Hadley Pottery facts for kids
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| Industry | Pottery and stoneware |
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| Founded | 1939 |
| Founder | Mary Alice Hadley |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Kentucky |
Hadley Pottery is a company in America that makes beautiful pottery and stoneware. It was started in 1945 by Mary Alice Hadley and her husband, George E. Hadley. You can find their main location on Story Avenue in the Butchertown area of Louisville, Kentucky.
Contents
The Story of Hadley Pottery
How It All Started
Hadley Pottery began in a special way in 1939. A talented artist named Mary Alice Hadley made a unique set of dishware for a boat she and her husband, George Hadley, owned. This boat was on the Ohio River.
Mary Alice designed her own dishes with a cool pattern of nautical flags. She painted these designs on clay pieces that had not been baked yet. Then, she took them to the Louisville Pottery Co to be fired, which means baking them in a very hot oven to make them hard.
Growing Popularity
When friends saw Mary Alice's amazing dishes, they really wanted some for themselves! So, she made a few more sets at the Louisville Pottery Co. More and more people became interested in her work.
Because of this growing demand, the Hadleys decided to buy their own building. In October 1944, they bought the building at 1570 Story Avenue in Louisville. It was a birthday gift for Mrs. Hadley! She painted colorful murals all over the walls of the new building. Hadley Pottery officially opened for business in 1945. Mary Alice created many different designs for the company. Often, her ideas came from things around Louisville, like the fleur-de-lis symbol.
Changes Over Time
Mary Alice Hadley passed away in 1965. However, nine skilled painters continued to hand-paint the pottery pieces. Even today, these pieces are still signed "M.A. Hadley" to honor her.
Later, in 1979, Kenneth Moore bought Hadley Pottery. Then, in 2018, Jerry Day became the new owner. He discovered a hidden collection of over 6,000 pottery pieces! These pieces were made when Mary Alice Hadley was still alive. In 2022, the company announced it would close, but soon after, they shared the good news that the business would stay open.
Awards and Recognition
Hadley Pottery has received special honors for its beautiful work. In 1947, the American Craftsmen's Educational Council showed Hadley Pottery's creations. They were also displayed at the Ceramic National Exhibit at the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts.
In 1952, Mary Alice Hadley won an award from the Museum of Modern Art's Good Design program. Her winning design was called "Brown Dot" (or "Hot Brown Fleck"). This design was shown in art exhibits in New York and Chicago.
Where to See Hadley Pottery
You can find Hadley Pottery pieces in important art collections, including:
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky
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Mary Alice Hadley Ceramics at the Speed Art Museum
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Mary Alice Hadley Ceramics at the Speed Art Museum
See also
