In 1919, a group of Armenian ceramic artists from Turkey were invited to Jerusalem and commissioned to renovate the ceramic tiles covering the exterior walls of the Dome of the Rock. One of those ceramic artists was my grandfather, M. Karakashian, who together with his partner, established a pottery in Jerusalem in 1922.

Today I hand paint my tiles and pottery in my studio in Jerusalem, at 3 The Greek Patriarchate Street in the Old City, using the same traditional methods he used. I hand paint a variety of tile murals and accent tiles with traditional Armenian designs like peacocks, birds, ornate floral patterns, trees and gazelles, which are used to decorate kitchen walls and backsplashes, bathroom walls, fireplaces, table tops, kitchen counter tops.

“Dear Jerusalem Pottery, we are so absolutely thrilled with our fireplace surround tiles! They really added a classic and impressive touch to our fireplace, which has now become the center of our family gatherings. Thank you for the wonderful tiles and service. Sincerely, John and Claudia”

Working with Mr. Karakashian to design our mural was a pleasure, and we could not be more delighted with the results. The tiles are truly beautiful and were so expertly packed that they arrived in perfect condition--not a chip.