About the Artist
"The richness I achieve comes from Nature, the source of my inspiration."
Claude Monet
Meet Mel
Mel Chambers is an artist and maker based near the Helford River in Cornwall, where land, sea, and shifting light quietly influence her creative life. As the founder of Alchemy Tiles, she is known for reviving and evolving the ancient craft of hand-carved encaustic tiles, a technique rooted in the 13th century and rarely practised in this way today.
Her path was not conventional. With a background in business, permaculture, teaching, and presenting, Mel brings both grounded practicality and creative intuition to her work.
She is also a painter and sculptor, and a former partner at Studio 45 on the Dartington Estate in Devon, a vibrant community pottery studio where the next generation of potters and ceramicists were trained under the visionary leadership of Richenda Macgregor. Studio 45 was at the forefront of sustainable ceramics, championing environmentally conscious practice long before it became mainstream, and this ethos continues to shape Mel’s work today.
The Story Behind Alchemy Tiles
This short film introduces the world of Alchemy Tiles, where ancient craft meets contemporary interiors.
Working from her studio in Cornwall, artist-maker Mel Chambers hand-carves encaustic tiles using techniques that trace their roots back to the 13th century. Through clay, colour, imagery, and words, each piece becomes more than decoration, it becomes a story shaped in clay and designed to live within the spaces we inhabit.
This is the first film in a short series exploring the philosophy, craft, and interiors shaped by Alchemy Tiles.
Crafted by hand. Guided by story.
A pivotal chapter in her journey came through training with Iris Milward of Poetry Tiles, the last artisan in the UK working this historic inlay technique entirely by hand in its traditional form. As Iris prepared to retire, she sought someone not only to preserve the method but to carry it forward with integrity and evolution. Mel found herself in the right place at the right time, with the right blend of skill, dedication, and vision to continue the lineage.
Under Iris’s guidance, the ancient process was passed on, and from that foundation, Mel has expanded the technique into new territories of colour, scale, and interior design. Today, she is widely recognised as the only artisan in the UK hand-carving encaustic tiles in this way, bringing the craft into contemporary spaces while honouring its origins.
Deeply inspired by poetry, symbolism, and the quiet magic woven through everyday life, Mel’s work brings inspiring words, meaningful quotes, and personal imagery into clay. Each piece becomes a place where language, memory, and artistry meet, honouring not only beauty, but the stories and sentiments that shape who we are.
Through Alchemy Tiles, ancient craft meets modern intention, and a heritage technique continues to evolve, one hand-carved piece at a time.
For a deeper insight into Mel’s creative philosophy and the journey behind her work, you’re invited to watch her interview with Google Arts & Culture, a conversation that explores craft, intention, and the magic found in making.
Made in Cornwall
Since 2016, Mel has been a proud member of the Made in Cornwall scheme, a respected mark that protects and champions authentic Cornish craftsmanship.
Established to safeguard provenance and celebrate the skill of makers across the county, the scheme ensures that everything bearing its stamp is genuinely designed and created in Cornwall. For Mel, this is more than accreditation, it is a commitment to place, integrity, and community.
Rooted near the Helford River, every Alchemy Tile is designed, hand-carved, and fired in Cornwall. Being part of Made in Cornwall reflects a dedication to protecting regional craft traditions while contributing to the evolving creative landscape of the county.
It is a quiet but powerful reminder that true craftsmanship is shaped not only by skill, but by the land and culture that surround it.
