Neo–Tile Club: Community Exhibition – 2021 Guild Hall Community Artist-In-Residence: Scott Bluedorn

The historic Tile Club, founded in 1872, was a group of artists in New York City who met regularly to paint on tile, a popular surface of the coinciding decorative arts movement. Among the artists in the club were William Merritt Chase, Winslow Homer, and architect Stanford White. When the Long Island Railroad expanded to Montauk in the late 1870s, The Tile Club was invited to ride to the eastern-most tip of Long Island and paint what they saw, making these western artists some of the first to visit the East End, initiating the long history of art in the area.

Inspired by this club, Scott Bluedorn focused his 2021 Guild Hall Community Artist-in-Residence project on the history, practice, and revitalization of The Tile Club. Throughout the 2021 summer season, Scott led 6 free workshops, some en plein-air, during which ceramic tiles were given to participants along with a demo and discussion of the history of the Tile Club. Participants were asked to donate at least one completed tile to the Education Corridor Exhibition. The exhibition and project are in tandem with Guild Hall’s current exhibition, 90Years: Selections from the Permanent Collection that includes original Tile Club paintings c. 1875, on view in the education corridor from October 30 through January 2, 2022.

We are extremely thankful to all those who participated in this project and contributed their artwork to this exhibition. We would also like to thank the East Hampton Historical Society for the use of Mulford Farm as a plein-air painting site, and to the local builders Wirth & Company, Lori and Roy Dalene, and Andrew Fetherston for donating tiles.

Community participants included Leo A., Sofia Abboud, Labbeb Abboud, Pamela Abrahams, Michele Abramsky, Paul Abramsky, Casey Chalem Anderson, Cassandra Bajan, Rachael Barash, Beth Barry, Jim Bergesen, Scott Bluedorn, Ivy Brondo, Jen Brondo, Joe Brondo, Tanessa Cabe, Lisa Claisse, Bonnie Comley, Donna Corvi, Casey Dalene, Barbara Dayton, Elaine Dia, Mare Dianora, Ollie Dianora Brondal, Nova D’Innocenza, Gina D’Orazio, AG Duggan, Andrew Fetherston, Kurt Ghie, Kimberly Goff, Laurie Hall, Gizella Harte, Janet Jennings, Miren Kova, Frankie Lane, Lenny Lane, Stewart Lane, Teresa Lawler, Alexandra Lopez, Setha Low, Sara McLaughlin, Kathleen McLaughlin, Rich Mothes, Jamie Pancella, Mark Perry, Dalton Portella, Luca R., Gabriele T. Raacke, Guilia Ratto, Adrienne Ratto, Tina Ripperger, Nora Ripperger, Caroline Scherr, Andréa Sher, Karen Solimando, Sabina Streeter, Rebecca Sullivan, Sean Sullivan, Deborah Walley, and ZSG.

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