Take it from us: One simply must not pass through tiny Merigold (pop 355), or anywhere in the Mississippi Delta for that matter, without making a pilgrimage to the extraordinary institution that is McCartys Pottery. Started in 1954 by husband-and-wife duo Lee McCarty and Pup Rone, the origin of the studio’s name sans apostrophe was deliberate –– to signify an equal partnership between the couple.
While the origins of McCartys Pottery were certainly humble (the couple transformed a former mule barn, gifted by an aunt and uncle, into their pottery studio), the success seen during its seven decades as a family-run business has been nothing short of spectacular: pieces from the studio have commanded prices in the five-figure range; the studio has drawn enthusiastic fans and a global clientele (even exhibiting in Japan for three weeks); and McCartys pieces are represented in museum collections, from Denver to Houston, and New Orleans to New York.
Perhaps fortune smiled long and wide on McCartys Pottery right from the start. Lee McCarty was fond of repeating a charming anecdote about the studio’s earliest days, when he was still teaching chemistry at a high school on the Ole Miss campus. When McCarty mentioned to his class that he was looking for a source of clay for the pottery operation, one student noted that her father owned land with a good white clay ravine where McCarty and Rone would be welcome to dig. That student’s name was Jill Faulkner. Her father’s name, as you’ve probably guessed, was William.
Rustic ceramic work at McCartys Pottery
Today McCartys acclaimed pottery remains a source of pride for Mississippi and is recognized across the nation and beyond. From the tiny studio in Merigold, McCartys creates pieces ranging from casserole dishes and platters to dinnerware, candlesticks, hanging planters, and purely sculptural pieces, too. After experimenting during early decades with native clays and glazes, during the 1970s McCarty and Rone began developing their own unique glazes (nutmeg brown, cobalt blue, and jade). The studio’s trademarked signature is “a small black wavy line representing the Mississippi River” that marks the bottom or back of each piece. Simple yet elegant is the self-described style of McCartys Pottery, and attributed as a reason for their widely collectible appeal. In Mississippi, it’s also been a longstanding tradition for a prospective bride to visit the Merigold studio to select her first McCartys piece.
Today, although Lee McCarty and Pup Rone have passed on, their cherished legacy lives on, nurtured in the hands of the couple’s godsons, Jamie and Stephen Smith. The pottery studio is open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday and pieces are available to ship nationwide. Located alongside the studio is McCartys Gallery Restaurant. Launched in the early 1990s, the restaurant was designed and styled by the McCartys, and all dishes are served on—what else—McCartys pottery. Open for lunch on select days and available as a special events venue. For details call 662-748-2754 or visit mccartyspottery.com
