Blog

Pewabic’s relationship with Michigan State University dates back to the 1920s, when Pewabic tile began to appear throughout the Lansing campus. Some 40 years later, the connection became even more meaningful when MSU played a vital role in Pewabic’s very existence. 

If you’re headed to Raku Party Saturday, one of the faces you’re sure to see is Steven Kin, Pewabic Street Team technician. Like everyone in our Education Studio, Raku Party has a soft spot in his heart. 

Read about Kin's mission to create this #Pottober. 

If you didn’t catch Pewabic Designer Genevieve Sylvia talking about our iconic pottery with WJR’s iconic radioman Paul W. Smith and Bedrock CEO Bill Emerson Sunday as part of Detroit Month of Design — good news — you can listen to the podcast.

José Arenivar-Gomez was on the job less than a week when he submitted a few of his ceramic sculptures for consideration in the annual staff and student exhibition. Not only did juror Kenyon Hansen select his work to be in the show, he named Not in the Mood best of show.

Now visitors can better experience the wide array of Pewabic tile profiles and color palettes in our newly renovated tile showroom, making it easier than ever to get started on an architectural job, no matter the style or size.

With the completion of the new tile pressing studio – and the expanded tour path that came with it – the time was right for the Pewabic Education Studio to introduce a workshop that better replicates Pewabic’s processes.

“The idea was to create a workshop that was a little more honed in to what we do here in our fabrication studio, right down to the molds being made by our master mold maker,” explains Lauren McCoy, onsite education manager. “Participants experience how we work downstairs in tile pressing and take home what they glazed here.”

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.