Pewabic Pottery - Famous Works

Famous Works

Pewabic Pottery produces many kinds of hand made decorative objects. They are part of the collections of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Louvre in Paris. Examples abound in the External Links hereafter.

Architectural pieces have been a staple in Pewabic's history. Under Mary Stratton's leadership, Pewabic Pottery created lamps, vessels, and architectural tiles. They were known for their iridescent (like an oil slick with an incredible translucent quality and a phantasmagoric depth of color) glazes. Architectural tiles were used in aquaria, churches, concert halls, fountains, libraries, museums, schools and public buildings. The studio's work graces numerous edifices throughout Michigan and the rest of the United States. Noteworthy examples include the Nebraska State Capitol building in Lincoln, the Herald Square in New York, Science Building at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Illinois. Detailed maps of public installations in the Detroit Metropolitan Area and the U.S.A. are available. See Architectural tile infra.

Particularly notable was her work at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., consisting of arches outlined with iridescent Pewabic tile, huge ceramic medallions set in the ceiling, and fourteen Stations of the Cross for the crypt.