These photoceramics are inspired by Julian Alden Weir and the Tile Club.  The club was founded in New York in 1877 by a group of young artists and journalists who had been meeting informally to discuss art.  This society included prominent artists of the day such as Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, and Stanford White.  Julian Alden Weir (1852-1919), a founder of American Impressionist painting, was also a member.  His studio and home are preserved at Weir Farm National Historical Park in Connecticut.  Painting on ceramic tiles was a central activity that fostered camaraderie among the members.  It was a Gilded Era craze sparked by the 1876 Centennial celebration in Philadelphia.

Inspired by Weir and the Tile Club, Xiomaro fused museum-quality prints of his photographs onto black four-inch, six-inch, and twelve-inch ceramic tiles.  Several coats of adhesives and finishes are hand-brushed over the images to create a luminous surface.  The accidental effects from the flow of the stippled brushwork impart an individualized antiqued texture to each piece.  No two look exactly the same.  The surface of the tile has a depth and texture that cannot be appreciated on a computer screen.  The sides of the tile are hand-painted in black to match the black ceramic surface seen along the perimeter of the photo.  A hanger and corking is applied to the back.

Although intended as wall art, collectors of Xiomaro’s photoceramics have displayed them as table art or used them as high-end coasters.  Others keep them on their desks and gently run their fingers over the surface to relieve stress, relax, or meditate.

Xiomaro’s technique has been applied to his other photographic collections and his photoceramics have been the subject of exhibitions and media attention.

More information about Julian Alden Weir is available in the book Weir Farm National Historic Site (Arcadia Publishing).

All photoceramics are available for exhibition and purchase. Contact Xiomaro