Ceramic artist Paul Barchilon creates intricate designs that take us on a voyage of discovery within the circle, delineating patterns that repeat through different symmetries. Mr. Barchilon has traveled the world, researching pattern and line designs in India, Turkey, Spain, Peru, and China. His father was born in Morocco and Barchilon lived both there and in France as a child. From the beginning, he was fascinated by the complex patterns and the magnificent architecture of the Moorish era. In his twenties, the artist began an in-depth exploration of Islamic pattern. He toured artisans' studios in Morocco visiting Safi, Fez, and Marrakech. He studied traditional ceramics, tiles and brass etchings. The florid brass platters of Morocco, with their intricate detail and complicated interlacings, were a direct influence on Barchilon's own platters. Further north, in Spain, he visited the Alcazar in Sevilla and the Alhambra in Granada. He took extensive rubbings of both classical tile patterns and Zalij, the traditional art of geometric mosaics. Returning to Boulder, Barchilon analyzed the patterns he had catalogued. Working only with a compass and a straight edge, he learned the foundations of designing in arabesque. He began by painting his patterns in Gouache and then moved to projecting them on platters as well as carving them on slab built vases.

Inspired by these Islamic Geometric patterns almost 30 years ago, he has been designing his own creative geometric designs and incorporating them on his ceramic pieces and.  He considers his work to be very traditional, whose patterns and motifs fit perfectly in the 1400 year continuum of Geometric designs in Muslim lands.  

Paul has taught adults and children K-12 extensively, how to make these Islamic Geometric Patterns. Paul himself is of Jewish heritage and finds that this Islamic artform resonates with him more than anything else. He hopes that by showing this side of Islamic culture, he can help dispel Islamophobic stereotypes and argue artistically for a broader spirit of Semitic unity.

To learn more about Paul Barchilon and his art, please visit 

Website: http://www.barchilonceramics.com/

Instagram: @barchilonceramics

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarchilonCeramics

To see artwork created by Paul's 7th grade students go to:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1024741786540.4570.1465126295&type=1&l=dbf0800881