If you've spent any time collecting Spiritiles - or even just browsing them - you may have come across the term "exclusive Spiritile."
And if you're like most people, the question follows pretty quickly:
What does that actually mean?
What Makes a Spiritile "Exclusive"?
Houston Llew creates Spiritiles in small batches, each one carrying its own title, artwork, and story. Most are released broadly and available through authorized galleries across the country.
But every so often, something different happens.
A gallery, a place, and a moment inspiries a piece that isn't meant for wide release.
Instead, it's created for on specific gallery only - and only sold there.
That's an exclusive Spiritile.
It doesn't get distributed nationally.
It doesn't show up everywhere.
And once that gallery stops carrying it - that's it./p>
Why are Exclusive Spiritiles So Rare?
Exclusives are limited by design - but they often become even more scare over time.
Because:
- They're only sold in one location
- They're produced in smaller quantities
- And in some cases, the gallery they were created for no longer exists.
That last part matters more than you might think.
What a gallery closes, the exclusive tied to it becomes something else entirely - not just limited, but finite.
Our Story with Exclusive Spiritiles
There have been a total of 11 Exclusive Spiritiles made for galleries. We've been fortunate to be part of this small group.
Our family business began in Sarasota in 1994. Over the years, we've had the opportunity to work closely with Houston on pieces that reflect not just the art - but the places they belong it.
We've had two exclusive Spiritiles created for our galleries.
Each one tied to a very different kind of place.
Big Easy - Exclusive Spiritile #1 - New Orleans (2015 - 2021)
Created for our New Orleans gallery, Big Easy captures the energy of a city that doesn't really operate by rules.
With the quote wrapped around the tile:
"Everything in New Orleans is a good idea." - Bob Dylan
-if reflects a spirit of spontaneity, music, movement, and saying yes to the moment.
When our New Orleans gallery closed in 2021, Big Easy was retired.
What exists now is all there will every be. Learn more about The Story of Big Easy HERE.
Sunbirds of Paradise - Exclusive Spiritile #11 - Sarasota
Years later, back in Sarasota, we were honored with another exclusive - Sunbirds of Paradise.
Where Big Easy is about energy and movement, Sunbirds is about rhythm and return:
"Werever my travels may lead, paradise is where I am." - Voltaire
While the elegant Bird of Paradise may not technically have feathers, it’s prized for something just as striking - its vivid, almost theatrical color. A spectacle not lost on the ever-migrating Snow Bird.
At the first hint of frost, they head south. Trading gray skies for warmth, settling into the rhythms of sun and salt air. And just as predictably, they return north when the Gulf begins to feel less like the ocean and more like a hot tub.
The Voltaire quote on this tile holds a quiet duality: the pursuit of a literal paradise, and the deeper realization that paradise is also a state of mind. A way of being.
For each person, paradise takes a different shape. But every so often, the metaphor and the physical place align.
In nature, the Bird of Paradise depends on sunbirds for pollination - for survival, for continuity. In much the same way, the seasonal towns of the south come alive through the arrival of Snow Birds, who sustain and animate these places year after year.
A mutual migration. A shared ecosystem of longing, return, and renewal.
Why Collectors Seek Out Exclusives
For collectors, exclusive Spiritiles hold a different kind of appeal.
It's not just about the design - it's about context.
- A piece tied to a specific gallery
- A connection to a place or moment in time
- A level of scarcity that isn't manufactured - it's inherent
You're not just collecting a Spiritile - but a rich story that includes where it came from.
Where to Find Exclusive Spiritiles
You can find two of the 11 exclusive Spiritiles at The Giving Tree Gallery. The very first one ever created and the very last one ever created. Because exclusives are tied to individual galleries, they're not always easy to track down.
In many cases, the only way to find on is: directly through the original gallery or through collectors.
We currently have a limited number of both Big Easy and Sunbirds of Paradise available.
What are Exclusive Spiritiles by Houston Llew?
