There is something special about seeing a product come to life firsthand. Recently, members of the Decorative Materials team traveled to Virginia’s Eastern Shore to visit New Ravenna, one of our longtime mosaic partners, for a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry, craftsmanship, and people behind their extraordinary designs.
From touring the factory and meeting the artisans to trying our own hand at mosaic making, the experience gave our team an entirely new appreciation for just how much goes into every New Ravenna creation.
The word handmade takes on an entirely different meaning after visiting New Ravenna.
Throughout the factory, our team watched artisans meticulously cut, clip, sort, and assemble individual pieces of stone and glass. A single mosaic can pass through the hands of dozens of people, with each contributing their own expertise and attention to detail along the way.
The hand-clipping process made a particularly strong impression. Creating tesserae in precisely the right size and shape requires tremendous skill, patience, and even physical strength. Beyond cutting the material, artisans carefully sort individual pieces to find exactly the right color and tone for each portion of a design.
As Lauren shared, “When you hear the term ‘handmade,’ it can sometimes feel ambiguous,” but seeing every piece meticulously hand-clipped brought an entirely new understanding of the craftsmanship behind the finished product.
Our team didn’t just get to watch the process. They had the opportunity to experience it themselves by creating small glass mosaics.
What looks effortless in the hands of New Ravenna’s artisans quickly proved otherwise. Cutting and shaping each tiny piece of glass was difficult and time-consuming, giving the team an even greater appreciation for the skill required to create intricate mosaics day after day.
For Tori, trying the process herself reinforced the value behind the finished product. Seeing the complete process, combined with the challenge of making a mosaic firsthand, gave her even greater confidence in explaining the craftsmanship and pricing behind New Ravenna designs to clients.
While the craftsmanship impressed everyone, so did New Ravenna’s ability to turn an idea into something entirely unique.
The team had the opportunity to see completely custom mosaics and highly realistic designs firsthand, showcasing the extraordinary artistic talent involved in translating an inspiration into a one-of-a-kind work of art.
Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of the visit had nothing to do with tile at all.
New Ravenna is deeply rooted in the community of Exmore, Virginia, and our team immediately felt the warmth and sense of family behind the company. Many employees have been part of the New Ravenna team for decades, creating a remarkable depth of knowledge, history, and pride in their craft.
That spirit carries through to our own partnership with New Ravenna. From their artists and craftspeople to the CAD and sample departments, our team came home with an even greater appreciation for the people who help bring our clients’ ideas to life.
Seeing New Ravenna’s process from start to finish offered a valuable reminder that these mosaics are much more than a surface material. Behind every finished piece are countless hours of skilled handwork, artistic decision-making, precision, and care.
As Jackie put it, clients aren’t simply purchasing tile when they commission a custom New Ravenna mosaic. They are investing in a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind piece of art created specifically for their space.
Our team returned to our Colorado showrooms inspired, energized, and even more excited to share the story behind New Ravenna with our clients and design community. After experiencing the process firsthand, the words they used to describe New Ravenna say it best: artisanal, inspiring, personal, beautiful, bespoke, breathtaking, and spectacular.