Cha-Rie Tang, founder of Pasadena Craftsman Tile and an acclaimed multidisciplinary artist and architect, reflects on her creative journey in a retrospective exhibition, Cha-Rie Tang: 48 Years of Artistic Innovation in Pasadena.

The exhibition is on view from October 4, 2025, through February 22, 2026, in the History Center Galleries, presented in conjunction with Stories, Traditions & Designs: Spotlighting the African American Quilters of Los Angeles.

Although Tang began her career in architecture, her creative exploration spans multiple disciplines, including interior design, architectural rendering, and computer graphics. The exhibition is organized into six thematic sections: Nature and Nurture, Coming to Pasadena, Technology New and Old, Running a Tile Business, Fun with Glass Art, and Putting It All Together & Beyond. Featured works include vibrant fused glass pieces, high-relief ceramic tiles, and framed designs and sketches that showcase her wide-ranging artistic expression.

Tang recalls that her shift to tilework was sparked when “a friend stumbled across some original Ernest Batchelder plaster tile molds buried in his backyard.” She explains, “I decided to concentrate on ceramic tiles and glass— ‘permanent’ materials. I flourished.” Since founding Pasadena Craftsman Tile in 2000, Tang has created custom tile installations for homes across the U.S. and abroad. Her public art commissions can be seen throughout Los Angeles and Orange County, including at the Monrovia Gold Line Metro station, Pasadena’s A.R.T. Bus, the City of Los Angeles Public Library at Exposition Park, the Los Angeles County Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, and the City of Mission Viejo’s Arts Alive Festivals. Tang also designed the commemorative Batchelder-inspired tiles that grace the entryway of the Pasadena Museum of History. She previously served as an Artist in Residence at the Museum and has returned to that role in 2026.

Inspired by the natural world, Tang shares, “When inspiration sparks, I branch out and experiment with new materials and processes.” She holds a B.S. from MIT and a Master of Architecture from the University of Colorado, Boulder.