Last month saw the re-opening of the Amtrak ‘Mardi Gras’ train service between Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans. The service, named after New Orleans’ famed Shrove Tuesday celebration, follows a route through the Mississippi Gulf coastal region, with station stops in many of its popular towns. It is hoped the service will provide an uplift to local tourism.
The weekend before the line became open to the general public, around 350 invited guests celebrated the official inauguration of the route. Local ceramic artist Steve Barney, director of the Bay St. Louis Creative Center, created a set of custom ceramic tiles to commemorate the line’s reopening. These were presented to the guests at the inauguration event.
Barney’s studio is in Bay St. Louis, close to a station where the train stops. His commemorative tiles, co-designed with his partner Becky Rotunda, were created using digital printer. They use the shade of blue associated with the Amtrak rail company, as well as the traditional colours of the New Orleans Mardi Gras: green, purple and gold. Barney has a particular interest in creating commemorative artefacts celebrating special events such as this, and the reopening of the railway line provided an opportunity not to be missed.
Ceramic tiles’ versatility, durability and aesthetic qualities are making them an increasingly popular choice for interior and exterior surfaces, signage, commemorative artefacts and decorative murals. At Digital Ceramics Custom Tiles, we produce high quality printed ceramic and porcelain tiles that can become an integral component in your design project. Contact us to talk through your design ideas and how our products could become an integral element of your latest work.
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