The Artistic Digest | Bringing Art to Life

Early on, she recognized that conveying Artistic Tile’s singular approach required an advertising style that was as unique and special as the products she designed and sourced. “I didn’t want to create ads that featured a bathroom or a kitchen.

Shelter magazines are full of those and to me, they didn’t get the message across. I wanted our audience to think about tile, of gorgeous natural stone and handmade mosaics as objects of art, as jewelry for the home, as elements of self-expression and style every bit as important as their choice of clothing or jewelry. So we found a new way to present our products –

we removed them from their traditional context and placed them onto the bodies of models. The effect was immediate, profound, and just what we wanted.”

- Nancy Epstein, Founder & Chairman of the Board

The reaction to the first ad was huge, drawing attention to the growing brand. Though the New York Times had

initially objected to the ad’s slightly provocative

attitude, the overall reaction was overwhelmingly

positive. Nancy recalls, “the minute we ran it, we were

the talk of the home décor world. The ads so quickly

became iconic.” Mannequins wearing tile garments were placed into showrooms, extending the campaign’s reach into physical spaces. Showroom staff became used to

clients intrigued by the tile outfits, to the point that they expressed interest in purchasing them to wear.

As the company expanded, the campaign evolved.

The models, the backdrop, and the designs changed,

but the central concept remained, becoming a signature. The company occasionally diverted, testing different

approaches, but continued to come back to its trademark.

The four performing artists: Yannick Lebrun, principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; Isabel Leonard,

vocal artist and advocate who performs with Metropolitan Opera and other renowned companies worldwide; Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinetist with the New York Philharmonic; and

Krysta Rodriguez, the multi-hyphenate talent who stars on stage and screen, most recently as Liza Minelli in Netflix’s Halston.

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All four wear selections from the aptly named Jazz Glass

collection. Since its inception decades ago, Artistic Tile’s Jazz Glass has paid tribute to legendary performers like Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and many others. The brilliant vocal and instrumental stylings of jazz inspired the dynamic range of glass mosaics. For the stunning

Isabel Leonard, a vocalist without limitations, Billie Ombré, named for the immortal Billie Holiday, was molded into a form-fitting evening gown worthy of a great concert stage.

Anthony McGill, famed for his immaculately tailored tuxes and astounding control of his clarinet, wore a glittering jacket of Jazz Glass Tuxedo Park in Gillespie Green, with a necktie of Billie

Ombré Green. For Krysta Rodriguez, fresh from filling the toe-tapping shoes of Liza Minnelli, a figure-skimming 60s-inspired halter minidress of Tambourine Traps in Watercolor White was the perfect choice. The dazzling artistry of Yannick Lebrun called for an eye-catching mosaic. Hip Herringbone, composed entirely of mirror, was the perfect choice for a tunic that floated against his beautifully expressive arms and torso.

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Crafting fashion from tile is not an easy task. To make the clothes, Artistic Tile called on an artisan who was part of the history of this concept. Eduardo Wilder had been an associate of Martin Izquierdo, whose studio created the very first tile garments in the early 2000s. Now with his own studio, Eduardo innately understands the challenge of

expressing each performer’s essence through clothes made of materials never intended for this use. Artistic Tile’s Jazz Glass collection offers a perfect medium for the clothing – at 1/8”, it is thin enough to mold into the required “couture,” and is relatively lightweight compared to stone. Smaller mosaic patterns allow for more freedom of movement,

but the range is necessarily limited by the material. To allow the

performers the flexibility to present their craft, Eduardo used clever techniques in the design, artfully hidden within the garments.

In addition to presenting a platform to celebrate the arts,

it was important for the company to add a philanthropic

aspect to the campaign. As Nancy shares, “we have always been a company with a strong philanthropic drive; I am as proud of this as I am of any material or space we have created over the years.” Artistic Tile donated on behalf of each artist to a non-profit organization of their choice. Yannick Lebrun selected Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. Yannick shared, “this

organization is truly incredible, and it means a lot to me to be able to help them get back to their normal activities.”

Isabel Leonard opted for an organization with a very personal connection, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, in honor of her father. As a contributing faculty member of The Performing Arts Project, whose mission is to guide a new generation

of performing artists, it was important for Krysta Rodriguez to contribute to “something more personal and near and dear to [her] heart.” Anthony McGill chose The Andrew Goodman Foundation, an organization that encourages young voices to use their power as voters in our democracy.

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Beyond supporting the individual efforts of the artists,

Artistic Tile wanted to support the Arts community as a whole. Artistic Tile selected a non-profit organization that works to expand the arts in the United States of America. Through December 31st, Artistic Tile will donate 3% of all

orders placed that reference the appropriate code found

in the campaign.

As the advertising landscape has evolved since the

nineties, it was essential for the newest iteration of the campaign to go beyond the printed page. For the first time, these creations were captured not only in still

imagery, but in video as well. Nancy adds, “we are

delighted to focus a spotlight on the arts through this campaign, with these exceptional artists wearing our beautiful mosaics. Each of these four artists represent disciplines that have been treasured for their beauty across the ages. Their art is eternal, beautiful,

and enhances our lives and culture. Artistic Tile’s art is in a different medium, but like the performing arts,

enhances the lives of those who engage with it – and is eternal, and beautiful. It is our privilege to present our work to you upon and through these incredible artists, and we thank each of them for their wonderful

contributions to the arts, and to this campaign.”