Nan Bangs McKinnell

After graduating high school, Nan aspired to become a teacher, however with money being tight and higher education for women being uncommon at the time, her father was unsure.

Being determined, Nan found a job working at the student supply store at Wayne State Teacher's College.

The woman who ran the store, having just lost her shop hand, hired Nan on the spot and offered her room and board.

[3] Nan taught at a one-room school house for a year before returning to college and received her BFA in Music and Education.

It wasn't long until Nan was applying for graduate school, and after a few years in Seattle, she was taking summer classes at the University of Washington where she started her art.

As she continued her own studies, Nan realized that painting and design were not her forte and took an introductory class in ceramic engineering and was drawn to clay as an artistic medium.

[1] Nan's style was heavily influenced by contemporary and industrial design and her early work had a heavy focus on functionality.

In 1953, Nan and James attended a ceramics workshop at the Archie Bray Foundation and decided to stay and work there for several years.