The San José Tile Workshop
Indigenous Mexican dance depicted on tile by Fernando Ramos.
San Antonio (1931-1977): Founder Ethel Wilson Harris and her designer, Fernando Ramos, reigned over three successive tile factories known as the San José Workshops, reviving a dying Mexican art form. The colorful tiles — rediscovered and prized today — depict bygone scenes of folk culture and cowboy life. Originally sold in the Mission San José gift shop, they were used extensively in homes and gardens from the Great Depression onward. The charming craft form soon gained a national following after showing in global fairs, from the Chicago World’s Fair 1933-1934 to HemisFair ’68 in San Antonio.
