Artistic Donor Wall Design at The Hill
The design motif for this donor wall came easily, as the surrounding landscape is a prominent feature of this campus.
The Hill at Whitemarsh is rooted on 96 acres alongside historic Erdenheim Farm.
The farm offers residents a picturesque view of 450 acres of preserved land, featuring hills, ponds, and fields, as well as grazing black Angus cattle and sheep.
The ceramic tile mural is 10′ wide by 4′ high, sculpted in medium relief with a great deal of texture and glazed in a vibrant color palette.
The Dixon Meadow Preserve spans 14 acres, featuring a nearly two-thirds-of-a-mile-long boardwalk. The Preserve is a haven for birders, walkers, and nature enthusiasts who appreciate its diverse flora and fauna.
The donor wall recognizes top levels of giving with sandblasted names in the fenced area.
Five text panels below acknowledge other levels of giving, accompanied by explanatory text about the capital campaign.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we would like to thank our non-profit clients and their donors for enabling us, for nearly 35 years, to create fine art donor walls that say…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Karen & Lisa
Donor Walls – Cancer Centers
October observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. An international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities to increase awareness and to raise funds for research into cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and a cure for this insidious disease. The goal is to convey a message of hope, not fear, and survival with early detection.
Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide. With early detection and proper medical care, there is a good chance that breast cancer can be cured.
Our designs for donor walls in cancer centers focus on creating imagery that brings beauty and provides respite and hope to those receiving treatment while recognizing and inspiring donor gifts.
Donor Recognition Walls for Cancer Centers
Doylestown Health Doylestown, PA
The botanical images featured in this donor wall are used medicinally in cancer treatment.
- Mayapple
- Periwinkle
- Bittersweet
- Comfrey
- Bloodroot
A series of room plaques and donor plaques were created and displayed throughout the cancer center.
St. Joseph’s Hospital, West Bend, WI
Designed for St. Joseph’s Oncology Department, this recognition system features a ceramic tile mural featuring the Kettle Moraine landscape flanked by portraits of flowers used medicinally in cancer treatment. Donor Names are screened on the panels.
The DayLily is used by the Chinese in fighting breast cancer, and incidentally, is the official flower of West Bend.
Pottstown-Cancer Center, Pottstown, PA
The donor wall design draws inspiration from a traditional Amish quilt pattern and features images of plants used medicinally to treat cancer.
Marsh Marigold, Mayapple, and Coneflower images in the mural were glazed one color with sanblasted inscriptions of donor names.
This triptych was created for the three largest donors. In these panels, the plants were glazed in a more naturalistic way.
Recognition is a way of showing donors they are valued.
Art and Fundraising: A Unique Combination for Success
American Artist Appreciation Month, which is observed throughout August, was established with the simple aim of celebrating artists and the incredible work they do.
Consider the work of American artists, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O’Keeffe, Norman Rockwell & Andy Warhol; crowds flock to museums to study, analyze, admire, and find inspiration for their own work.
But not all art is in a museum! Our murals are displayed on the walls of hospitals, universities, and social service agencies nationwide as a fine art form of donor recognition.
The Karen Singer Tileworks team is an American art collective making a difference by creating ceramic tile murals that visually represent our nonprofit clients and function as donor recognition.
These donor walls inspire giving while simultaneously recognizing contributions.
We call this method – “A Fine Art Approach to Fundraising.“
Leonardo DaVinci said, “Art is the Queen of all sciences, communicating knowledge to all the generations of the world.”
Fundraising involves both scientific and artistic thinking: The science of fundraising is concerned with strategy, statistics, tracking, and amassing data.
The art of fundraising consists of touching the heart. No one makes a significant donation for the tax deduction. There are reasons why people care about specific organizations, and these all involve heartfelt connections.
Fine art fundraising works.
Inspiration, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “a divine influence, action, or power of moving the intellect or emotions”.
Art inspires!
There is no denying that art communicates, makes us think, touches our souls, and stirs our emotions.
University at Buffalo School of Management, Buffalo, NY
The donor wall for UB features a series of doorways. The motif presents the school as a portal to exciting futures around the world – Wall Street, International business, exotic travel… The design for this donor recognition wall inspired an alumni donor to underwrite the cost of the mural, believing it to be a motivational wall for future MBAs.
Misericordia University Dallas, PA
The iconic arch at the entrance to the campus is considered a threshold to quality education, professional preparation, and service leadership for every student who passes through.
Alder Center for Caring, Aldie, VA
This “birds-eye view” mural, in a residential hospice, provides a vibrant welcome in the foyer in addition to its function as donor recognition. Sense of Place was a primary consideration in its design.
