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Maria Longworth Nichols Storer was an American artist and philanthropist best known for founding the renowned Rookwood Pottery Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. Born Maria Longworth, she came from one of the wealthiest families in Cincinnati at that time. Growing up in such an environment, Maria had access to a world of culture and education that significantly shaped her artistic inclinations. She married American Civil War Veteran Colonel George Ward Nichols in 1868 and, following his death in 1885, she married an accomplished lawyer named Bellamy Storer who would go on to serve as a member of the United States Congress.

Storer initially pursued painting and china painting, studying under several notable artists of the time. Her artistic journey took a pivotal turn when she attended the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. There, she was inspired by the Japanese ceramics on display and became captivated by the art of pottery. This newfound interest led her to experiment with ceramics, and she quickly developed a passion for the craft.

In 1880, driven by her desire to elevate the status of American ceramics, Maria founded the Rookwood Pottery Company, naming the company after her father's estate, Rookwood, and stationing the pottery works in Cincinnati, a city already known for its rich artistic community. Storer aimed to produce high-quality art pottery that could rival European imports, and she quickly established Rookwood as a leading American ceramics manufacturer. She was particularly interested in experimenting with glazes and firing methods, which led to the development of a multitude of unique glaze lines that became Rookwood's hallmark. The company's artists created pieces that combined artistic beauty with functional design, making Rookwood Pottery a symbol of the American Arts and Crafts movement.

Storer's commitment to artistic innovation and quality craftsmanship attracted many talented artists to Rookwood, and she employed and collaborated with notable figures such as Kataro Shirayamadani, a Japanese artist whose expertise in ceramic decoration greatly influenced Rookwood's aesthetic. In 1889, Storer won a gold medal at the Paris Exposition and then handed over control of Rookwood to William W. Taylor (who would shepherd the company to even greater heights). She continued experimenting with ceramics on her own, seeking to replicate the elusive Chinese sang de boeuf (oxblood) glaze, in addition to creating a strikingly unique and creative body of metalwork.

Beyond her contributions to the art world, Storer was also known for her many philanthropic efforts; she was deeply involved in the Cincinnati community, supporting various cultural and educational initiatives. Her dedication to the arts extended to her influencing the founding of the Cincinnati Art Museum—where she served as a trustee and contributed to its growth and development—in addition to the Cincinnati Symphony, May Festival, Music Hall, and the School of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Her work can be found in numerous private and public collections including the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and her legacy lives on in the Cincinnati May Festival (the longest continuously running choral festival in the western hemisphere) and the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Ohio.