BuyDay Friday: Jamaica's Practical Pottery

I know it seems as if I’m obsessed with all things ceramic, but really, the Caribbean has such talented ceramic artists that its hard for a collector like me to resist. I’m particularly partial to side plates and bowls, and there are pieces in my collection from Bermuda, Barbados, and, of course, my homeland, Jamaica. Last time in was in Kingston I swung by the home studio of one of my favorite ceramicists, Margaret McGhie.

Margaret is famous for her line of tableware, which features flower and fruit motifs set against cream or cobalt blue backgrounds, and is influenced by the Island Worcester company, a British pottery manufacturer which operated a factory in the Jamaica in the 1960s.

I’ve slowly been collecting pieces of Margaret’s work, and hope to have an entire 8-person place setting before I die. Here’s what I’ve bought so far:

I’d own more, but frankly, her pieces aren’t inexpensive. Mugs start at $20, you’ll pay $30-$50 for a bowl, and a single dinner plate is roughly $100. Bargain priced: no. Worth it: I think so.

Margaret’s pretty and practical line is available in the gift shop at Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, and at Craft Cottage in Kingston. For private appointments at her Kingston studio, call 876-977-0453.