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Nan Bangs McKinnell

Biography to Display: 

 Born 1913 Stanton, Nebraska

 Died 2012 Colorado

 

EDUCATION

1931-1938 BFA Wayne State College, Wayne, Nebraska

1938-1948 MA Ceramics University of Washington, Seattle, Washington                                                   

 

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1951    Teaching, Elementary school, Boulder, Colorado

Adjunct teacher, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

1970    Teaching, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

1971-1973 Teaching, Colorado Women’s College, Denver, Colorado

1973-1987 Teaching, Loretta Heights College, Denver, Colorado

1987-2012 Studio Artist, Colorado

 

BIOGRAPHY

Nan and  James McKinnell were a husband-and-wife ceramic team, known for their joint productions of wheel thrown work and their contributions to the field of American ceramics through teaching and travel. Both Nan and James primarily produced vessel form functional pottery. Although Nan often looked to contemporary industrial design for inspiration, James was heavily influenced by Japanese ceramics,. For the most part their works were collaborations in making, glazing, and decorating. Their common signature is “McKinnell.”

Nan and James McKinnell were also known for their experiments with glazes. Nan’s recipe for deep copper red is still used by many potters today.

James developed a portable kiln to fit their nomadic lifestyle. It was a loose brick, flat top, double chambered kiln fueled by propane. This flexible kiln design has become widely adopted in the ceramics world as it can be altered to fit the particular firing need or challenge.

 

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Public Collections to Display: 

American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California

ASU Art Museum, Tempe, Arizona

Archie Bray Foundation; Ceramics Collection, Helena, Montana

Brunnier Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

CU Art Museum, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

Everson Art Museum of Art, Syracuse, New York

History of Colorado Center, Decorative Arts Collection, Denver, Colorado

Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, Denver, Colorado

Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul, Minnesota

National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography to Display: 

Heller, Dulcey. “Remembering Nan Bangs McKinnell.” American Craft Council, Aug. 24, 2012. https://www.craftcouncil.org/post/remembering-nan-bangs-mckinnell

Oral history interview with Nan McKinnell, 2005 June 12-13. Archives of American Art,             Smithsonian Institution. https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/interviews/oral-            historyinterview-nan-mckinnell-12178

Paglia, Michael. “Firing Line; a Salute to the Late, Great James McKinnell, a Master of Colorado         Ceramics.” Westword (April 28 2005) https://asuartmuseum.asu.edu/sites/default/files/mckinnell_james_and_nan_bangs          _biography.pdf

 

 

 

Center for CraftCenter For Craft

 

 

AMOCA American Museum of Ceramic ArtAMOCA American Museum of Ceramic Art

 

Typical Marks

“McKinnell” inscribed in clay, handwritten, print, not cursive.

1965
ca 1965
ca 1965
1970 - 1990
Covered Jar
Date: 1965
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze, Luster
E John Bullard Collection
E John Bullard Collection
Branch Bottle #2
Date: ca 1965
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Hand-Built
Surface Technique: Glaze
E. John Bullard Collection
E. John Bullard Collection
Bottle Vase
Date: ca 1965
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Carved, Glaze, Stamped
E John Bullard Collection
E John Bullard Collection
Bowl
Date: ca 1970-1990
Form: Bowl
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Dimensions: 3.7 inches in diameter
Surface Technique: Glaze
American Museum of Ceramic Art, gift of The American Ceramic Society, 2004.2.118
Photo: TMP
American Museum of Ceramic Art, gift of The American Ceramic Society, 2004.2.118
Photo: TMP
1970 - 1990
Photo: TMP
Bowl
Date: 1970-1990
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown (Pressed decoration.)
Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
Forrest L. Merrill Collection, Dane Cloutier Archives
Bowl
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: Beth Thomas
Photo: Beth Thomas
Photo: Beth Thomas
Photo: Beth Thomas
Urn
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Marer Collection, Scripps College, 78.1.747
Photo: TMP
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Marer Collection, Scripps College, 78.1.747
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Large Vessel
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Carved, Glaze, Slip Trailing
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Marer Collection, 78.1.767, Scripps College, 78.1.747
Photo: TMP
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Marer Collection, 78.1.767, Scripps College, 78.1.747
Photo: TMP
Pedestal Bowl
Form: Basket
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Dimensions: 4" x 6.75" x 6.75"
Surface Technique: Glaze
Brunnier Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, gift of Carmon Slater and Donald Randall, um2016.380.10.2022.jb
Photo: ISU
Brunnier Art Museum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, gift of Carmon Slater and Donald Randall, um2016.380.10.2022.jb

Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified August 29, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/mckinnell-0

TAGS

Boulder, Colorado, Iowa City, Iowa, Alfred, New York, Fort Collins, Colorado, American Museum of Ceramic Art, American Ceramic Society, Center for Craft, Archie Bray Foundation, Peter Volkous, University of Washington, Colorado State University, Michael Leach, Brunnier Art Museum, CU Art Museum, University of Colorado at Boulder, Everson Art Museum of Art , History of Colorado Center, Decorative Arts Collection, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, Minnesota Museum of American Art, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Scotland, AMOCA, ACerS, CfC