Barbara Holden McDonald, Kennedy McDonald, J Kennedy McDonald, Ken McDonald

1921 Born Gleason, Tennessee

1999 Died Gatlinburg, Tennessee

EDUCATION

1941-1945 Fine Arts Degree, Sculpture Emphasis, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky

1940's Post-Graduate Studies, Sculpture, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

—Summer Ceramics Teacher, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

1946-1954 Co-owner, Markus Ceramics, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

1954-1969 Co-owner, McDonald Pottery, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

BIOGRAPHY

 Barbara McDonald is known for functional pottery thrown on a kick wheel. Early work was slip molded. McDonald and her husband, Kennedy McDonald, worked together at McDonald Pottery, formerly Markus Ceramics.  They used Ohio red ball clay and fired in a square electric kiln during their years as Markus Ceramics. During the McDonald Pottery years, they switched to stoneware and firing in a gas kiln. Their glaze pallet included earth tones, opaque whites and blues.

Public Collections

Southern Highland Craft Guild, Asheville, North Carolina

Bibliography

Blim, Sherry L. “The McDonald Pottery: Clay with a Voice.” Vase Finder, http://www.vasefinder.com/pw-members/articles/mcdonald.pottery.asp

Smith, Samuel D., and Stephen T. Rogers. Tennessee Potteries, Pots and Potters 1790s – 1950 Volume 1. Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, 2011.

Southern Highland Craft Guild