevors.

Relief carved decorative handmade ceramic swan tile

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12x12 ceramic swan tile, relief carved & handpainted in underglazes with a clear gloss glaze finish.

Available at earthsongtiles.com

Swans feature strongly in the mythology of many cultures the world over. For the American Navajo the white swan could call up the four winds, Australian aborigines considered the black swan as wives of their All father and in Greece the swan was and is the symbol of the muses. Norse Valkyries often took the shape of swans and flew singing though the skies. They appear throughout Irish folklore, often in the disguise of fairy women. At times such as summer Solstice, Beltain or Samhain when the veils between worlds are thin, swan maidens can take on human form. In the Celtic tradition the swan is associated with dieties of healing water and sun. Sacred to bards they are shape shifters that have mastered the elements of water, earth and air. The swan is known as the Hamsa bird in Hinduism, signifing the divine mind and the breath of spirit...

Relief carved ceramic humming bird tile

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6x6 relief carved humming bird ceramic tile

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A Maya folk tale

In days long ago the sun god Baalam Kej transformed into a humming bird to escape the anger of his beloved Lady moon's father. The lady moon, unaware of the transformation came upon this humming bird and was magically drawn to him. The humming bird showed no fear and allowed himself to be captured by lady moon and carried home. Lady moons father known as the creator and supreme god was so pleased by his daughters happiness he had a special house built in lady moon's sleeping quarters especially for the humming bird. That night the sun god and lady moon eloped. They have made a perfect match of day & night ever since.

Decorative Celtic handmade ceramic tile installation

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These days we tend to think of ceramic tiles as mainly funtional, but they also possess a particular beauty which has played a major role in thier development through the ages. There have been periods throughout history where, in many places of the world, ceramic tiles have flourished primarily as decorative, adorning numerous palaces & public places. Increased movement along trade routes, wars, political unrest and religious fervor have all played a part in the blending of cultures. The subsequent exchange of artistic ideas, techniques and materials lead to the evolution and development of tile making. Since ancient times skilled craftsmen and artizans have been respected members of many societies, often employed by the governments of thier countries and traveling to centers of commerce & wealth to practice thier skills.

The tradition of hand crafting tiles which dates back to prehistoric mans first recognition of clay as an artistic medium is experiencing a present day renaissance throughout North America with hundreds of small artistic tile studios emerging and many large manufacturers refocusing thier production to include decorative ceramic tile lines.