McKusick/Gila Pottery Tiles

The McKusicks made many different hummingbird tiles. Based on the examples I've found, these tiles were produced in 3, 4 and 6 inches. Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum has a great selection on view. Below are a some from the museum and some from other sources.  6" hummingbird tile 4" hummingbird tile 6" hummingbird tile 4" hummingbird tile 6" hummingbird tile 6" hummingbird tile 4" hummingbird tile 6" hummingbird tile 6" Broadbilled Hummingbird tile 4" Ruby Throated Hummingbird tile 3" hummingbird tiles 3" hummingbird tiles

Daniel Nash (Apache, 1930-1982) was another native American artist whose designs were produced as tiles by the McKusicks. The following bio appeared on the back of some of the McKusick tiles: Born at San Carlos, Arizona in 1930, Daniel Nash began drawing at the San Carlos Indian School. His work in water color began in 1947 while studying under Mrs. Montoya at the U.S. Indian School, Santa Fe, New Mexico. During this period the young Apache’s paintings were shown at the New Mexico State Fair ’49 and ’50 (1 st prize twice); the Arizona State Fair ’49, ’50 and ’51 (1 st and 2 nd prizes each year); and the Santa Fe Art Museum ’50 (2 nd and merit awards).   In 1951 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Since returning from Korea he and his wife, Josephine, have lived at San Carlos, Arizona, where he has continued his painting. This crown dancer tile is fairly common (at least in white, the blue version is rare).   This fantastic set of 5 crown dancers a...

Another Native American artist who provided designs for tiles made by the McKusicks was Beatien Yazz (1929-2021), also called Jimmy Toddy, a Navajo American painter and teacher born near Wide Ruins, Arizona. His paintings of animals and people were exhibited his work around the world. These five designs are the only ones I have seen. 

McKusick tiles were made in 5 sizes: 3", 4.25", 5.75", 7.75" and 11.75". The sizes are approximate as many of the tiles vary slightly. The 4.25" and 5.75" tiles are the most common.  There were 12 wildlife tiles made for a Bank in Scottsdale in the 11.75" size which have since been removed. I don't know of any others in that size.  I have seen only three tiles in the 7.75" size: a pair of Cardinals, a pair of Blue Jays, and a pair of Goldfinches. The Cardinal and Blue Jay tiles can be seen at Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum in Miami, AZ in the McKusick Tile Works Exhibit Room. Initiated by Robert McKusick, some of the 5.75" and 7.75" tiles were produced in limited editions of 100, 500 or 1,000. Those numbers were the maximum amount made, but don't indicate that the edition limit was reached. There were also tiles of the same design made in both limited and open editions. Many designs were produced in 3 sizes: 3...

White Bear Tile at Bullion Plaza Oswald “White Bear” Fredericks (1905-1996) was an artist, cultural historian and educator . He spent a lot of time working for various youth organizations. He also collected oral histories of the Hopi people. Frank Waters used those histories as the basis for Book of the Hopi . White Bear also provided the drawings for that book. His carved kachinas can be seen in the Goldwater Kachina Collection at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. White Bear was one of the Native American artists who worked with the McKusicks. He provided designs for some of their most intricate and beautiful tiles. Designs included kachina masks, whimsical roadrunner and mudhead figures, kachinas in the desert and at pueblos, and traditional Hopi themes. Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum has a case dedicated to White Bear tiles. From the Bullion Plaza exhibit From the Bullion Plaza exhibit Two 6" tiles. Many of the White Bear tiles fit together to form longer panels. From t...

Some of the many McKusick Hummingbird tiles on display Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum, a true gem of a regional museum located in Miami, AZ, is housed in the Bullion Plaza School, which was opened as a grammar school in 1923. Regional exhibits focus on minerals and geology, mining, Slavic, Native American and Mexican culture, ranching, dignitaries and military. And McKusick tiles! The staff and volunteers are a great group - always welcoming, helpful and enthusiastic! The McKusick tile room has a fantastic display of tiles including birds and animals, a case dedicated to Hopi White Bear, and another case dedicated to the wildlife tiles made for displays at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Included in the Arboretum case are tiles that are not currently on display at the Arboretum. There is also a case of pottery made by the McKusicks. A few of the McKusick/Hopi White Bear tiles on display In addition, this one-of-a-kind exhibit includes tile molds, tools, stamps used to sign the ti...

Mckusick tiles at Boyce Thompson Arboretum Another great place to see McKusick tiles is at Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior, AZ. Founded in 1924, the arboretum has almost 5 miles of trails and 135 acres of gardens. Desert plants can be seen from the United States, Mexico, Australia, Madagascar, India, China, Japan, Israel, South America, the Middle East, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Arabian Peninsula. A combination of desert, aquatic and riparian environments ensures the presence of a wide variety of native wildlife.  Photos from a visit in June, 2023. The McKusick tiles are on display throughout the arboretum in information kiosks and on the Ayer Lake overlook. Currently there are 52 tiles on display including water fowl, birds, insects, reptiles, fish and mammals. Many of these tiles cannot be seen in any other public installations.  Some of the panels have been undergoing ...