About Us
About Us
Welcome to Donovan Pottery, a growing handmade pottery business located in Greenville, SC. We create unique and meaningful pottery pieces for story-driven individuals, reminding them that they are the heroes of their own stories. Our core values are collaboration, craftsmanship, and community.
Our Story
Donovan Pottery began in 2015 when our founder, Will Donovan, started learning the craft and selling small collections to individuals. Over the years, we have grown exponentially, throwing thousands of pots annually and shipping them across the world. We have had the privilege to collaborate with Michelin-star restaurants, world-shaping artists, local governments, major corporations, and individual collectors worldwide.
Meet the Team
Our small but dedicated team consists of:
Will Donovan: Founder, Visionary, and Do-it-all Potter
Lindsay Donovan: Project Coordinator
Lindsay has been here since before the beginning. She and Will met while studying at NGU together, where she got a better grade in Ceramics 1 than Will.
She is a brave mother of two young boys, and she and Will like to wrangle the fellas for family trips when not deep into their creative pursuits. A theater director passionate about education and the arts, she started her own costume business, Wayfarer's Fable. Her celebrity crush is Henry Cavill and her favorite Baldur's Gate 3 character is Halsin.
Beth Rish: Studio Manager
Beth has been on the Donovan Pottery Team since 2020 when she, a stranger, invited herself into the studio, looking to work with other potters after an 8 year hiatus. After Will determined that she was not crazy and actually added great value to the studio, she took over studio and materials management. An excellent potter in her own right, she also provides the studio with baked goods.
Sam McElveen: Creative Operations Coordinator
Sam joined the Donovan Pottery Team in June of 2023 after working as an art teacher for 7 years. Initially coming on as a production potter/studio assistant, Sam has slowly taken on a number of roles, including helping to organize a local Greenville chapter for the Empty Bowls fundraiser. She also responds to a lot of emails.
Gia Gianakas: Marketing Gremlin
Imagine yourself in an infinite plane of existence. The white of what you're able to perceive as the world stretches beyond knowledge and sight. Then you see him-- some guy working at a computer telling you that he knows why corduroy works as a layer with linen and that you can market anything with analytics and a bit of dijon mustard as he sports a curly mop of dark brown hair that now stretches far into the cosmos. We don't understand what exactly Gia is, either, but he's okay, I guess.
Grayson: Studio Assistant
Grayson joined us in the early Summer of 2024. She graduated from Furman Univeristy with a Bachelor's in Art. Versed in several art mediums, she specializes in oil painting where she blends realism and expressionism into her own captivating style. Grayson is preparing herself for her journey to earn a Master's Degree in painting.
Christopher McCant: Media Intern
Joining us in the Summer of 2024, Christopher graduated from Southside Christian School. He has an incredible technological repertoire of skills and abilities that he utilizes to keep things running on the digital side of Donovan Pottery. At the moment, he works remotely while he's studying Graphic Design at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.
Luna: Morale Officer
A needy girl is a seedy girl. Luna doesn't know what that means and yet she somehow she still gets plenty of belly rubs, snoot boops, and booty scritches. She also guards the gates against postal workers and passersby.
Martin: Menace
Hide your breakfast, hide your lunch, and hide your snacks, 'cause Martin's eating everything out here.
Our Craftsmanship
We believe there is magic in clay that connects with humans on a visceral level, unlike any other medium. Our process involves wheel throwing ceramics, ensuring that everything we sell is handmade. We carefully select the finest clays and glaze ingredients and continually refine our processes to maximize efficiency and hone our level of craftsmanship.
Sustainability Commitment
At Donovan Pottery, we are committed to sustainability. We source our clays from local suppliers, recycle all our clays, and produce products designed to last a lifetime. Our pieces not only enrich the lives of our customers but also help protect our planet.
Community Involvement
We are deeply involved in our local community and dedicated to creating space for anyone who wants to experience the joy of working with clay. We participate in local farmers' markets, sponsor local theater and fine arts centers, and engage with our local fine arts scene, fostering creativity and connection in our community.
Testimonials
Our customers say it best: "Will's pottery is outstanding! The quality of Donovan Pottery's work is unmatched. I have gotten a few mugs from him, as well as an oil dispenser, and they are all my favorites. I loved them so much I went back for more to get for Christmas gifts and am going back for even more! I will be a customer of Donovan Pottery for life! Greenville is lucky to have such a wonderful potter." - Satisfied Customer
Join Our Story
Experience years of dedication to craft and community for yourself by purchasing a pot from Donovan Pottery. Browse our collection, get in touch with us, or follow our journey on social media. We invite you to become part of our story and bring the magic of handmade pottery into your life.