Ardmore Pottery & Gallery, based in Ardmore, Co. Waterford, is home to two generations of the Lincoln family potters.

Ardmore Pottery & Gallery was opened in 1983 by Mary Lincoln, with a credit union loan and a prayer. From the beginning the pottery studio was the heart of the place, and it’s there she designed the unique Ardmore Pottery range. The shop is located on a steep cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and its colours and shapes can be seen in everything she makes. The earthenware clay is decorated with sea sponges, and the startling blue colours are a pure oxide taken straight from the earth. Visitors can still watch Mary throw, fire and decorate these pots on site.

A second part of Mary’s vision was to promote the talents of other Irish craft workers and artists. To this day the shop only stocks Irish makers, currently selling work from over 150 top designers and artists, including knitwear, jewellery, homeware, kids toys, paintings and prints.

In recent years Mary’s own work has taken a new direction, partly inspired by time spent with the potter John ffrench in his studio in Kinvara. His slow hand-building methods, coupled with an adventurous sense of colour, made a deep impression on her. These newer pieces, seen in our Mary Lincoln Handpainted range, are more free and unique. Working in a spontaneous way, Mary relies on matt underglazes, which she hand paints directly onto the earthenware pot.

Over the past decade Mary trained one of her daughter’s, Sarah Lincoln, as a potter. Sarah soon developed her own "Inconsistent Machine" range, which are hand thrown, finished in bright, freshly coloured glazes and made to be used every day.

In Jan 2020 Mary’s other daughter, Katie Lincoln, returned to Ardmore to take over the running of the business. With her mum still consulting and making in the background, this marks a new era for Ardmore Pottery & Gallery, including this online shop.

We hope you find something beautiful and well made.