Ted Lowitz....Tilemaker to the stars and you too! An Ageless North Shore Exclusive Inteview

Talisman handmade ceramic tile

On Saturday, June 20th from 12:00 to 3:00 pm, for only the fifth time in his twenty years of business, Ted Lowitz will open his decorative kitchen and bath tile studio Lowitz and Company to the public. Talisman, Foundry Art and Bronzework Studio are sold at some of the best tile shops in Chicago, including Ann Sacks and Artistic Tile.   The studio is located in Chicago at 4401 North Ravenswood Avenue (Lill Street Art Center building) Studio 206. (map)

OK, it’s a little south of Howard Street, but Ted was raised in Glencoe. He’s what we call a Ageless North Shore “legacy.”

And for our North Shore readers…there is AMPLE street parking.

If you tell Ted  that you read about him on Ageless-Northshore.com….YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE 4″ x 4″ ceramic tile!!!

Here is what you really need to know:
1. Measure the spaces you need tile for and bring measured drawings – even rough measurements are better than nothing!
2. Bring a photograph of the room so we can help you design your tile layout.
3. Bring cash or checks. They can’t process credit or debit cards.
4. Quantities are limited so arrive early. (At past sales there has been a long line at the door when they opened!)

Now you know about the sale…what about Ted?

"Lotus," bronze tile from the Foundry Art collection

Why tiles?

I wanted to find a way to earn a living using my artistic abilities, to make something that could be sold in the regular world of commerce, instead of in the art world. And I wanted to figure out a way to run my own business, so I could set the tone of my workday. And I had a sense that the kind of design that came to me naturally, that I most valued and enjoyed, was actually in style at the time, which, it seemed, would increase my chances of success.

What were you doing before?

I had worked as an assistant to the curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, as a retail salesperson at Homemakers Furniture, and, with my brother, trying to put together some commercial real estate projects.

Ted Lowitz in the tile studio

Where do the your designs come from?

My tile designs come from two sources simultaneously.

First the designs grow from simple, intuitive interaction with my materials; clay and bronze. They demand very different designs. When you put your fingers into clay and press them and move them around, ridges rise up and valleys recede. It’s what clay likes to do. Bronze lends itself to forms that look best with a mellow, natural patina and high points that are polished through wear.

Second, the designs are inspired by the simple motifs that appear, in varied forms, in the art and architecture of every age. My tiles are simply new, hopefully fresh interpretations of time-honored patterns.

How do the tile designs become tiles?

I work on each new design for a long, long time. My crew and I make few prototypes, and then I’ll lay a few of them out around my house so I can live with them. I look at them while I clean the kitchen make dinner or brush my teeth. Each new tile collection also begins with a long period of technical research and development, working on glaze chemistry, bronze casting and finishing processe.

I know Spielberg is a customer…who else has Lowitz and Company tiles in one (or several) of their homes.

Bette Midler, Brad Pitt, King Abdullah of Jordan, Mark Grace (Former Cubs first baseman, although you probably knew that).

I did know that about Mark Grace, but was impressed that the King has his own web site. What has been the most satisfying part of your business (besides my being impressed with your celebrity customers).

All I really wanted to do was to earn a living on my own. But the community of art tile makers and sellers turns out to be a wonderful world — full of imaginative, bright, appreciative, well-grounded people. In addition, I get to hire bright, interesting people to help make the tiles — and to help make the workday enjoyable. Finally, art tiles are art that becomes an integral part of peoples’ lives. It’s very gratifying when customer tell us how much they enjoy seeing our tiles every morning in their bathrooms and kitchens.

Challenges?

My artistic instincts are stronger than my business instincts, so I sometimes have to dig deep — or ask for advice — when I’m faced with a new or complex business situation.

More questions about Lowitz and Company or the tile sale? Try FAQ… on Ted’s web site.
To find your nearest showroom, please call (773) 784-2628 or drop Lowitz & Company a note via e-mail.
See you all Saturday.