Visiting Frances Palmer, an Amazing Ceramic Artist
When I lived in Westport, Connecticut, one of my neighbors was the well-known potter and passionate cook and gardener, Frances Palmer. Several years ago, I visited Frances at her home, which is also where she makes her fabulous creations, to tape a segment for my television show and at that time, her studio was in her basement. Well, a lot has changed since then. Frances still works at home, but runs her operation out of a spacious and airy old barn structure, reconstructed from pieces dating back to 1790. She has also gained a large and devoted following for both her made-to-order potter’s wheel-thrown and hand-decorated pieces, as well as her lovely manufactured Pearl Collection, produced in collaboration with Buffalo China. Frances explained that every piece is hand-cast, pressed, and glazed in one of the two remaining ceramic factories in the USA. The factory dates from 1901 and she is the only artist to have ever partnered with them on a handcrafted product. These Pearl dishes have a chip and crack guarantee and are dishwasher and microwave safe, as well as ovenproof! That means that every piece may be used in the oven and then brought to the table. Please enjoy this little tour of Frances’ studio and to see a YouTube video about Frances and her work, click here.
1 This beautiful vase was a holiday gift from my friend, Frances Palmer, a wonderful ceramic artist.
2 Frances has been working in ceramics since 1987. Her Connecticut studio is housed in this barn, dating from 1790, which she and her husband bought in pieces and moved from Bethel, CT.
3 This is Frances, standing with some of her whimsical pieces.
4 A very busy potter, Frances is at one, or more, of her three wheels every day, throwing pots to fill her many orders.
5 Some of her tools of the trade
6 This is a brand new wheel, which is used exclusively for porcelain. Having different wheels for different clays makes things a whole lot easier for production.
7 She uses this much older wheel to throw her earthenware pots. As much as Frances would like to have a clean, Zen-like studio, clay just doesn't allow for that.
8 The large studio space is made cozy by this wood-burning stove. It's a Shaker design made by Wittus. http://www.wittus.com/
9 This is one of two Skutt electric kilns in the studio for firing the earthenware and terracotta pieces. There is also a Bailey gas kiln in a small outbuilding used for the porcelain.
10 Frances' pottery has been featured in many, many publications, including this House & Garden cover from 2004.
11 Her work is a favorite with my Weddings department and we have featured her pieces in many stories, including this cover. That wedding cake looks amazing on a Frances Palmer pedestal!
12 Frances is also an avid gardener and her lemon tree is thriving!
13 Terra cotta bud vases - all of Frances' handmade pieces are deliberately asymmetrical.
14 This piece, a lamp base, is part of a collaboration with lighting designer, Chad Jacobs of Bone Simple Design. http://bonesimple.com/
15 This is called No. Five Terra Cotta Two Handle Urn - A nice home for a scarlet amaryllis.
16 In her line of whimsical vases, many are adorned with lifelike flowers.
17 the August Vase with Flowers
18 A beautiful bud vase
19 Frances explained how she makes the flower decorations so lifelike. She picks blossoms at their peak of beauty from her garden.
20 And presses them into slabs of wet clay.
21 Once the clay hardens, it becomes a reusable mold for making the flower embellishments.
22 The detail captured is really quite extraordinary!
23 Frances used succulents from her rock garden for this mold.
24 This stack of plates are part of her Pearl collection. This line is made from the most durable vitreous china and hand formed and cast from Frances' original hand-thrown prototypes.
25 This restaurant-quality china is factory produced in Buffalo, New York. Although mass-produced, each piece looks as though it was hand-crafted.
26 The logo on the bottom - Frances is very proud of this line, especially since it is manufactured in the USA.
27 The pearl collection also includes these great cake stands.
28 And other serving pieces - The Pearl Collection is oven, freezer, dishwasher, and microwave safe. You can even bake in it!
29 More handmade pieces - unique bud vases and serving platters
30 Frances is known for her beaded edging.
31 The beads are all hand-rolled and no two are alike.
32 Japan Vase
33 Another bud vase
34 A pewter glazed vase
35 A ruffled edge is another signature design.
36 Vase with Neck Beads and Ruffle
37 Pyramid Tulipiere - Tulips can be challenging to display. This vase takes care of that!
38 Another great shape - The Napoleon Vase
39 Baroque Pedestal - great for fruit
40 The crackling effect on this vase is created by a particular glaze that shrinks in the kiln as it cools down. A thin layer of a darker stain is rubbed into the cracks to emphasize the crackle.
41 Most recently, Frances has been experimenting with a more free-form look.
42 After throwing a vase, she gently crushes the top a bit so that it folds in on itself.
43 This crushed look is unusual and quite beautiful.
44 This vase combines the classic style with a free-form top.
45 Frances adores flowers and when her gardens aren't blooming, she visits the local flower wholesaler. She always uses flowers when photographing her vases.
46 Frances photographs all of her work on a corner table in the studio upon a white seamless using natural lighting.
47 The vase on the right looked much like the vase on the left, until it was broken by a customer. Frances made the left one as a replacement, but she also felt like having a bit of fun.
48 The break was so clean that she was able to add on an embellishment, reviving the broken vase. The result was quite pleasing.
