When Jim Bailey began a small pottery manufacturing and supply company 45 years ago in Midtown Kingston, the city's art scene was not what it is today. Windows were being broken nearly every week, and the Baileys would travel to Woodstock to attend art events, as few were held in Kingston. Jim and his wife, co-owner Anne Bailey, have watched the community change, and being one of the founders of the Kingston Arts Commission and the Midtown Arts District, Anne has helped facilitate this transformation. Today, Bailey Pottery supplies ceramicists and major art departments across the nation and is a leader in its field. It also won this year's Chronogrammie in the Art Supply category.
The couple's love for ceramics brought them together at the Rhinebeck Crafts Fair in 1976, around the same time Bailey Pottery Equipment was born with Jim's first invention of many—the Bailey Slab Roller. Anne joined the company in 1984, adding a ceramic supplies division. Since then, Bailey Pottery has continued to grow alongside the art community—going from a small rented factory to a 22,000-square-foot space with a second 15,000-square-foot warehouse—but always remaining a staple for local potters.
Whether customers are looking to invest in a kiln or just buy a glaze, they're being served by other clay lovers. As a professional potter, Anne knows how special working with clay can be: "People come to it, they feel it, they experience it, and they know in a way they're going to a deeper place. That is what working in clay offers, and it offers a sense of community too."
Bailey's is rooted in the artistic community, priding itself on making art equitable for all. "The model was to make this affordable for artists and pay our people a living wage. Before it was popular to think this way, that's what we were doing, because that's where we came from," Anne says.
The business offers more than just supplies; support is Bailey Pottery's specialty. Bailey's team of nearly 40, mostly comprised of experienced potters, make the complicated field more approachable to beginners and professionals alike.
"Our people are great, and they work awfully hard to make sure customers get what they need, and sometimes that may be less than what they thought to get started. In other words, you don't have to spend a fortune to get started," Anne says. "We are not a box store and our roots are in the arts and craft movement of the `70s. We remain committed to the idea that creativity is as important to humanity as clean air and nutritious food."
