Alabama Chanin partners with Cathy Bailey and Robin Petravic of Heath Ceramics.
Cathy Bailey and her husband, Robin, are the leaders and creative directors of Heath Ceramics, an heirloom brand best known for their handcrafted ceramic tableware and architectural tiles. Founded in 1948 as a small-scale, family-owned pottery company with an avant garde creative spirit, Edith and Brian Heath acquired Heath Ceramics in 2003. Since then, Heath has grown into a globally recognized brand, all the while honoring and continuing the founding mission of creating beautiful, effortlessly modern designs with integrity. A California-based company, Heath Ceramics is committed to sustainable operations and reducing environmental impact, working with local artisans and collaborative partners to create collections of ceramics, tiles, housewares, and textiles made from local resources, even down to the clay.
The dinnerware collaboration, on beloved Heath styles, incorporates the hand-stitched designs of Alabama Chanin, etched by hand on ceramic. Skilled artisans in the Heath flagship store and studio in Sausalito, California make one-mark-at-a-time, mimicking embroidery’s one-stitch-at-a-time embellishments. Each piece can be paired interchangeably with all of the Heath dinnerware pieces. The collaboration is officially announced in a The New York Times T Magazine article, “Table Dressing,” in October of 2011—two years after the design process began.
A new pattern called the Camellia launches in 2013 (read more here), followed by, in 2019, a collaboration of ceramic jewelry (read more here). A new dinnerware design, Echo, inspired by Edith Heath’s archives, launches in the winter of 2021.
Shop Heath Ceramics and follow along @heathceramics.
Look for new Alabama Chanin Collection designs arriving Winter 2021.
Shop the Alabama Chanin Life + Living Collection here.
Slide 1: Etched dinnerware in Eyelet and Rosebud designs from the Alabama Chanin and Heath Ceramics and collaboration (alongside pieces from Heath Ceramics’ Rim and Coupe lines), 2011, photograph by Angie Mosier (read more about Angie here)
Slide 2: Etched dinnerware in Eyelet and Rosebud designs from the Alabama Chanin and Heath Ceramics Collaboration, bowls and mug from Heath Ceramics’ Coupe line, Alabama Chanin placemats and napkins with embroidery, 2011, photograph by T Magazine for their piece “Table Dressing,” written by Alexandra Lange; Detail of hand-crafted bowl from the Alabama Chanin and Heath Ceramics collaboration, photograph by Angie Mosier
Slide 3–4: Detail of etched dinnerware in Camellia, Rosebud, Stitch, and Bird’s Nest designs from the Alabama Chanin and Heath Ceramics collaboration at The Factory Store, 2013, photograph by Rinne Allen
Slide 5: Etched ceramic necklaces in Camellia and Bird’s Nest designs from the Alabama Chanin and Heath Ceramics jewelry collaboration, 2019, photographs by Rinne Allen