About

Mission

Crafting Memories with Every Tile

At Catalina Tile Experience, our mission is to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Catalina Island through the art of tile-making. We aim to offer visitors an authentic and immersive experience that connects them with the island's history and artistic traditions. By crafting beautiful, handmade tiles, we not only contribute to the restoration of Avalon’s historic sites but also provide a unique opportunity for guests to create their own piece of Catalina to cherish forever. Our commitment is to inspire creativity, foster appreciation for local craftsmanship, and keep the island's legacy alive for generations to come.

Our Founder

The Visionary Behind the Craft

Robin Cassidy

Robin Cassidy

Robin Cassidy, owner of Silver Canyon Pottery, grew up on Catalina Island.

Too busy being a typical Island girl growing up, it was not until she returned from the mainland after college that the pottery bug hit. Hey, what else would you do with a degree in Psychology!

Her passion for the traditional tile beauty of the town and desire to share this knowledge with visitors led to the popular make-your-own tile tours. We have as much fun as you will!

silvercanyontile@gmail.com

Story

From Pottery to Island Legacy

The Catalina Tile Experience offers visitors an authentic opportunity to share a part of island culture.

Silver Canyon Pottery, which has been in operation since 1988 in Avalon, is the genesis for the experience.

Founded by local resident Robin Cassidy, the studio started out as a production pottery shop. Thousands of mugs, plates and bowls later, a chance conversation with a fellow Islander — who happened to be in charge of maintaining the town’s historic Catalina Tile — led to a new direction.

Many of the downtown tiles were in terrible shape. A little experimentation and 20 donated tiles set the company on a new course. The tile installations of Avalon now feature about 40% reproduction tiles made by Silver Canyon Pottery, which has also created new installations at the City Hall complex, The Avalon Hotel and countless private commissions. Tiles are available in several retail stores in Avalon and we create popular finisher medals for the annual full marathon.

Why Choose Us?

At Catalina Tile Experience we specialize in creating one of a kind memories for you, your family, or entire group. By choosing us you will experience a "one stop shop" for learning all about Catalina Island, creating your own souvenirs and having a blast doing it. We hear it all the time....."This was so unexpectedly fun!" Join us and you will see.

Truly Local Experience

Please change to "All classes are personally led by the owner and artist Robin Cassidy. Our off the beaten path quaint and colorful studio adds to the sense of an authentic Catalina experience. We are one of a kind.

Please change to "All classes are personally led by the owner and artist Robin Cassidy. Our off the beaten path quaint and colorful studio adds to the sense of an authentic Catalina experience. We are one of a kind.

Amazingly Fun

From the tale of Catalina presented by a talented bard of local history facts and gossip to the no experience preferred ease of making your own tiles you will leave with a truly unique complete Catalina Experience

From the tale of Catalina presented by a talented bard of local history facts and gossip to the no experience preferred ease of making your own tiles you will leave with a truly unique complete Catalina Experience

Personalized Attention

Our small class size and always artist led tours mean we will provide you an all inclusive experience with no hassles. Meet new friends on our daily class experience or organize a private group tou...

Our small class size and always artist led tours mean we will provide you an all inclusive experience with no hassles. Meet new friends on our daily class experience or organize a private group tour personalized to your groups individual vibe.

Location

Discover the Heart of Avalon Catalina Island

Nestled in the picturesque town of Avalon on Catalina Island, the Catalina Tile Experience offers a unique opportunity to explore the island's artistic heritage. Located at 22 Pebbly Beach Road, our studio is a vibrant hub of creativity where visitors can immerse themselves in the art of tile-making. With its rich history and stunning natural beauty, Catalina Island provides the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable cultural experience. Whether you're a history enthusiast or an aspiring artist, our location invites you to discover the charm and allure of this iconic island destination.

Frequently asked questions

Most frequent questions and answers

Yes. However, for safety reasons, we are unable to accommodate children under 5 years of age.

Yes. Reservations are required in advance. We have both self-transportation and transportation included tour options and your reservation confirmation will be used to provide you with accurate and detailed information as to when and where you will need to go. Last minute reservations are welcome.

Your tile will be colored and fired, then shipped to you within about 2-3 weeks. Tiles are usually shipped via USPS. We are happy to ship via alternate carrier if necessary.

