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Nov
12

Architectural Terra Cotta & Tile in Shorewood

Tuesday, November 12

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Location: Shorewood VIllage Center

The Village of Shorewood has many decorative buildings from the 1920s and 30s.  During that time, it was common to see gargoyles reading books above the doorway and carvings of tall ships in the floor.  These colorful and eye-catching wonders very often were manufactured in clay.  Ben Tyjeski, artist, architectural historian, and public school teacher, will illustrate the two specialized, craftsman trades, architectural terra cotta and art tile, and show how they made Shorewood an even more beautiful place.  

Ben presented this program at the Shorewood Historical Society's annual meeting in May 2019.  If you missed it, now is your chance to learn more about Shorewood and Milwaukee local history.

ABOUT BEN TYJESKI

Ben Tyjeski is an artist, architectural historian, and public school teacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He has had an appreciation for decorative, historic architecture ever since he was able to ride his bicycle as a kid.  Even though being an architect was his dream, he realized that his love was in the sculptural and artistic details of architecture. 

Today he continues to follow his passion that he found in middle school.  Whether he is in the studio, the classroom, or on the street, Tyjeski aims to revive the tradition of hand-made crafts in the hearts of makers and admirers.  He documents and researches architectural terra cotta and faience tile.  He has a special interest in highlighting the Midwest and where he lives and works in Milwaukee.  Tyjeski also specializes in creating architectural tiles and statuary.  He has been sculpting in terra cotta since 2009.

Tyjeski earned his B.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2012.   Three years later he became a K-8 Art teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools.  In 2018 he began his business, Tyjeski Terra Cotta Works.  That year he also self-published his first book, Architectural Terra Cotta of Milwaukee County.  

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