The mural features an undulating river that symbolizes the journey of life. The grassy area represents the horse farms and rolling countryside of Loudoun County. In the background are the Shenandoah Mountains and the skyline of Washington, D.C.
Langlade Hospital, Antigo, WI
This unique donor recognition system features ceramic columns depicting the riverfront park area adjacent to the hospital, in Both Spring and Fall. The focal point is the meandering Le Royer Memorial Walkway, suggesting a symbolic journey.
The bases of the columns feature roots and leaves, implying local roots and groundedness. The capitals depict the rising sun – symbolic of hope.
Best Wishes to all American artists
We appreciate all you contribute.
Capital Campaign Branding
A brand is more than a logo or a catch phrase.
Branding is visually communicating who and what the organization is all about.
A donor wall design that visually communicates your mission and identity, brands your campaign. We believe donor recognition needs to be personal – to reflect the reason why donors give to a specific cause.
Skip creating a special campaign logo, because the design imagery says it all.
That saves dollars and makes sense!
In this example, the design furnishes a “wow” factor to the case statement.
It’s a visual approach – making a case for support and motivation for giving to this campaign.
This donor wall design was inspired by the school’s culture and Xaverian values expressed through symbolism. The school successfully raised $ 10 million and credits our work as a major factor in meeting their goals.
Used on all campaign solicitation materials and on the website’s giving page, the design maximized its usefulness by branding the campaign and inspiring donations.
Plus, the completed donor wall for Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (shown below) will continue to attract positive attention and inspire giving for years to come.
Because it is ceramic tile, it will last. Its colors will not fade.
Ceramic murals have survived for centuries across the globe in both indoor and outdoor conditions.
Continue the Brand
Upon completion of the donor wall, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Olney MD, commissioned us to design and fabricate complementary room naming plaques and donor gifts.
We believe that when you have an image that resonates, keep using it. Reinforce the impact by reiterating the imagery.
Think of the donor wall as a branding system. Use it on room naming plaques, promotion materials such as donor gifts, thank-you notes, annual reports, etc.
In Christianity, cherry trees symbolize the sweetness of character that derives from good works, encouraging the Good Counsel community to fall in love with service of God.
The tree and its blossoms were chosen for the mural not only for symbolic meaning but also in recognition of the cherry tree that stood in the Senior Courtyard on the former campus.
Donor Room Plaques Good Counsel
Donor Gifts
A cherry blossom tile and stand, and a set of watercolor note cards that were presented to donors at the dedication event.
Donor Gift Tile Good Counsel
Donor Gifts Good Counsel Note Cards
Donor gifts that are displayed stimulate conversation, leading to the owner spreading word about the organization and their involvement. For this reason, we consider gifts like this an additional branding, marketing and motivational tool.
Before executing your next Capital Campaign, during the strategic planning phase, incorporate branding imagery with a donor wall design.
Donor Walls Inspired by Architecture
Donor Recognition refers to the custom of honoring generosity by listing the names of benefactors on site in a prominent location.
At Karen Singer Tileworks, we believe that donor recognition must reflect an organization’s character and mission. After all, people give because they care about what you do. They have a personal connection. Our work aspires to celebrate this connection in a work of art incorporating donor names.
As artists, we design our donor walls as art, representative of our clients’ needs, culture, and architecture.
Architects design spatial constructs to meet the needs and culture of their clients.
Art and architecture are intertwined.
Check out a few examples of architecturally inspired door walls.
Ronald McDonald House – Jacksonville, FL
This “house built by love” is in a traditional Southern-style community. We designed this donor recognition system to provide a “child’s eye view” of the modern cityscape, framed within a conventional Southern-style plantation window.
The donor names were laser-engraved onto the slats of wooden shutters. Blanks were easily replaced with names as donors joined the campaign.
Capitol Lakes Terraces – Madison, WI
This donor wall depicts the Capitol Building in Spring, and donor names have been sandblasted in the tile.
St. Coletta of Greater Washington – Washington, DC
The columns flank the donor text panel, honoring those who made the new campus possible.
The inspiration for the recognition system came from the buildings designed by Peter Graves.
The naming plaques were designed to mimic the columns and are displayed throughout the buildings.
Academy Notre Dame de Namur
This donor wall was developed to capture a “mental map” of the campus. The mural, 9′ wide by 5′ high, depicts the Mansion and a partial view of Connelly Hall.
Two ceramic tile pillars mimic the stone pillars that support the school’s entry gates. Top donor names were sandblasted into the “stone” tiles.
