Detroit's Pewabic Pottery Continues Crafting by Hand
Detroit's Artistic Pioneer: Pewabic Pottery Celebrates 120 Years
Pewabic Pottery, a Detroit-based ceramics studio founded in 1903, has become a cultural icon and a testament to the city's rich artistic history. The pottery, named after a copper mine near Mary Chase Perry's Michigan birthplace, was established in a stable in Detroit by Perry and kiln expert Horace Caulkins.
In its early days, Pewabic Pottery specialised in producing handcrafted pottery and tiles during a period when Detroit was experiencing both industrial boom and a golden age for artisanal ceramics. The pottery's unique glazes, which allowed Perry to "paint with fire," quickly set it apart from other studios.
The pottery's initial products included lamp bases, vases, planters, cups, bowls, and tabletop cigarette boxes. Tile production came later and became an important source of income. Pewabic Pottery's tiles can be found in various homes, libraries, schools, fountains, churches, and public buildings across the country, as well as in museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.
Over the past 120 years, Pewabic Pottery has symbolised craftsmanship and resilience within a city faced with industrial decline and social challenges. Despite Detroit's dramatic economic changes, including deindustrialization, civil unrest, and municipal bankruptcy, the pottery has survived as a unique cultural and artistic institution, emphasising handcrafted work instead of mass production that defined Detroit's automobile industry.
Pewabic Pottery's growth led to the construction of a custom-built factory in 1907, which was expanded twice, the last time in 2018. Today, around 50 employees work at the pottery, with 16 being artisans and four working on the design team. All Pewabic Pottery tiles are pressed in molds by hand with the help of presses and mallets, and all the molds are made onsite and stored in long racks.
The pottery's sales for the first six decades were over $1 million, with the rest coming from firing and glazing for others and selling materials like clay and glazes. Store sales and architectural commissions brought in $3.38 million, a 42% increase since 2018. As people rediscover the value in handmade goods, they want to reach out and touch them, which could keep Pewabic in business another 120 years.
In 2024, Pewabic Pottery had its best year ever, making nearly 9,500 vessels, 40,000 architectural tiles, and almost 33,000 art tiles. The pottery will also make custom designs for special occasions. Now a nonprofit, Pewabic Pottery is flourishing from big civic projects and a renewed interest in the Arts and Crafts movement.
Some of the designs are historical, but a number of them are references to Detroit or local institutions. The pottery's unique story combines artistry and entrepreneurship, and it continues to inspire and captivate audiences today. As Pewabic Pottery looks forward to its next 120 years, it stands as a shining example of Detroit's resilience and creative spirit.
Technology has played a significant role in the preservation and promotion of Pewabic Pottery, with the studio using modern machinery like presses and mallets alongside traditional craftsmanship techniques. The pottery's distinct designs and unique glazes have been showcased in numerous media outlets, reaching audiences worldwide.
American homeowners and garden enthusiasts have found a connection to Detroit's historical charm through Pewabic Pottery, incorporating its tiles into their homes and gardens as decorative elements, reflecting the pottery's reputation for beauty and craftsmanship.
The pottery's hundreds of architectural commissions, found in buildings across the world, have expanded the reach of Pewabic Pottery beyond art and lifestyle enthusiasts, placing it firmly within the global milieu of influential and enduring architecture.
