First-Ever Edie Harper Tile Collection Debuts at Motawi Tileworks

Four cat-inspired designs bring the work of Edie McKee Harper into handcrafted ceramic tile

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 13, 2026 — Motawi Tileworks is introducing four new ceramic art tiles based on the work of Edie McKee Harper (1922–2010), marking the first time the artist’s work has been translated into tile by the Ann Arbor studio.

Developed in partnership with the Charley Harper Art Studio, the collection features four feline-themed designs: 6×8 Sleepy Time Tom, 6×8 Crazy Quilt Cat, 4×8 Baskit, and 4×4 Magnificat. The tiles are available beginning immediately through Motawi Tileworks and its network of retailers nationwide.

Known for her modernist paintings, photography, enamels, textiles, and illustrations, Edie McKee Harper created a body of work that was both playful and disciplined. While her husband, Charley Harper, became famous for his “minimal realism” wildlife illustrations, Edie developed a distinct artistic voice of her own, often returning to themes of cats, children, childhood memories, and faith.

“These designs felt immediately at home in tile,” said Nawal Motawi, founder and artistic director of Motawi Tileworks. “Edie’s work shares the clarity and economy of form that make a design successful in our medium, but her cats bring a warmth, humor, and personality all their own.”

The release expands a creative partnership that has connected Motawi Tileworks and the Charley Harper Art Studio for nearly two decades. Since the introduction of the first Charley Harper tile, Upside Downside, Motawi has adapted dozens of Harper designs into handcrafted ceramic art tiles collected throughout North America.

For Brett Harper, director of the Charley Harper Art Studio, the new collection represents an opportunity to introduce audiences to another important voice in American modernism.

“A lot of people know Charley’s work, but my mother was an accomplished artist in her own right,” Harper said. “I’m excited to see her cats come to life in tile and to see collectors discover her work.”

Each tile is handcrafted in Ann Arbor using Motawi’s signature Cuenca technique, in which raised clay lines separate pools of hand-applied glaze. The process allows Harper’s bold forms, geometric compositions, and carefully balanced colors to translate naturally from paper to clay.

The launch comes as interest in Edie McKee Harper’s work continues to grow. On October 17, the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati will open Edie McKee Harper: Modernist at Play, a major retrospective featuring more than 100 works spanning photography, painting, enamel, weaving, illustration, and printmaking.

About Motawi Tileworks

Founded in 1992, Motawi Tileworks creates handcrafted ceramic art tiles in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The studio is known for adapting the work of influential artists, architects, and designers—including Charley Harper, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Dard Hunter—into ceramic art using traditional tilemaking techniques. Motawi tiles are sold through galleries, museum stores, specialty retailers, and directly through Motawi.com.