The Brighton District Library will explore the history of Pewabic Pottery.
Located in downtown Detroit, Pewabic Pottery is one of the oldest operating potteries in the country. It is also one of the most renown, known far and wide for its gorgeous work, including large-scale installations at places like the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., as well as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the city’s celebrated Guardian Building.
Explore images from the Pewabic archives during a presentation by Annie Dennis, education director and archivist, as she guides you through over a century of handcrafting pottery and tiles in Detroit from 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Brighton District Library, 100 Library Drive.
Pewabic Pottery was founded in 1903 by Mary Chase Perry (Stratton), an artist and educator, and Horace J. Calkins, a dental supplier and kiln manufacturer. In 1907, they hired Frank D. Baldwin and William B. Stratton to build the Pewabic Pottery studio. Under Perry’s leadership, Pewabic Pottery gained national recognition for its iridescent glazes, as well as for its production of architectural tiles that were installed in such buildings as the Guardian Building and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
The Griswold Street entrance of the Guardian Building — possibly one of the most magnificent and historically significant buildings in Detroit — is crowned with a semi-dome lined with symbolic custom Pewabic Pottery tiles.
The program is set for 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8. To register, click here. Call (810) 229-6571 for more information. The Brighton District Library is located at 100 Library Drive.
