Robert
Pickenpaugh, like his pottery, is an original. He, like the pots,
is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation whose work and style, may be
copied somewhat, but never exactly duplicated. By point of comparison,
there are people who, perhaps, fit a certain mold, like ceramics
whose patterns and shapes are predetermined by the mold from which
they are made and whose outward finished patterns are set for mass
production. Not so, Pickenpaugh or his hand-thrown pots, and glazes
that seem often to have a life of their own, a life which does not
match a mold or a pattern.
Robert
Pickenpaugh opened Pickenpaugh Pottery in Madison in September 1973.
His is one of the oldest businesses in Madison, though he has had
shops in two locations during his tenure in town. Pickenpaugh chose
Madison because he saw it is an ideal small town destination for
an excursion from Jackson. Such excursions would be, he thought,
conscious choices persons would make to purchase pottery instead
of simply seeking a vessel at a shopping mall..
This
concern for people, both customers and students, has always been
a hallmark for Pickenpaugh. The "people" element has been
as much a part of this 35+ years venture as has been the pottery he
has produced. Some of his customers have been with him for his tenure
in Madison. They indeed see an excursion to Pickenpaugh Pottery
as a rewarding experience.
Robert
Pickenpaugh, like his pottery, is an original. He, like the pots,
is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation whose work and style, may be
copied somewhat, but never exactly duplicated. By point of comparison,
there are people who, perhaps, fit a certain mold, like ceramics
whose patterns and shapes are predetermined by the mold from which
they are made and whose outward finished patterns are set for mass
production. Not so, Pickenpaugh or his hand-thrown pots, and glazes
that seem often to have a life of their own, a life which does not
match a mold or a pattern. 
Robert
Pickenpaugh opened Pickenpaugh Pottery in Madison in September 1973.
His is one of the oldest businesses in Madison, though he has had
shops in two locations during his tenure in town. Pickenpaugh chose
Madison because he saw it is an ideal small town destination for
an excursion from Jackson. Such excursions would be, he thought,
conscious choices persons would make to purchase pottery instead
of simply seeking a vessel at a shopping mall..
This
concern for people, both customers and students, has always been
a hallmark for Pickenpaugh. The "people" element has been
as much a part of this 35+ years venture as has been the pottery he
has produced. Some of his customers have been with him for his tenure
in Madison. They indeed see an excursion to Pickenpaugh Pottery
as a rewarding experience.