To the unenlightened American, ceramic tile is something that goes on your

bathroom floors and walls. But here in Valencia, Spain, the annual trade

show of ceramic tiles and other ceramic wallcoverings extends far beyond

that. Here, you can see ceramic tile that looks like wood, special types

that function as building cladding, tile that looks like wallpaper, and

colors and designs that have certainly never been seen by the average

American.

 

Obviously, there is a natural environmental bent to the use of tile. Here

buildings are meant to last a lifetime.

 

We are here as guests of Tile of Spain, a trade group whose purpose is to

educate us about the manufacture of such materials, and to introduce the

creativity and practicality of these small Spanish tile companies to the

U.S. market. The sky here is blue, and the street life inviting. But once

one glimpses the fantastic stand layouts, complete with full-room

furnishings, draperies and chandeliers, one marvels at the myriad stunning

uses for this simplest of products–essentially coming from the earth

itself. Tonight, a dinner for the foreign press. Tomorrow we will travel

by bus a short distance to view how these tiles are made.

 

Check back tomorrow for my Day 2 report.

 

Melissa