An entrepreneurial spirit, passion for innovation and dedication to craft are what power this company’s pursuit of enhancing the world—one handmade tile at a time.
Mercedes Austin started her entrepreneurial journey in the Powderhorn neighborhood of Minneapolis 21 years ago. Using her basement as a studio, Mercedes was a commercial painter and just beginning mosaics.
After apprenticing for a tile maker in exchange for materials, she started a business selling her one-of-a-kind mosaic art. Eventually, Mercedes’ dedication, unstoppable drive for success and ability to ignore her harshest critics is what led her to become a master at her craft and later the founder of Mercury Mosaics.
“The driving force behind Mercury Mosaics is a steadfast conviction that an artist shouldn’t have to starve to create their masterworks,” Mercedes says. “It became more natural to sell standard kitchen tile than one-of-a-kind mosaics. I leaned into the functional side of the art form to grow a sustainable business.”
Now, Mercury Mosaics has 40 employees working at two locations in Minnesota producing handmade tile seen in homes across the country. “We are a team of true artisans with a passion for color and pattern,” Mercedes says. Each Mercury Mosaics tile is handcrafted by at least nine people. Every piece is cut by hand, brushed with glaze and fired to a beautiful sheen.
“I strive to make our tile approachable and easy to use while also being versatile enough to curate something truly unique and personal,” Mercedes says. “We set the tone with a meticulously organized color palette and an inspiring collection of standard shapes.” This focus on color, pattern and shape coalesces into Mercury Mosaics’ extensive collection that is ready to ship and available in custom blends you can create on their site: mercurymosaics.com.
“Our team of talented design consultants guide a collaborative process that invites consumers to be the visionary of their space, whether it’s swapping out a few colors for a standard blend or diving deep to express a river in diamonds on their kitchen wall,” Mercedes says.
To learn more about Mercury Mosaics, visit MercuryMosaics.com & follow them on Instagram @mercurymosaics.
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