Every culture throughout history seems to have had pottery in one form or another. From the black and red painted figures on ancient Greek vases to the precious glazed porcelains of China, pottery is an enduring record of peoples around the world.
We may think of these items as decorative, but they were designed to hold olive oil, wine, and other important goods. Donna Hickman’s booth, Functional Pottery, at the Chestertown Farmer’s Market continues the tradition of useful yet beautiful pottery, for storage and daily use.
Hickman took her first pottery class 46 years ago and has been at it ever since. She started with bowls, but since then she’s started making other useful pieces such as toothbrush, sponge and earring holders. This year she’s also added bacon cookers for the microwave, yarn bowls, and an olive dish with attached containers for toothpicks and pits. Need serving dishes for the holidays? Hickman makes customizable casserole dishes, platters, and gravy boats, as well as chip and dip containers for all you football fans (purple glaze available…).
Not to worry, Hickman still fashions bowls of all sizes, which she says are her favorite things to make as well as her best sellers. She can add decorations like swirled color glazes, painted designs or raised flowers and leaves upon request. The best part; everything she makes is microwave and dishwasher safe, so you can use it every day!
When you have your mug of morning coffee or pour water from a pottery pitcher, you may not realize all the steps it took to produce the piece. Everything Hickman creates starts on a pottery wheel, which she says is a fairly quick process, depending on the size. Once that is done, she trims and reshapes the clay, attaches flowers and handles, lets the piece dry, then levels and sands it. Next it is fired in a kiln to harden the clay, glazed with one or multiple colors, and fired a second time to set the glaze. Because of all the steps involved, repairing a pottery piece isn’t ideal-but broken pieces can be repurposed into mosaics at Chestertown River Arts.
Speaking of Chestertown River Arts, the new gallery is in the breezeway of the Alexander Building behind Dunkin Donuts, and will be featuring in the Studio Tour the first weekend of November. People will have a chance to visit fifty local studios, (including Hickman’s), meet the artists, watch craft demonstrations, and shop for Christmas. Hickman’s work will also be on exhibit at the Kent County Public Library for November’s First Friday and throughout the month.
For more information, visit Functional Pottery at the Chestertown Farmer’s Market, check out the website at www.donnahickmanpottery.com, or call 410-639-2520 to schedule a visit. Shop local!
Carol Schroeder says
Donna was more than happy to make 2 made to order pottery pieces for me. I measured the edge around my sink and she created a red sponge holder that fits exactly there. I also wanted to give a small pitcher with a lid to my sister who had bemoaned that fact that small sauce pitchers never came with lids. Donna made it and my sister was delighted. A potter who makes things exactly to your specifications is wonderful to find! Thank you, Donna.