Like the epic rounds of flasks and mugs that came before – Lincoln, Colonel Sanders – Kentucky for Kentucky's new Loretta Lynn collection is sure to please. Designed, thrown, stamped, rinsed, and glazed by the ever-steady David Kenton Kring of Lexington, Kentucky, these Loretta mugs and flasks are just as limited-edition as ever, with only 25 mugs and 25 flasks available for purchase on Friday Feb 14th at 10:00am. We've worked with David Kring in the past, but this time we sat down with him and asked him to tell us a tale of how he came to be a potter in this great state of ours.
He begins his story as follows, "I was born down by the river in Frankfort, KY. Upon my birth a huge tornado picked up myself and good amount of KY river clay. In the spinning vortex I created a vessel to surround myself and keep me safe. After landing I became baked by the hot Kentucky sun inside the ceramic womb I had created for myself. Eventually, I was found by a dark skinned gypsy and her fortune telling cat, Sebastian. She raised me for several weeks and taught me how to drink bourbon standing up and to cast certain spells. She soon realized she could not contain the man I would eventually become and traded me to a local salesman, Phillip Kring, for a pack of cigarettes and a pair of boots."
David's family owned Mitchell's Clothing, a Frankfort, Kentucky staple started in 1947 as an army surplus store by his great grandfather Virgil Mitchell and eventually evolved into a small general clothing store. Kring explains that this was a formative place for his young, creative mind: "I would spend a good amount of time at Mitchell's listening to the older blue collar working men trade stories of card games, George Jones songs, loose women, and forgetful nights." After many a moment spent in his family's store, David ventured to Lexington and attended Transylvania University, where he honed his mud-throwing and bourbon-drinking skills.
We found him after he had landed a job at Mudworks in Lexington – and from those early moments, he's channeled his Kentucky fervor by making us iconic mugs and flasks, first Lincoln, then Colonel Sanders, and now sweet Loretta Lynn. David explains, "for pottery my biggest inspiration comes from antiques – classic pottery, old tin coffee pots, and army canteens." Drawing on some old Kentucky greats, our collaborations hit close to his heart. He's show work at Arts Place, The Loudoun House, The Bread Box, The Kentucky Theater, and Awesome Inc. But remember, Kentuckians, you've got to come on home to Kentucky for Kentucky to find David's coveted mugs and flasks emblazoned with the profiles of those who make you most proud.
Straight out of Butcher Hollow and into your hands, get her while she's golden—unlike the real deal, this Loretta's not going to last long. Hand-thrown in Lexington, Kentucky by David Kenton Kring x Kentucky for Kentucky, we've got a limited collection of: 25 flasks at $60 each and 25 mugs at $36 each.
Words by Hannah Legris and photos by Stanley Sievers