Hello friends and welcome to the inaugural MMclay newsletter, the High Fire Low Down! We hope our newsletter will have something for everyone, whether you’re just learning about MMclay or you’ve been following MaryMar’s ceramic career for years. Our intention is to provide a deeper understanding and insight into why we feel handmade pottery is so important, to educate y’all about some of our studio processes and to keep you updated on upcoming events and special offerings.

It’s been 4 years since we moved into the studio/showroom space at 69 Gough and little over 7 years since MaryMar started MMclay. What began as a one woman pottery production in a 500 sq ft studio nestled behind a coffee shop has now grown into a talented team of 12 artisans producing her 6 lines of gorgeous tableware that have earned MMclay a reputation among chefs, restaurateurs, designers and home cooks around the world. We hope you enjoy!

MM Memo: a brief commentary by MaryMar 

Life passes by fast, especially with two middle-school aged kids at home. I find that the process of making pottery and the connections forged through it have a way of engaging us with the present moment as an island in the rushing flow of time. The center of this work has always been hearing from y’all about the way MMclay has touched your lives. The vessels that we eat from become part of our lives in unexpected ways, and I’d like to take this “memo” as an opportunity to highlight some important connections that I’ve made lately. 

As Fall approaches, I’ve been reminiscing on a recent experience at Sandiwood Farm in Wolcott, Vermont that I had with my family this summer. We met Sara and Bob, the owners of the farm, at my husband’s music event in Jamaica. They mentioned that they owned a farm in Vermont and kindly extended an invitation to visit anytime- months later, we decided to take them up on their offer.   

Sara and Bob welcomed our family onto their amazing land where we spent a magical 36 hours. This hard working couple has spent 35 years building a fruitful farm growing the most delicious vegetables, the most beautiful flowers and harvesting the tastiest maple syrup. 

Quite literally, they grow connections. 

My time there was spent picking tomatoes and weeding Sara's vegetable beds, then wandering into one of the barns for an amazing sunset yoga class, followed by a friends-and-neighbors potluck dinner and the most incredible supermoon. 

This tremendous experience reminded me of the deep importance of community. Hand harvested maple syrup and hand made pottery both represent connection to people, connection to land, connection to crops, and connection to our own selves and our abilities of creation.

If you are in need of a great holiday gift to let your friends know how “sweet” they are, I recommend Sandiwood Farm’s artisan wood fired maple syrup. To bring it all together and honor the idea of connections, pair it with one of our custom hand crafted pourers. The combination is just as sweet as can be. 

-MaryMar Keenan, owner and designer of MMclay