The Studio
Our studio is really our home - well, not literally, but it is as much a part of us as if it were. Located in Corpus Christi, Texas, three blocks from the Corpus Christi Bay and near downtown, it is one-third of a former warehouse. We share with two other local artisans, forming The Company We Keep with Danny O'Dowdy, Bill Wilhelmi and Ben Holland. The Wilhelmi/ Holland Gallery is located two doors doown from us and often features our work. Our studio features a space to show our work, and enough room to layout our murals and works in progress. We have design space, a meeting room, a woodworking studio and three kilns finish off our work. It's really cool.

One of our first projects was the collaborative public project Staples Street Bus Station in Corpus Christi. Ed organised 1500 community members- including children, seniors, prisoners and the mayor - to work on ceramic tiles for this bus transit center. The project won a Federal Transit Administration design award, and prompted FTA administrator, Janette Sakik-Khan to say, " With strong civic involvement, and excellence in art and design, transit projects become truly public places whose value to the community increases over time."

The Staff
Ed and Cornelia Gates began Aloe Tile Works in 1994. They share all studio responsibilities together. There are five contract artist also working at Aloe Tile.

Ed Gates was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and grew up in the Midwest. He holds a Bachelor of History and Arts from Grinnell College in Iowa and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Kansas City Art Institute. In 1995, Ed received a National Endowment for the Arts Federal Design Achievement Award for his work on the Staples Street Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Cornelia Henderson Gates was born in Uvalde, Texas and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Tulane Law School. She has been published in Ceramics Monthly and The Journal of the American Art Pottery Association. Aloe Tile's work is also featured in Peter King's Architectural Ceramics for the Studio Potter.

You can also find the Matchbox Suitcase Co. at Aloe Tile Works.

The Pets
Aloe Kitty joined us and the fish earlier this year. She has the most beautiful eyes.