Spotlight: Frances Palmer Pottery + $125 Giveaway!

28 Mar 2012

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We are so thrilled and honored to welcome Frances Palmer and her beautiful pottery to NewlyWish.  Frances and I have been talking about ways to bring her timeless and soulful pottery into our offerings since last year – and we’re so happy to finally open her boutique on NewlyWish!

I absolutely love every piece in Frances’ collection, from her heirloom-quality dinnerware, to her serveware, bakeware and vases.  They’re all stunning, and make perfect gifts for any occasion (including just as a special treat for yourself).  In fact, I’d say they’re the epitome of the perfect wedding gift – special and unique, beautiful and functional, easy to clean and care for, and are sure to be remembered (and used) fondly by the recipient.

What’s more, Frances designed her collection to be mix-and-matched (something you’ll learn we are big fans of here at NewlyWish).  So, you can start with a few pieces and build your collection over time (trust me, get your hands on one and you won’t be able to stop!).

To celebrate the launch of Frances’ shop on NewlyWish, we’re giving away $125 credit towards her Pearl Collection – so be sure to check out the deets at the bottom of this post before you hop!

Meet Frances

Many of you may be familiar with her one-of-a-kind handmade pottery or her stunning Pearl collection, but for those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure, here’s a little background on Frances and her approach to creating ceramic masterpieces…

Francis Palmer Pottery ($24 - $190), Shop Now or Add to RegistryPhoto courtesy of Stephen Orr

Making ceramics since 1987

Having trained as an art historian, Frances worked in museums and galleries in New York City, before moving with her husband to Connecticut 25 years ago. There she began searching for an art form that she could do in while raising three children in the country: “The moment I sat at the potter’s wheel, I knew that I had found my métier.”

Francis Palmer Pottery ($24 - $190), Shop Now or Add to Registry

Scallop Bud Vase by Frances Palmer ($63), Shop Now or Add to Registry Fluted Vase by Frances Palmer ($85), Shop Now or Add to Registry

The Pearl Collection

After enjoying a wonderful response to her hand-made pieces, Frances took on the task of “bridging the gap between the handmade and industrially produced” and make her work available to a wider audience.  To achieve this goal, she started a collaboration with the century-old Buffalo Pottery (now named the Niagara Ceramics Company) in Buffalo, New York.  Frances threw the original prototypes, which are used to create unique molds and the Pearl Collection was born.   

Rectangular Platter by Frances Palmer ($165), Shop Now or Add to Registry Lidded Dish by Frances Palmer ($55), Shop Now or Add to Registry Oval Platter by Frances Palmer ($165), Shop Now or Add to Registry Square Serving Bowl by Frances Palmer ($110), Shop Now or Add to Registry Fluted Cake Plate by Frances Palmer ($190), Shop Now or Add to Registry Chinese Scallop Salad/Dessert Plate by Frances Palmer ($40), Shop Now or Add to Registry

 

The Pearl Collection includes dinnerware, serveware and vases in a variety of shapes and patterns.  Made from vitreous china, every piece is hand-cast, pressed, and hand-glazed to order in one of five colors.  Each is complementary and they’re made to be mixed, but also fit in with your existing pieces.  And, the collection is oven, freezer, dishwasher and microwave safe, and comes with a two-year chip and crack guarantee. Perfect for your holiday table!

Francis Palmer Pottery ($24 - $190), Shop Now or Add to Registry

 The Icing on the Cake (Stand)

With all of this beautiful work flowing from her fingertips, what makes Frances the happiest?  She loves the vision of people using her tabletop when they gather for dinner or to celebrate good times.   She genuinely wants people to use her pieces and ‘live’ in it everyday – and loves nothing more than people telling her how much they enjoy using her pieces.

“I don’t make or grow things to hold onto them, but rather to send them out into the world for others to live with and enjoy. My handmade ceramics are functional art – dishware or vases that can be used on a daily basis. Each piece, no matter how large or small, is considered and individual.”

Fluted Cake Plate by Frances Palmer ($190), Shop Now or Add to Registry Fluted Vase by Frances Palmer ($85), Shop Now or Add to Registry Octagonal Dessert Plate by Frances Palmer Pottery ($27.50), Shop Now or Add to Registry

 

Fluted Vase by Frances Palmer ($85), Shop Now or Add to Registry Fluted Vase by Frances Palmer ($85), Shop Now or Add to Registry Fluted Cake Plate by Frances Palmer ($190), Shop Now or Add to Registry Scallop Bud Vase by Frances Palmer ($63), Shop Now or Add to Registry

Handmade, One-of-a-kind pottery

From classical to whimsical vases and bowls, Frances’ handmade pieces are truly works of art:  deliberately asymmetrical, with quirky misaligned fluting that dramatically expresses the hand of the artist. All of the pieces are produced by Frances in her Connecticut studio.  Special collections have been commissioned by the Philip Johnson Glass House, the Neue Galerie and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Vase w/ Column Beads - Frances Palmer Handmade Collection ($295), Shop Now or Add to Registry Diego Urn - Frances Palmer Handmade Collection ($325), Shop Now or Add to Registry Picasso Vase - Frances Palmer Handmade Collection ($470), Shop Now or Add to Registry Square Platter w/ Flowers - Frances Palmer Handmade Collection ($375), Shop Now or Add to Registry

And her gardening is more than just another creative outlet – to make the flower decorations on her handmade pieces so life-like, Frances picks blossoms right from her garden and presses them into wet clay. Once the clay hardens, it becomes the perfect reusable mold.

Picasso Vase - Frances Palmer Handmade Collection ($470), Shop Now or Add to Registry
Francis Palmer Pottery ($24 - $190), Shop Now or Add to RegistryStudio & Garden photos courtesy of Stephen Orr

With that, we want to thank Frances for giving us a peek into her CT studio and creative process and look forward to sharing more of her wonderful projects, including a closer look at her [award winning] garden, and mouth-watering recipes!

Now, as we mentioned above, to celebrate the launch of the Frances Palmer Pottery shop on NewlyWish, we are giving away $125 toward the Pearl Collection!

All you need to do is visit Frances’ NewlyWish shop (here), browse her wonderful collections, and then return to this post and leave a comment letting us know which piece is your favorite. You’ll have until midnight EST on Monday, April 2nd to leave your comment and we’ll announce the winner on Tuesday, April 3rd!

Good luck and enjoy Frances’ work, and while you’re there, add your favorite pieces to your registry. Here’s where you can get started: Create a Registry

 

By: Amanda Allen Category: NewlyWish Spotlight Tags: , , , , , ,