I’m starting to look for some new pots and I was wondering if you guys could help me out and let me know who your favorite bonsai potters are. I live about 90 minutes from Sara Rayner so I plan to make a trip to her studio soon to see what she has available. But outside of her and the other artists available from Mirai, who else would you recommend? Thanks.
I have many wonderful pots from Ron Lang. He used to live about 1 hour west of Harrisburg PA, but moved to Boiling Spring Lakes, NC. You can see his pots here:
http://www.langbonsai.com/index.html
Ryan has collaborated with Lang on some wonderful pots to house special trees, like Ponderosa Pine #1:
https://bonsaimirai.com/node/136
and Rocky Mountain Juniper #1:
https://bonsaimirai.com/node/126
and Rocky Mountain Juniper #32:
https://bonsaimirai.com/node/623
Of course, Sara Rayner is also one of my favorites…I picked up several very nice pots from her at the National Show.
Cheers…
Flex
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I’m a big fan of Ron’s. Bought one of his pots earlier this year. I think his unglazed work is some of the best out there right now. I’m also eyeing one of Horst’s that he has posted to his personal website. May have to buy it as a birthday present to myself next month.
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I love Byron Myrick’s work. He’s in Mississippi.
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She’s in Red Wing, MN. I’m up in Minneapolis, so not too far of a drive to go out there. She doesn’t publicly post her address on her site, but it does say that you can request an appointment if you’re going to pick up an order. When you order from her shop you can request to pick it up in person instead of having the pot shipped. I figured I’d take advantage of having a resource like her so close.
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For ones that haven’t been mentioned, I can offer a few more links.
I haven’t extensively used these pots through multiple seasons or harsh conditions, but I’ve been finding stuff I like at a few of the following places online. In my opinion, it’s tough to buy pots online without seeing them in person first (because it can really change depending on how good the photographer is), but if you are looking for more potters here you go.
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And I have to say, I really like how Mirai’s webstore shows off ceramics. The small pots look small and the big pots look big in the first picture you see. The camera is placed at the same location, and the pots are put at the same location on the bench. Really keeps everything in perspective browsing between multiple pieces. Seeing a human hand in the mix also goes a long way.
Also listing both the interior dimensions and the exterior dimensions is fantastic and not something I see on every webstore.
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Awesome thanks for these suggestions.
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Another great artist Vicki Chamberlain
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Yes! Love Vicki’s work. Still waiting for her to update her site after her move to her new studio (Potentially by the end of this month). Seems like she’s not taking new orders until then.
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DaSu bonsai in Kelley Iowa is a small business not far from you.
https://bonsaitrees.com/pottery.html
The pots weather well and are high fired.
I try to buy from small business when I can.
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I love browsing what Matthew Ouwinga has to offer over at his eBay store. https://www.ebay.com/str/kaedebonsaien
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This post has been really helpful. Are there more potters to add?
I found the this big long list of American Potters but don’t know potter names so unsure of quality: https://americanbonsaiceramics.com/
Then I found the European Bonsai Potter Collective where Tom Benda is listed https://www.europeanbonsaipottercollective.com/
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@flex would you ever consider selling any of your Lang pots? I got into collecting American bonsai pottery recently - after he retired - and am having a difficult time finding them available to buy. Longshot, I get it, but you can’t get what you don’t ask for. Hope you don’t mind (:
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William…I plan on keeping all of my Ron Lang pots. He made the very best containers, and they work well with my trees!
A shame he moved out of the area where I live, as I enjoyed the kiln openings he had in September!
Flex