A Visit to Pewabic Pottery

Pewabic Pottery is one of the Motor City's true gems. It was founded in 1903 by Mary Chase Perry Stratton, making it one of the oldest existing potteries in the United States. It has thrived at its current location (pictured below) since 1907. The building is a National Historic Landmark ~ it houses a museum, design center, production facilities and galleries where contemporary works are displayed. The pottery is open to visitors and admission is free, although it is nearly impossible to walk out of the place without purchasing a piece of art from the gift shop, as I learned on a recent visit. Most recently, Pewabic earned national attention when some of its tiles were featured in Anna Sui's Fall collection, which debuted during NYC's Fashion Week. Sui's collection was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th century. This artist movement placed emphasis on quality over quantity. To this day, Pewabic uses the same production methods as it did in those early days.

Pictured below are some vases from the museum's historic collection.

A photo of the founder, Mary Chase Perry Stratton. I cannot imagine doing any type of work in a long dress like the one she is wearing. Gimme some sweatpants, please!

A peacock tile, inscribed with the initials "MCS"

Pewabic tiles can be found in private residences and public places all across the country. Their beauty never fails to amaze me. Here is an example of how some were used to adorn the outside of Comerica Park in Detroit, where my Tigers play baseball.

I now own my own Pewabic pottery! There is something to fit every budget at the gift shop. The two pieces on the left were created by independent artists. Pewabic also sells the work of artists from across the country. The light green tile on the right is authentic Pewabic. The lotus motif is a historic design (c. 1910-1919) by Mary Stratton. It was originally used as a 6x6" tile in her residence in Detroit.