Blog

Steve McBride wore a wide smile as he quietly watched Pewabic Designer David McGee set the last tile in the fountain face: “I’ve waited four years for this.”

It was the almost-final touch on renovations to the National Historic Landmark’s courtyard, a space McBride had long wished to make more inviting.

Last autumn, his wish was granted thanks to the Southeast Michigan Placemaking Pilot Initiative. The William Davidson Foundation provided funding to Project for Public Spaces (PPS) to administer a capacity-building program for its grantees focused on placemaking activations. Through this effort, PPS provided design services and implementation funds to Pewabic for the new courtyard.

Kenyon Hansen is all about making connections, and he felt a connection to Pewabic long before ever setting foot inside the building.

Last week was his first time not just at the pottery, but in Detroit, though he’s long known about Pewabic founder Mary Chase Perry (Stratton). He grew up a stone’s throw from her birthplace and childhood home in Hancock, Mich. And once Hansen became a potter, that connection strengthened even more.

The Finlandia University visiting artist came to Pewabic to jury the Maker/Mentor exhibition, lead a workshop for Education Studio students and deliver his studio work to make its Pewabic House & Garden Show debut June 6-9.

Pewabic founder Mary Chase Perry Stratton turns a spry 152 years old today. We can only imagine what she’d think of today’s world, but we like to think that she’d be pleased that her pottery on East Jefferson is still a bastion of artisans dedicated to creating handcrafted tiles and ware and continue to encourage a love of ceramics.

Peter Pincus and Adam Welch elevate the seemingly mundane to extraordinary levels in their new exhibition, On Differentiation and Affinity, which opens 5-8 PM Friday at Pewabic and runs through May 6.

This past year was an extraordinary one for Pewabic.

It doesn't get much more Detroit than radio icon Ann Delisi hosting a WDET/Pewabic benefit at our National Historic Landmark.

We. Can't. Wait.

It didn’t take much arm-twisting to persuade a small contingent of Pewabic employees to head to Eastern Market Brewing Company in Detroit to learn more about the small batch beer made with Pewabic in mind.

“Kiln Bier” will be available to purchase in our courtyard biergarten in celebration of the launch of our new Pewabic Stein, 12-6 PM Sat. Sept. 22...

If you’ve had the opportunity to experience recent work by Henry James Haver Crissman, chances are you’ve already got his number.

Literally.

That’s by design because Crissman often incorporates his telephone number somewhere into his work. His art is interactive; a social engagement art experience...

Any archivist or museum curator will likely tell you: Making historic artifacts tangible and interactive – particularly inherently fragile ones – can be a challenge. Take it from Kimmie Dobos, curator of the new historic exhibition, Pewabic Through Time & Space, now in the upstairs galleries through October 21.

Dobos had a mission to connect visitors with Pewabic’s rich 115-year history as an operating pottery through to its still-thriving present day...