American Bonsai Potters

thams

thams

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Location
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Hello fellow nuts! I've been mulling over an idea for a while now and wanted to pitch it here to see whether the bonsai community would think it worthwhile. With the growing interest in the bonsai hobby here in the US, there's been an equally growing crowd of potters as well. Through my internet searching I've yet to find a comprehensive space that promotes US potters. There are some really fine ceramics being produced locally that sometimes gets overlooked in favor of traditional eastern containers. I'd personally love to see more trees being shown in American-made pots. There's a special place in my heart (and bench) for eastern pottery as well, but I'm interested in growing the bonsai hobby here in the US.

I'm thinking of putting together a website that lists American potters complete with bios, links to websites, signatures, and examples of work. If possible I'd love to include pottery examples paired with trees from shows (or backyards!). Basically a one stop shop for US bonsai ceramics. Maybe one day I could sell pottery as well, but one step at a time.

Here's a list I pulled together off the top of my head (and a little internet searching). The list might contain some errors here and there. Feel free to correct the list or add to it. Let me know what you think!
  1. Roy Minarai (Greenville, SC)
  2. Nick Lenz (MA) (retired potter)
  3. Don Gould (Pittsburgh, PA)
  4. Max Braverman (WA)
  5. Sara Rayner (Red Wing, MN)
  6. Ron Lang (NC)
  7. Waldo Street Pottery – Eli Akins (Atlanta, GA)
  8. Sharon Muth (WA)
  9. Chuck Iker (Batavia, OH)
  10. Paul Olson (Riverside, RI)
  11. Richard Robertson (ME)
  12. Jan Rentenaar (CA)
  13. Mike Viljak
  14. Rob Addonizio (Lake Helen, FL)
  15. Dale Cochoy (Hartville, OH)
  16. Jim Gremel (Occidental, CA)
  17. Ben Gutman (Washington, DC)
  18. Matthew Harhager (East Canton, OH)
  19. Dave Lowman (Kelley IA)
  20. Rob MacGregor (Clermont County, OH)
  21. Sandi McFarland (Irving, TX)
  22. Keith Taylor (Fairfield, CA)
  23. Diane Thoman (Dinosaur, CO)
  24. Lookout Mountain Pottery – Mark Issenberg (Rising Fawn, GA)
  25. Steven Ziebarth (Cleveland, OH)
  26. Paul Katich (Jacksonville, FL)
  27. Jonathan Cross (Tempe, AZ)
  28. MC2 Pottery - Michele and Charles Smith (Cosby TN)
  29. Jim Barrett
  30. Sonny Boggs
  31. Ken To
  32. Michael Hagedorn (retired potter)
  33. Tom Diming
  34. Michelle Dougherty
  35. Gayle Fiato (NY)
  36. Matt Castle (Brooklyn, NY)
  37. Shawn Bokeno (OH)
 
Don Gould is passed away as well or so I was told when I acquired one of his pots. He uses a unique keyhole shape as the drainage hole.

Great idea for a reference. Just like bonsai is starting to elevate in N.A. So is the pottery selection, but this will only continue to advance through us hobbiest knowledge base of who is out there and buying from them. I enjoy nice Japanese and Chinese pots, but am really starting to appreciate and enjoy what is being put out buy local artists.

There is also Sam Miller out of Utah? And a local guy from the Ann Arbor, MI area Larry Howard, though I don't know if he is still actively making pots.

Also Randy Davis, Lynn August, Vicki Chamberlain to name a few.
 
Last edited:
Damn, that's pretty good for
LanceMac10 said:
Rich Robertson passed away Nov. 29 '16

Rest in Peace.
Click to expand...
Ahhh, too bad. I've got 5 or 6 of his pots. His pots were simple but heavy and well made, and his glazes were subtle yet complex. It's a shame they never really caught on outside of New England.
 
This would be a great idea Thams. I too have spend countless hours searching for American bonsai potters with little more than frustration. It would be awesome to have a centralized website with artist bio's, links to their websites, and clear instructions on how to purchase pots from each potter. The signature examples would be great for authenticity purposes too. It would also be advantageous to have a sort of review's section (moderated of course) where bonsai enthusiasts can share their experiences in dealing with these potters. I know i do a lot of review reading when shopping online. It has helped me get the best bang for my buck, best buying experiences, and also helped me steer clear of a few potential nightmares that i could have encountered if there were no reviews to read through first.
 
Woody Carverton said:
This would be a great idea Thams. I too have spend countless hours searching for American bonsai potters with little more than frustration. It would be awesome to have a centralized website with artist bio's, links to their websites, and clear instructions on how to purchase pots from each potter. The signature examples would be great for authenticity purposes too. It would also be advantageous to have a sort of review's section (moderated of course) where bonsai enthusiasts can share their experiences in dealing with these potters. I know i do a lot of review reading when shopping online. It has helped me get the best bang for my buck, best buying experiences, and also helped me steer clear of a few potential nightmares that i could have encountered if there were no reviews to read through first.
Click to expand...

I also plan to link to bonsai businesses who supply American bonsai pots as well - I understand that some potters don't have their own dedicated website.

I've added all the suggested names to the list. I'm up to 49 already. A really good start!
 
Oh, and I second that this would be a great resource. I've been building a list in my head of American potters I'd like to patronize.
 
Last edited:
If anyone has any ideas about website functionality/features, don't hesitate to drop me a line or post here. I'm flying a little blind, but I'm really motivated to put something together. Thanks for the feedback so far - keep it coming!
 
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