About Us

Sometimes beginnings are hard to pinpoint. I am not sure if Laughing Bear Pottery began in 2021 when I woke up one morning, after a great night’s sleep with the words, “Laughing Bear Pottery” imprinted in my mind. Or was it when my daughter Kari and I bought a half a ton of clay because we went through the previous 500 pounds so quickly? Maybe it was when Kari and her husband put two pottery wheels in their basement? Perhaps it was in late 2018 when Kari asked if I wanted to take a pottery class with her?

Whenever it started is immaterial, what is important is why. Originally, taking pottery classes was a way that Kari and I could get together weekly to learn something new and catch up with each other’s lives. We learned to wedge, throw, trim and glaze. We learned to make bowls, mugs, vases, planters, and much more. Since I have always loved mud puddles and getting my hands in the dirt, learning to throw pots seemed like the next step. 

We make our crafts in the Bluegrass Area of Kentucky, from locally produced clay. Sometimes we work together and sometimes we work independently, but we throw pottery because we love it. We love the way the clay feels in our hands. We love the way that we start with nothing but a lump of clay and using only our imaginations and our hands, we create things of beauty and function. We love the way we can work together, mother and daughter, to strengthen our bonds as we laugh, throw, and try new techniques.