You are completely welcome to make additional tiles. They don't take long and we charge a nominal fee of $10 ea. to cover processing costs.

The tiles are 4″ x 4″ fully fired stoneware tile suitable for installation indoors our outside. Hardfreeze conditions not recommended. The patterns range from historical Spanish geometric patterns seen throughout the City of Avalon as well as numerous floral and fish patterns. Beginning in June 2017 we are adding local landmark, local wildlife, and additional fun themes.

You are able to sign the clay on the back of the tile however you would like. We do not have the ability to create individual new patterns on site. This process for pattern creation is too lengthy to be a possibility for our class participants.

In addition to being suitable for installation indoors or out, the tiles can be used as coasters or hotplates. For use as coasters we like to point out that they are not especially “thirsty”. Moisture and or sun exposure will not harm the tiles at all. We can add a “notch” right on the back to make it possible to hang the tiles without the need for a seperate hanger.

The tiles that we make in the class are the most basic patterns which have a success rate of about 99%. Tiles do occasionally have a crack or other imperfection. In this case we will remake the pattern and try to recreate your signature and send both your original tile and our successful remade piece. Although every effort is made to ship tiles in a manner that avoids breakage in transit we do occasionally experience this situation. We keep original pattern and color information for a period of time and will use this to recreate the tile front and back if you can send us a photo of your signature. In the event of breakage we will also send along some extra goodies from our retail shop as well. Our goal is 100% satisfaction.

You will be making the clay tile. You will not be glazing (painting) the tiles. The tiles must air dry for several days and go into the kiln overnight before they are ready for the color. We would love to fit it all into one experience but we find that folks find the clay part the fun part anyways.

We limit the tile size to our 4″ x 4″ tiles. Larger tiles have a significantly higher rate of failure and we find that prohibitive for our guest experience.

We hate having to charge extra but high shipping costs make it necessary. We will look up the exact shipping charges to your destination. We will also issue a credit for the portion of your initial tour fees dedicated to shipping. For example, Canadian destinations that commonly cost $40 for shipping a six tile order will be charged only an additional $33. ($33 + $7 credit). Charges are paid onsite. We accept all credit cards. One option for folks in the US for AT LEAST 2 weeks after your experience is for us to forward your tiles to a US destination. We will make every effort to put a “rush” on these orders.

Our Catalina Tile Experience accommodates up to 7 participants. Our Private Tile Experience can accommodate up to 12 participants. Please reach out to us at 310-499-8799 as sometimes we can fit.

We will be in touch via text or call the day of your class and make every effort to accommodate small delays. Delays longer than 15 minutes may require a separate shuttle at a nominal cost

Both Catalina Tile Experience and our Private tour option include round trip transportation unless otherwise requested. We will provide precise directions for both the shuttle option and those coming to the studio on their own. It is a 30 minute walk on a flat coastal road, easily bikeable, or accessible for those with a vacation rental golf cart. You can change your option the day of your class no problem.

Yes we have parking available for those traveling to the studio using a rental golf cart or bike.

Gratuities are greatly appreciated, but not at all expected. We hope to provide an “all-inclusive” experience with no hidden costs. International shipping rate additions are the only exception to our policy

Yes we have basic restroom facilities. They are not handicap accessible.

The tours are available in all weather conditions. However, heavy rain conditions often cause closure of the main coastal route and require an alternative route that is a hilly and about 3 miles long. We strongly suggest using our local Taxi for the ” Self transportation” tour option (310) 510-0025. We suggest calling for your taxi 1/2 hour before tour time to allow for enough time to reach the shop. Taxis all know the location of the pottery. “Transportation included” tour option will have no changes to the pick up locale.

We have an access stairway to the studio that is about 12 steps up with rails on both sides. We have a lot of seating available that can be used throughout the experience for those wishing to not move around a whole lot.

At this time, we do not offer tours in any other languages except English.

We are happy to accommodate private events or groups. Our class size is limited to 12 persons maximum for such an event due to limited shop space. We can offer multiple classes per day to offer more opportunity for participation. We are also able to offer custom class times for larger groups (6 or more persons) Please e-mail silvercanyontile@gmail.com

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