How The Tiles Are Made

Alchemy Tiles brings back to life the thousand year old craft of inlay tiles or encaustic as it's technically known as. Each tile is individually carved free hand with inspiring poetry, quotes and images.

The technique of inlay tiles goes back so far that they are unable to trace its true origin but the technique really came into its own during the 13th Century. When rulers and kings weren’t fighting each other they were glorifying themselves in palaces, churches and temples and what better way than to use a technique that would last centuries. 

Mel was trained in the techniques by Iris Milward of Poetry Tiles just before she retired in 2013. Mel has gone on not only to continue the ancient technique but to develop it further in new colours, designs and specialising in bespoke kitchens, bathrooms and fire places.

Any shape, space, size and design can be tailored for from individual tiles to large areas like kitchens, bathrooms and fireplaces.

Due to the intricate and multiple processes no tile can be replicated making each one bespoke, unique and held eternally in earth and time.

I have been rolled and my shape cut by hand
Then using ancient techniques from far across lands,
My image and script hand carved in wet clay
With wisdom and poetry to inspire you each day.
Four different colours of clay then applied
To fill in those carvings and then left to dry.
Then to be scraped and my design now revealed
To be dried once again before I’m then sealed,
In a coating of glaze with a crackle for show
Then fired raw, so long and so slow.
So fragile and delicate at each stage I must be
Until I transform in the fires that embrace me
When I emerge, still warm to the touch
A stain is wiped over, a little, not much.
And then I am ready to be held in your hands
With magic and tales from far across lands.
Images, quotes and poetry sublime
All held eternal, in earth and in time.