Ken Hankins

About the Artist

O. Kenneth Hankins was born in Bluefield, WV in 1944. He moved to Baltimore, MD with his mother in 1950 when she came to work at Martins Airport. Ken attended Baltimore County Public Schools and Frostburg State College. He graduated from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in 1966. He taught art in Baltimore and Carroll Counties; in 1970 he met his future wife at Hereford High School. After they married in 1971, they moved to Almond, NY where Ken attend Alfred University and his wife taught English at Alfred-Almond Central School. Ken graduated from Alfred with a Masters Degree in Art Education. The Hankins' returned to Maryland and began Shiloh Pottery, Inc. in 1972. What began as a small clay supply and pottery business evolved into a place for adults and children to try their hands at making pottery and a source for handmade stoneware pottery. Over the years, Ken has helped nurture budding potters who graduate from college and find themselves in need of studio support and mentoring. Ken has also taught art at Garrison Forest School, woodworking at St. Paul's School for Boys and he was formerly Adjunct Faculty at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland where he taught ceramics. He retired from McDaniel in 2019.

Artist's Statement

Shiloh Pottery was created in 1972 when my wife, Marty, and I returned to Maryland from graduate school at Alfred University in New York State. Over the years we have made stoneware pots, run a potters’ supply business, made and sold kick wheels, and fired salt-glazed pots with gas or wood. We have attended many craft fairs and shows, taught classes of all kinds in our studio, schools and colleges, and run workshops with famous and talented potters, while also raising our two children. For several years, I have had talented potter/artists help me with the throwing of the pots. I have been fortunate to have young people work with me, helping me make pots and teach classes. I feel this has been a great opportunity for all of us.