The text area below the mural lists the remaining donor names screened on glass and back-painted.
The metal framing mimics wrought iron work in the original school building called “The Mansion.”
Various Awards and Donor Gifts
These gifts and awards focus on architectural facades recognizable by donors and awardees.
Happy Spring!
Ceramic Tile Images – Flora of February
Flowers first appeared over 130 million years ago – creating beauty, color, and glorious scents. It is believed that flowers have been given as gifts since the Roman Empire, and the origins of birth flowers could be said to date back to these times.
Flora was the Roman Goddess of flowers and her name continues to be used as the collective term for plants & flowers.
Our research finds three birth flowers for February – violet, primrose, and iris. Although thanks to Valentine’s Day, the rose is the flower most associated with February.
Violet
A diminutive flower, the violet has a multitude of meanings. Christianity associates the violet with Mary and the quality of modesty. Violets can also denote spiritual wisdom, humility, and faithfulness.
According to floriography (an elaborate language developed to convey feelings & emotions during the Victorian era), violets said “I return your love” & “I’ll always be true.”
The color violet was named for the flower and signifies royalty, power & confidence.
Primrose
The name is derived from the Latin “primus”, meaning first rose. They symbolize courage because they blossom in the cold harsh month of February.
Iris
The iris symbolizes faith, valor, and wisdom.
The Rose
Happy Valentines!
Fundraise with Donor Recognition
Our fine art approach to donor recognition helps our clients meet and exceed their fundraising goals – by MILLIONS.
The benefits are huge when donor recognition is a forethought, not an afterthought,
Include donor recognition design in the Strategic Planning Phase.
Budget 1-3 % of your goal.
We create an image that visualizes your mission.
This way, the donor wall design becomes a visual tool for engagement throughout the campaign process.
After installation and for years to come, our Donor Walls are permanent works of art and a silent fundraiser encouraging people to still stop, look, and ask, “How can I get my name on the wall?”
What this is all about… Here are a few examples.
University at Buffalo, School of Management
GOAL $14 M
RAISED $ 16M
Enabling a donor to envision their name in a permanent work of art about an organization they love and support is more powerful than any words.
During a silent phase visit, the design inspired a donor to underwrite the cost.
This donor wall is a 28′ long ceramic tile and glass mural with the theme “opening doors” to commemorate the donors to the Campaign for UB. The motif presents the school as a portal to exciting futures around the world – Wall Street, international business, exotic travel….
“Having the design concept at the beginning of the campaign, we were able to market the potential beauty and legacy attributes associated with being listed on it, resulting in higher numbers and levels of gifts. Our prospective donors were able to visualize the magnetism of the wall and their prominence on it.”
– Jane Armbruster, Former VP of Development
Doylestown Health ER
Goal $ 16M
RAISED $ 18.5
At the dedication, this mural inspired an additional half million in donations.
“Having the artist’s rendering enables donors to see the concept in advance and I know it influences how they made their gifts.”
– Linda Felt, Former VP for Development.
University of Pennsylvania SP2
A fine art design that symbolically visualizes an organization’s mission statement sparks a connection with donors.
In this case, SP2 friends and alumni recognize the facade of the original School of Social Work building.
Dean Gelles declared “It’s a Motivational Wall.”
The ivy not on the original wall represents the university’s “Ivy League” status.
“In the first 97 years, the school raised a total of $ 14 M. In the last three years, with the help of this mural, we raised $ 33.6 M.”
– Dean Richard Gelles
Karen offers a short video explaining how to fundraise with donor recognition.
Check out the 5 tips to leverage donor recognition.
https://youtu.be/h102d9PVo-E?si=r-SP9A6qGRrqnOx_
Our “Fine Art Approach to Fundraising” method capitalizes on the power of creativity…. and gets results!
And That’s a Wrap!
This month we celebrate thirty-four years of making ceramic tile art that inspires and engages donors.
Here’s a wrap-up of last year’s murals, awards, and gift plaques that recognize donors, volunteers, and board members.
We made some extraordinary exterior tiles that provide architectural ornamentation, signage, and wayfinding.
Ceramic Coaching students spent the year in the studio, making art, and exhibiting their work during the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST.)
We held clay workshops, that included staff retreats, and team building – encouraging participants to stretch their creative muscles!
Cross Keys Senior Living
Another “WaterColor” Wall
A beautiful and economical option for non-profit donor recognition. Suitable for annual, endowment, or capital campaigns. It simplifies the process of adding or changing names or text. WaterColor walls marry several mediums to complete a portrait of an organization that inspires giving.
