Join us for a discussion with

BEN TYJESKI

Terra - Cotta Historian and Sculpture Artist

Ben Tyjeski is a tile craftsman, sculptor, and historian on architectural ceramics.  He creates tiles and sculpture for interior and exterior installations, including fireplaces, fountains, wainscoting, and decorative accents.  Natural forms from Wisconsin’s prairies, marshes, woods, and rivers inspire his work.  He also represents motifs from the enchanted world he dreamed of as a child.  Architects and clay-workers from the 1880s to the 1930s influence his designs, including Louis Sullivan, Carl Bergmans, and Ernest Batchelder.  Through his explorations of Midwestern cities on bicycle, he has become knowledgeable on architectural terra cotta and tile.  His first book, Architectural Terra Cotta of Milwaukee County, was published in 2018.  He plans to create many more books. Tyjeski began operating his own business, Tyjeski Terra Cotta Works, in January 2018.  His studio and showroom is housed at Var Gallery.