This past year was an extraordinary one for Pewabic.
We broke ground and completed the new Maxine and Stuart Frankel Pewabic Tile Studio, the first physical addition to our National Historic Landmark pottery since 1912! This new space – made possible by generous support from hundreds of individuals, corporations and foundations – will give our talented tile artisans room to create more of the art that has enhanced Detroit for more than a century. (The District Detroit celebrated some of that art with a video of the Pewabic tile design at Little Caesars Arena.) One of my favorite tile projects in 2018 was a beautiful 2×6 herringbone floor we crafted for the wine cellar of the Charles T. Fisher Mansion, the Junior League of Detroit Designers’ Show House.
In March, we drove our mobile museum and pop-up kilns to Pittsburgh, where Pewabic Street Team was invited to demonstrate at the National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts’ annual conference. Watch for more information about how this exciting outreach program is furthering education in our neighborhood schools. In June, Artsy recognized Pewabic Education Studio as one of “The Best Places to Take Ceramics Classes across the U.S.”
Our courtyard continued its transformation when artists Kelly Golden and Mike Burdick added a new large-scale mural to our campus, finishing it during our House & Garden Show, much to the delight of visitors who watched. Thanks to a placemaking grant from the New York-based Project for Public Spaces, we’re implementing further courtyard improvements sure to make Pewabic an even more inviting destination. Stay tuned for news in coming months as we rework our master plan for future campus developments. And watch for the roll out of a new and improved website that will better serve our visitors, students and customers.
And our recent holidays included the introduction of a new seasonal pottery glaze – the alluring pale blue Frost – that was such a hit we’ve decided to add it to our year-round palette.
We’re ready to keep the positive momentum going in 2019. It’s sure to be a great year. I hope you’ll join us.
Executive Director