The top area of the donor wall contains an enlarged watercolor depicting a bird’s eye view of Gettysburg, New Oxford, and the Hanover region with iconic features throughout the landscape.
The center connects the watercolor image and continues into the vivid tile ceramic tile frieze of trees.
The bottom section contains explanatory text and donor names silkscreened on the back surface of a Plexiglas lens over a watercolor background depicting grass.
Various Donor Gifts, Plaques & Awards
Celebrate and recognize donors, volunteers, fundraisers, foundations, corporations, and others engaged in the philanthropic community.
We create custom donor recognition plaques, awards, and donor gifts, with each piece uniquely designed to capture the message and spirit of a person or organization.
Let us create visual identity plaques for your philanthropist that are displayed proudly and not stored out of site.
Meadowood Senior Living
At Meadowood, all the buildings are named for birds and trees. As the courtyards continue to be renovated, the next series of ceramic panels are ready to be installed to add beauty to the facade and wayfinding on campus.
Ceramic Coaching
Individual Ceramic Coaching lessons. Learn to make ceramic tiles, a kitchen backsplash, a mural, or whatever you have in mind; we can help you make it.
Mindy Maslin, aka “The Tree Lady”, created a beautiful mirror and backsplash to compliment her gorgeous leaf sink.
Chris Clay sculpting her chess pieces, her finished chess set, and one of a pair of peacock panels for her foyer.
Join us for Ceramic Coaching sessions today. Try something new, get your hands dirty, and have fun!
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
CERAMIC TILE WORKSHOPS
Our neighbor, Gaffney’s Fabrics, initially planned a workshop as a retirement party. However, since she returned to work, it became a staff retreat, and everyone had a great time!
Writers from StoryCorps convened in Philadelphia for an engaging team-building experience. They had the opportunity to collaborate and express their creativity by “playing in clay” with the talented Karen Singer.
Wishing you all fundraising success and a Happy New Year!
Philadelphia in Tile
Philadelphia, the ‘City of Brotherly Love,’ has been a city of key importance to the United States for much of its history. The English Quaker William Penn founded the city of Philadelphia and the colony of Pennsylvania in the 1600s.
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic American symbol of independence housed in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Skyline starry night sky and a heart.
Philadelphia Skyline by Day
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Sculpted en plein air. Working in all media, Art In The Open artists took to the Schuylkill River Trail between Fairmount Water Works and South Street. The open-air “studio” experience along the water allowed artists to explore Philadelphia’s historical, ecological, industrial, and artistic connections to the river.
Market Street Bridge – Near 30th St
Partial view of Boat House Row and the Fairmount Water Works
Cira Centre
South Street Bridge
Market Street Bridge
Boathouse Row
Walnut Street Bridge
Philadelphia Row House Commission
Colonists began to break up the big city blocks of William Penn’s “greene country towne” with secondary streets, alleys, and courts, speculative developers and builders constructed rows of houses that matched varied budgets and tastes.
Philadelphia is known for its neighborhoods and rowhouses.
Our Client was moving to the Netherlands and wanted a Philly memory! Their two cats are depicted in the window of their former row house.
Large Panel Philly Skyline both day & night.
Germantown Seal
Karen Singer Tileworks is located in Historic Germantown, an early Philadelphia neighborhood, founded in 1863 by David Pastorius.
Insider’s Guide to Tileworks
Karen Singer Tileworks is a full-scale clay studio, specializing in ceramic tiles. We create custom-made tiles and murals for commercial & residential installations including donor walls, house numbers, kitchens, baths, & artful signage.
Magee Rehabilitation Hospital
Custom House Numbers
We offer a wide variety of house numbers in different shapes and sizes.
Our latest kitchen install–
Custom kitchen backsplash combining a one-of-a-kind lotus panel with field tile from Garden State Tile and a series of Karen Singer Tileworks botanicals.
Additionally, we offer ceramic coaching for all you do-it-yourself-ers, and ceramic workshops in our studio or on location.
Our mission is to inspire creativity. Watching people unwind, have fun, and express themselves in a new way is amazing!
Creativity enhances the spirit – generates endorphins & smiles, lots & lots of smile
- Team Building
- Schools, Camps & Senior Centers
- Staff Retreats
- Birthday Parties
- Girls’ Night Out
Our place, your place, inside, outside!
Don’t let your upcoming party or workshop be a hassle! Let us help you make it a success. Call us today to schedule a date and kickstart the planning process for your spring event.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
215-849-7010
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