Wender·Vista
Mindoro
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tilePhilippines
south of Luzon, across the Verde Island Passage

Mindoro

— — the island the reefs hold up.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“The seventh-largest island in the Philippines, split into Oriental and Occidental Mindoro and ringed by some of the richest reef water in the world. Puerto Galera draws weekend divers from Manila; Apo Reef sits off the western coast, the second largest contiguous reef system on the planet. The interior belongs to Mount Halcon and to the Mangyan peoples who have lived there for centuries. from the studio

from the studio
Mindoro
— bring it home

Mindoro, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Mindoro

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines at about 10,572 square kilometres, separated from southern Luzon by the Verde Island Passage. It is divided into two provinces, Oriental Mindoro with its capital at Calapan and Occidental Mindoro with its capital at Mamburao. The island sits within the MIMAROPA region. Mount Halcon, on the central spine, reaches 2,582 metres and is among the wettest peaks in the country. The eight Mangyan ethnolinguistic groups have lived in the interior for centuries before Spanish contact in 1570.

— the water

The waters around Mindoro hold some of the richest marine life in the world. The Verde Island Passage between Mindoro and Luzon is described by marine biologists as the centre of the centre of global marine shorefish biodiversity, with over 1,700 reef-fish species recorded. Apo Reef Natural Park, off the western coast, is the second-largest contiguous coral reef system on the planet, after Australia's Great Barrier. Puerto Galera on the north coast was declared a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1973 and remains the country's most established dive base.

— the silence

The interior belongs to Mount Halcon and the Mangyan peoples. Halcon's 2,582-metre summit ridge is among the wettest places in the Philippines and is climbed only with permits and a Mangyan guide; the trail crosses streams and bamboo. The eight Mangyan groups, the Iraya, Alangan, Tadyawan, Tau-buid, Bangon, Buhid, Hanunuo, and Ratagnon, speak distinct languages and keep ancestral land under the Philippines' IPRA law of 1997. The Tamaraw, a dwarf buffalo found only here, survives in protected herds on the western slopes.

— where
Philippines · Oriental Mindoro · Occidental Mindoro
— position
12.9000° N · 121.0000° E
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
at the lake
Puerto Galera
dive town
30 km W
Apo Reef
marine park
at the lake
Calapan
provincial capital
10 km N
Verde Island
island
N
Mindoro
Puerto Galera
Apo Reef
Calapan
Verde Island
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Mindoro — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines, lying south of Luzon across the Verde Island Passage. It belongs to the MIMAROPA region and is split into two provinces, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro.

Most visitors take a roll-on ferry from Batangas Port on Luzon to Calapan or Puerto Galera, a one to three hour crossing depending on the route. Small airports also serve Mamburao and San Jose on the western side.

The strait between Mindoro and Luzon, identified by marine biologists as the centre of the centre of global marine shorefish biodiversity. Over 1,700 reef-fish species have been recorded in its waters and surrounding reefs.

Apo Reef Natural Park sits off the western coast of Mindoro and is the second-largest contiguous coral reef system on Earth, after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The park covers about 274 square kilometres of reef and lagoon.

The Mangyan are eight indigenous ethnolinguistic groups native to Mindoro, including the Iraya, Hanunuo, and Buhid. They predate Spanish contact in 1570 and hold ancestral land under the Philippines' Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.

The Tamaraw is a dwarf buffalo endemic to Mindoro and listed as critically endangered. Surviving herds live on the western slopes within Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park. Numbers have recovered to roughly 480 individuals as of recent counts.

— about the piece in your home

Filipinos with Mindoro roots recognise Puerto Galera and the Halcon range at a glance. The tile carries warmth as a homecoming or housewarming gift. A Small or Medium with a studio note ships well to the diaspora.

The reef blues and Halcon greens read well in coastal-modern, tropical-modern, and jewel-tone maximalist rooms. Pair the tile with rattan, abaca, and pale tropical hardwood.

The piece anchors a tropical-modern wall without leaning resort-kitsch. The reef geometry gives a graphic centre that pairs with linen upholstery, capiz shell accents, and natural fibre rugs.

A single Large reads above a console; a 4-tile Mural anchors a sofa wall, and a 9-tile Mural carries an open lanai or great room. Centre the piece at 145 to 150 cm from the floor.

Yes, in Dura Satin or Matte. Both resist steam and scratching and clean with a microfibre cloth. The Glossy finish is reserved for framed wall installations away from direct spray.

A soft microfibre cloth and warm water. The colour is infused into the ceramic surface beneath a thin protective finish, so a light wipe is enough. Avoid abrasive pads and ammonia-based sprays.

Yes. Every WenderVista tile is painted in the studio's stained-glass and alcohol-ink visual language by Reid Wender, the curator. No licensing, no stock imagery, no third-party franchises.

— if this one stayed with you

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