When Did Mccarty Pottery Open?

McCarty pottery is a family-owned pottery studio located in Merigold, Mississippi. Founded by Lee and Pup McCarty in the 1950s, the studio has become known for its traditional Southern folk pottery style using local Mississippi clay. For over 50 years across three generations, the McCartys have crafted functional stoneware like pitchers, bowls, mugs and more by hand on traditional kick wheels.

Founding

McCarty Pottery was founded in 1954 by Lee McCarty and his brother James in Merigold, Mississippi. The McCarty brothers grew up in a family of potters learning the craft from their father. After serving in World War II, the brothers returned home and decided to start their own pottery business. They leased an old cotton warehouse in Merigold and began producing stoneware pottery using local Mississippi clay.

According to the McCarty Pottery website, the pottery officially opened for business in 1954 when Lee McCarty registered the business name “McCarty’s Pottery” with the state of Mississippi. Within a few years, the business grew rapidly as the brothers perfected their pottery techniques and developed a reputation for high quality stoneware. The founding date of McCarty Pottery as a registered business was 1954.

Early Years

McCarty Pottery was founded in 1954 by Lee and Pup McCarty in Merigold, Mississippi. The McCartys were inspired to start their pottery business after observing the success of another Mississippi pottery called Jugtown Pottery (source). They began producing functional stoneware pottery with unique hues of blues, greens, and browns using native Mississippi clay.

The original McCarty Pottery studio was located on Highway 61 in Merigold. Lee dug the clay himself from the banks of the nearby Yazoo River. At first, the pottery was produced and sold locally at craft fairs, exhibits, and a few retail stores. However, word soon spread about the high quality and innovative shapes of McCarty pottery (source).

Expansion

In the 1970s and 1980s, McCarty Pottery continued to focus on their craftsmanship while also expanding their operations and reach internationally. According to https://thefullmoon.myshoplocal.com/about.cfm/McCarty_Pottery, the McCartys worked hard during this period to grow their pottery business and become an internationally recognized brand. They expanded the pottery compound to include lush gardens, terraces, and additional buildings to increase production and meet growing demand. Through dedicated effort over the course of these two decades, McCarty cemented itself as a beloved Mississippi pottery institution with global appreciation.

Notable Achievements

McCarty Pottery has garnered notability and recognition through several key milestones and awards over the years. In 2007, the Mississippi Arts Commission named potters Lee and Pup McCarty as “Master Artists”, the state’s highest honor for arts and culture (source citation). That same year, the University of Mississippi Museum of Art held a large retrospective exhibit entitled “Masters of Merigold: 40 Years of McCarty Pottery” (source citation).

Most recently in 2017, McCarty Pottery received the prestigious Excellence in Visual Art Award at the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts ceremony (source citation). This honor from the state’s Governor and First Lady recognized McCarty Pottery’s enduring legacy and cultural impact in Mississippi. The award highlighted the McCartys’ mastery of the pottery craft over multiple generations.

Products

McCarty Pottery was known for producing a wide variety of functional stoneware pottery pieces for the home. Some of their most popular products included:

Dinnerware – McCarty produced extensive lines of dinnerware sets including plates, bowls, mugs, and more. Their dinnerware glazes came in a range of colors like blue, green, brown, and yellow. Patterns included speckled, swirled, and solid glazes.[https://www.themississippigiftcompany.com/collections/dinnerware]

Bakeware – For baking needs, McCarty crafted pie plates, cake pans, casserole dishes, and ramekins. These were glazed on the interior and unglazed on the exterior.

Serving Pieces – McCarty created platters, pitchers, tureens, and gravy boats perfect for serving meals family-style. Many had freeform asymmetric shapes.

Planters – McCarty planters came in various sizes and shapes like rounds, ovals, squares, and rectangles. Their earthy stoneware glazes made them ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

Specialty Items – In addition to dinnerware staples, McCarty produced specialty items like chip and dip sets, butter dishes, candy dishes, spoon rests, and more.

Techniques

Lee and Pup McCarty were known for using simple, minimal surface techniques in their pottery. According to the Marks Project, “Surface techniques are minimal. Signature glazes include nutmeg brown, Albany slip decoration, celadon, ash, and salt glazes” (source). The McCartys favored a straightforward, no-frills approach that let the natural beauty of the clay and glazes speak for themselves.

Their pottery was hand thrown on kick wheels using local Mississippi clays. Pieces were covered with basic glazes like Albany slip and finished with wiping, incising, or trailing for decoration. Favored glaze colors included warm browns, greens, and earth tones that complemented the red and brown clays. The McCartys’ emphasis was on simplicity, functionality, and highlighting the clay’s inherent character.

Legacy

The McCarty family has had an enormous impact on the American pottery industry over the past seven decades. Lee and Pup McCarty are considered pioneers who helped popularize the art of alkaline-glazed pottery starting in the 1940s. Their pottery pieces, made from Mississippi clay and fired in groundhog kilns, became beloved across the country for the beautiful bluish-green hues and signature cracks that gave them their rustic appeal.

The McCartys were instrumental in turning Merigold, Mississippi into a top pottery destination, inspiring other potters to relocate there and establish their own shops. Lee McCarty’s unique glaze recipes and Pup’s artistic designs showed the possibilities of the craft, pushing other potters to innovate and experiment. Their success at exhibitions and shows helped bring wider recognition to Southern folk pottery traditions.

Even after the deaths of Lee and Pup, the McCarty workshop continued producing popular pottery into the 21st century under new ownership. But the McCarty legacy extends far beyond their own creations. Their pioneering work encouraged many others to pursue pottery professionally and make it into a profitable business and true folk art. They proved that high quality art pottery could be produced in the rural South using local materials and techniques. Their influence reshaped the American ceramics scene and brought Mississippi pottery to national prominence.

Present Day

Today, McCarty Pottery continues to thrive in Merigold, Mississippi under the operation of Lee McCarty, the grandson of founder Lee Bracken McCarty. The business produces stoneware pottery using the same techniques established by the original founders over 50 years ago.

According to the company’s website (https://www.mccartyspottery.com/mccartys-pottery–history), McCarty Pottery remains dedicated to creating functional, handmade pottery using local Mississippi clay. The pottery is still shaped by hand on treadle wheels and fired in wood-burning groundhog kilns.

In recent years, McCarty Pottery has continued to gain popularity and recognition. In 2012, the company was honored with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Visual Arts by the Mississippi Arts Commission. McCarty pottery remains highly sought after by collectors and fans.

The McCarty Pottery showroom in Merigold remains open year-round, allowing visitors to watch potters at work and purchase the latest creations. The legacy and tradition of quality craftsmanship started by Lee Bracken McCarty continues today at one of Mississippi’s iconic pottery studios.

Conclusion

McCarty pottery has had a significant impact in Mississippi and beyond for nearly 50 years. Founded by Lee and Pup McCarty in 1970, the pottery has become known for its high quality utilitarian stoneware and distinctive glazes. Though the pottery has remained small in scale, the McCartys have received numerous honors for their work, including the Mississippi Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Visual Arts in 2012 (https://www.mccartyspottery.com/mccartys-pottery–history). Their pottery is now highly collectible and sought after around the world. McCarty pottery exemplifies the best of Mississippi’s craft traditions and has left a lasting legacy as one of the state’s most acclaimed potteries.

In summary, starting from humble beginnings, McCarty pottery has grown to achieve national recognition and acclaim for its handmade stoneware and unique glazes. Through passion and dedication to their craft, Lee and Pup McCarty put Mississippi pottery on the map and created a treasured tradition of Mississippi artistry.