Q: What’s your role at Motawi?
A: My role is to cut clay and prep tiles.
Q: What’s your title?
A: I'm a PG, a Production Generalist.
Q: How long have you been here?
A: I’ve been at Motawi for about three or four years—it’s all a blur. I started in April, right when COVID was starting to slow down a bit—so 2021, I think?
Q: Can you describe what a typical day looks like for you?
A: A typical day starts with me laughing to myself over something silly in my head. I drive in, still smiling, coat off (depending on the weather), clock in, and then get to it. I stand at my table and start cutting tiles. I cut them tiles up, boy; I cut ‘em up reallll good. My coworker Kaitlin and I are slicing and dicing clay tile all day long.
Q: What happens after the tile comes off the press?
A: After the tiles come off the press, they come to our table. We trim the excess clay and toss the trimmings into a tub so it can be reused. We keep that clay wet, give it a bath—it’s our gold! Then we prep the tile for edging, breaking off the corners and smoothing sharp edges with black tape on our thumbs to keep our fingerprints on our thumbs and off the tile.
Q: What were you doing before Motawi?
A: I worked at Target for 24 years. That’s not a typo, that’s a real number—a two and a four together. I did everything: pushed carts, worked electronics, sales floor—asking people if they needed help, when in fact I should have been asking myself that—and I worked the back room. I was burned out.
Q: How did you hear about Motawi?
A: My friend Allie was working here and told me about it. She said, “Hey, wanna chop tiles?” and I was like, “Whatever that is, yes—get me out of here.”
Q: So that’s what made you want to work here?
A: Absolutely. I was mentally and spiritually exhausted. I wanted to work somewhere with creativity and artistic energy. When I saw the yellow building on my first day, I thought, “We hit the jackpot—that is a gold brick if I’ve ever seen one.”
Q: What was your first impression of Motawi?
A: That everyone was kind and creative. Everyone was nice. It felt like a family. We’d eat together, crack jokes, and still be super productive. That balance really amazed me.
Q: What part of your work do you enjoy most?
A: Honestly? I like jibber-jabbering—chatting with people—but I’ve learned to balance that with staying on task. It took me three years, but I finally found my groove. I’m in the flow now.
Q: Any moment you’ve felt especially proud of your work here?
A: Aside from the tile work, I enjoy the staff art sales. Everyone supports each other’s creativity, and I’ve sold some of my watercolor paintings there. One of my paintings (see above), which is currently on display in the Motawi Gallery bathroom, is called “Hey Snoopy.”
Q: What’s something you’ve learned or gotten better at?
A: I’ve gotten quicker and better at eliminating errors. I stay focused and talk less—well, a little less!
Q: Can you share a fun or unexpected detail about your job?
A: Hmm... every day, I eat a little piece of clay so that the company is with me at all times. No, I’m kidding. But sometimes I whisper encouragement to the tiles—I tell them they’re going to be beautiful when they come out of the kiln. Also, I people-watch in the Boneyard and make up backstories for couples. That counts, right? (I don’t really do that either. Not always, anyway.)
Q: What’s something quirky or surprising about working at Motawi?
A: I’m a people pleaser. I love making others feel good and laugh, and they tolerate that here. I try to lift folks up when I can, and there's nothing better than seeing someone smile because of something small you did. I might joke around, but I really do care. That vibe here—it feeds that part of me. Everyone’s kind, and we all just want to do our best for each other. That kind of environment makes you want to show up, do your thing, and enjoy it.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I play music—bass, guitar, piano, and vocals. Oh, and spoons! I'm not exactly proficient on everything, but I love creating and making up songs. I’m in a band and I’ve been in bands like Congress and Best Exes. We’ve played gigs at places like The Blind Pig and UFO Factory. Once we even opened for Big Thief. I have an album called Good News on Apple iTunes, Bandcamp, or Spotify, and it’s all about me leaving retail.
Q: Any hobby or passion that lights you up?
A: Making art and music. I’ve got an album I’m starting to record next week with my friend Jimbo Easter in Detroit.
Q: What’s something about you that might surprise your coworkers?
A: I’m not that bad of a cook. I’m very sensitive. I do have feelings and I care deeply, even if I act goofy. Also, I have a cat.
Lightning Round:
- Morning person or night owl? Morning person.
- Coffee, tea, or something stronger? I would say tea.
- Favorite tile or design? Raven by Yoshiko Yamamoto.
- If your job were a tile, what would it look like? It’d be a mouth, open, kind of like the Rolling Stones logo. Because I’m always talking.
- One word to describe Motawi? “Jim-Tawi”—because I feel like I’m a good fit.
Q: Looking ahead, what are you excited about at work or in life?
A: Staying alive. That’s what I’m looking forward to most right now. Also, I’m going to see Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds this Friday and that’s sad because there are other things that are important, but I’ve got horse blinders on.
Q: Any final thoughts you want to end this interview with?
Can we call it "Tears to Tiles: The Jim Cherewick Story?"