49 Frances' early work involved a lot of hand painting.
50 The hand painting evoked a similar free flowing whimsy, but ultimately, she decided she wanted embellishments to be from clay only.
51 The Frances Palmer Pottery tag and logo
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
I love so many of these pieces and the process she uses to embellish with flowers. Lucky you to
have received such a beautiful vase. Frances Palmer is an American treasure!
Posted by: sherey | February 24th, 2012 at 1:45 am
While all of Francis Palmer's work is exquisite, I am in love with the Pearl collection. Serving pieces that are microwave, dishwasher, freezer and oven safe?! Love it! That it's manufactured in the U.S is a bonus. Thanks for introducing us to this very interesting and talented artist Martha. Have a great weekend!
Posted by: Cindy F | February 24th, 2012 at 8:35 am
Martha,
Some nice ceramic! Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | February 24th, 2012 at 9:50 am
Hi Martha, OMG! Frances Palmer is an amazing, brilliant ceramic artist and her beautiful creations are absolutely the best I've ever seen! Thank you so much for this awesome blog post and your photos of her work are stunning! I love her website and the video is outstanding! Everything she creates is so perfect and I sure would love to visit her beautiful barn structure! I have always loved ceramics and way back in the 1950s, I took a ceramic class in college in Ellensburg and learned how to make vases and pottery, etc. I entered my pottery pot with a lid in a County Fair near the Ellensburg Rodeo and won a blue ribbon-how fun that was! Sure hope you will have Frances on your TV Show real soon! Loved hearing you on Sirius Radio 110 yesterday and seeing you on the Today Show on Wednesday-so terrific! Sure hope you have a great day and a super weekend! Off to see The Daily Wag 'Going to Martha's Show'! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | February 24th, 2012 at 10:39 am
This is beautiful . Does she have a website ?
Posted by: Marc Smith | February 24th, 2012 at 10:50 am
I've been collecting Frances Palmer pottery for a very long time, and adore the vignette of footed cake plates, platters and vases of all shapes and sizes on my black counters in the kitchen. I cannot bear to put them out of sight. My daughters-in-law are enjoying her Pearl Collection baking and serving platters, which are elegant as well as oven proof.
And her dahlias are breathtaking! She is one amazing gal!
Posted by: Beverly Kaye | February 24th, 2012 at 11:11 am
My partner and I have the Pearl Collection in all the colors! The shapes and textures that Frances created all mix beautifully together. Nuts or salsa looks amazing in the black and pesto pasta looks beautiful in the pale green! I drink my coffee everyday from a white large mug. Awesome work that is practical and dramatic.
Posted by: Brian Sisco | February 24th, 2012 at 11:12 am
Hi Martha,
I love her pottery - what talent and I enjoyed the video too! It would be great to have a collection of her fine work. Maybe I'll start with a vase or a platter - the vase she gave you is beautiful. Thanks for introducing her to us and for this blog. I never realized there were only two ceramic factories left in the United States. Francis Palmer's work and learning about the ceramic factories will be my blog ‘take-aways’ for today! Enjoy your weekend. Trish
Posted by: Trish | February 24th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
.
Dont know about a lot of things, but i sure like Frances Palmer's work. It really speaks to me.
pic 47,48 revealing her free-form, so interesting, so unique.
Thanks for the treat.
Posted by: celia stock | February 24th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
This is stunningly beautiful. I thank you for making me aware of her work. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: E. Teresa Touey | February 24th, 2012 at 2:06 pm
Hi Martha,
Amazingly beautiful pieces, I love her work and gorgeous pieces. Thank you for introducing her to us. Wish you a wonderful weekend.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | February 24th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Gorgeous pieces. I'm an amateur potter and these are inspiring! I'd love to have a home studio.
Posted by: Sharon | February 24th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Seeing these pieces happily reminds me of my AP 3D art class in high school. Every piece is really beautiful!
Posted by: David K. | February 24th, 2012 at 9:11 pm
This woman is truly Amazing. Every thing beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Paula | February 24th, 2012 at 9:48 pm
Frances Palmer is a name we will teach our children. The pieces are so detailed and realistic...such fine craftsmanship in an age of mass duplication and production. pieces to pass along...perhaps this summer I will be so lucky....
Posted by: Nantucket Daffodil | February 25th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Thank you for showing this amazing potter. I was unaware of her work and it is something I needed to know about. The work is beautiful- the mix of hand thrown and freeform leaves me speechless. I will be sure to follow her work now…maybe collect a piece of two….
Posted by: Danee | February 26th, 2012 at 4:04 am
How wonderful. I appreciate your introducing us to such a talented person. She brings much joy to her work and by doing so passes it on to the owners of her talents. I am not around potters but once did see a lady at a country fair and show. Her hands illustrated the work they did. Hands are beautiful because they do so the owner's love of work.
Posted by: Margie | February 27th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Frances Palmer is my most favorite potter! I use her Pearl collection plates everyday and they are perfect. It is so wonderful to see her studio and other works. Many thanks.
Posted by: P. Swanton | March 1st, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I love the shapes of her work! As a painter, i never get to 'see' the other side of things (horses, donkeys, trees, barns, fences, etc.). Her work is both formal and playful. I want to pick each piece up to both feel and visually absorb it! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: margi greene | March 2nd, 2012 at 10:02 am