Art and Artists, Design, Tile Designers

Studio Lucy McMillan

Preserving the primitive soul of hand moulded clay, New Zealand artist Lucy McMillan creates captivating sculptures, objects, and tiles rich with character.

A hand-crafted tile featuring a speckled light background with abstract black lines arranged in a dynamic pattern, placed on a textured fabric surface.
A unique black tile with swirling white patterns displayed on a patterned textile background.

Crafted either from slab or press moulds, textural layers are added through whittling, engraving, or collaging to form dynamic, multidimensional, and visually surprising pieces.

A hand-moulded clay sculpture by New Zealand artist Lucy McMillan, featuring a unique marbled design and decorative hanging elements.
A collection of unique ceramic tiles featuring swirling, marble-like patterns in earthy tones, showcasing texture and color variations.
A close-up view of uniquely designed tiles featuring a mix of waving, marble-like patterns in rich tones of orange, brown, and gray, showcasing textural layers and artistic details.
A modern kitchen featuring unique, hand-crafted tiles with marble-like patterns on the backsplash, complemented by sleek black cabinetry and a gold tap.

Inspired by 17th century agateware, each tile is wholly unique with waving, marble-like patterns mixing tone, and artistic flairs adding playful detail.

Three unique hand-crafted ceramic tiles arranged side by side. The left tile features a textured, light brown design with white shapes. The middle tile has a marbled dark brown and black pattern, while the right tile showcases a light beige background with streaks and swirls of darker colors.
Close-up of unique ceramic tiles featuring swirling marble-like patterns in black, grey, and white, with a raised geometric shape in the center.

The tiles are made from locally sourced stoneware blends and hand stained pigments. They are fired to vitrification at cone 6 (1220 degrees) for strength and longevity in the hopes that they will “one day be dug up in the ruins.”

Studio Lucy McMillan

A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, July 2025.

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