Glasgow Tenement Tiles Celebrated at City Design Market
A Glasgow artist, who celebrates the intricate tiles found in Glasgow tenement closes, is taking her designs to a prestigious design market.
Working from her garden studio on the outskirts of Glasgow, Zoë Miller, a product designer, self-taught printmaker, and graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, has created a collection of finely hand-drawn and hand-printed linocuts of traditional tenement close tiles. Inspired by her love for Glasgow’s streets and architecture, she has also created her own original hand-glazed tiles that evoke the style of Art Nouveau tenement tiles found in common stairways.
Next week, Zoë will take her tiles and prints to Tea Green Events’ prestigious market at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Zoë will join around 75 other Scotland-based designers and makers selected to exhibit and sell their creations at the market, now in its fourth year.
Tea Green Events has grown into a major platform for independent Scottish designers and makers, attracting thousands of visitors to its curated markets across the country. The Summer design market is returning to Kelvingrove on Saturday 27 (10am-5pm) and Sunday 28 June 2026 (11am-5pm).
This year’s Tea Green markets are also heading to V&A Dundee, National Galleries Scotland: Portrait in Edinburgh, Bowhouse in the East Neuk of Fife, Aberdeen Art Gallery, and The Burrell Collection in Glasgow.
Founded by Dundee-based jeweller Joanne MacFadyen, Tea Green Events held its first ever showcase at Glasgow School of Art’s Student Union back in 2014.
Joanne, who grew up in East Kilbride, said, “Tea Green owes so much to Glasgow, and I loved visiting both Kelvingrove and The Burrell Collection as a child and then as a student and a creative. So being back there with Scotland’s most talented artists and makers is a wonderful thing, especially those inspired by the city itself. These local connections really resonate with the people of Glasgow, and provide city-specific links to our markets, all held within such beautiful, iconic venues.”
Zoë, who launched Tenetiles in 2021, added, “Glasgow has a unique relationship with its tenements, and it’s not surprising that they’re in huge demand, with many in conservation areas. For centuries, they have created close-knit communities with neighbours sharing stairwells, back courts and, historically, basic – but they’re also known for their tiles. Having lived in a tenement for 12 years, I’d always admired the tiles in our close and in so many other closes where friends have lived and wanted to turn them into an art form in small batches, celebrating the beauty of slow, crafted work. I’m also inspired by the gardens around the south side of Glasgow, taking photos of flowers and the natural world that thrives around these tenements, the curves, stems and details that align with the Art Nouveau movement. For me, it’s not just about the beautiful intricacies but also the imperfections and differences from one tile to the next, the details that make them unique.
“When I first started sharing my designs on social media, Glaswegians were reaching out to me, requesting commissions based on their tenement tiles, either wanting prints, single tiles or a whole set of tiles for their kitchen, fireplace or bathroom. I love coming to the Tea Green markets, hearing the personal connections and nostalgia that light up in people when they see my prints and tiles. Often, people recognise the tiles in their own close or on the steps up to their first flat. I thrive on that personal connection, hearing people’s stories, and explaining the process. I love creating products that spark nostalgia and always leave re-ignited to continue with my practice.”
Last year, Zoë was commissioned to create tiles for The Nook in Glasgow’s Merchant City, a mental health support hub run by the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), in collaboration with interior designers Anna Campbell-Jones and Josafinni Porter Chambers.
For more information, visit https://www.teagreen.co.uk/
ENDS