Every Lovell Designs piece is a celebration of nature, craftsmanship, and enduring design. Designed and made in Maine by craftsman Ken Kantro since 1975
Since 1975, Maine craftsman Ken Kantro's creations have reflected his love of nature and elegant, simple design.
1975-1980
My love of history and admiration for the work of early American pewtersmiths led me to create a line of utilitarian pieces. The clean, simple lines and enduring usefulness of handcrafted, everyday objects were—and remain—important to me. The journey started with a vision to create something beautiful and meaningful. The cofee service above dates from 1980 and was made by me for a ship launching at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.
1978
"Damariscotta" was my first original design.
Damariscotta is a beautiful coastal Maine town and also an ancient fishing ground for Native Americans. I designed this piece as a trivet or wall hanging, to commemorate my move there from my beloved mountains. This design launched my creative life in a new direction. It won a prestigious design award, was exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution and is in the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art. The root of the name "Damariscotta" comes from the Native American phrase "gathering place of many fish".
1985
The success of my new original designs led me in a new direction. I discovered that the same appreciation for simplicity and clean design could translate naturally into jewelry. In the 1990s, I expanded our offerings and welcomed new members to the team. Over time, my work found an audience across the country and around the world.
2000's
As the business grew, I found that designing was increasingly taking second place to managing. We had stores, catalogs, many wholesale accounts, employees, and an international following that stretched from Scandinavia to Japan. With that success came a level of complexity that took me further and further from the work I loved. In 2016, I decided to step away from it all and get back to basics—to designing and making.
2016-Present
In 2016, I moved my business to an old mill in Biddeford, Maine. For the past ten years, I’ve returned to what I love most—designing and making pieces that speak to me and, I hope, resonate with others.
I design and create alone in the quiet simplicity of my studio. In many ways, I’ve come full circle. Each day brings the excitement of creating something new—something with beauty, meaning, and substance. My hope is that the things I make will bring some of that beauty and meaning into your life.
