Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Walburg.
Hi Jonathan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, my Jonathan Walburg of Lake Superior Pottery. I make unique functional tableware that embodies the flavor of Lake Superior and the Great Lakes region. I mix local sand, rock, and clay with porcelain and coat it with traditional handmade ash-glazes from the surrounding beautiful hardwoods. It is simple ingredients and strives to be a piece of the area.
My work is heavily influenced by my studies at St. John’s Pottery in Minnesota (2004-06) under Richard Bresnahan, and my subsequent studies in Karatsu, Japan (2006-10), and Ulsan, Korea (2010). During these travels, I visited historic and culturally treasured areas famous for their pottery. Each region was aesthetically distinct from the other as the geology changed which created unique pottery specific to that area. With the pottery I purchased there, I felt I was bringing home a piece of that place. I loved this idea and wanted to share it in my own pottery. It’s an idea of loving a place and being able to take it home with you. Lake Superior pottery is a little piece of the big lake. Something you can hold and use. It’s the place you love, in the palm of your hands. I create on a Japanese-style wooden kick wheel and process local materials and ashes for pottery use in my home just south of Bayfield in Washburn, WI. Check out my daily Instagram posts and my website www.lakesuperiorpottery.com.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am a full-time artist now but juggled full-time employment while building my art career while starting a family for many years. Certainly, my training in discipline helped my drive to devote time to my craft in those early years. Long hours and little sleep were the norms, but it slowly allowed me to build my art business. Now I am a full-time Artist allowing me to focus on my passion and push it further.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What makes Lake Superior Pottery unique is the story. The sense of place and local materials make it more than just a simple mug. I love the idea of loving a place and taking it home with you. Drink and eat from it—an immersive experience in the area you love. Drink from the lake’s beautiful shores. Eat from its gorgeous woodlands. Bring the outside inside your home, into your kitchen, and onto your table.
What do you think about luck?
Ambitiously seeking out opportunities, perseverance and hard work has created amazing experiences that I feel so lucky to have had.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lakesuperiorpottery.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jonathanwalburg?r=nametag
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.walburg
Image Credits
@oxygenimagery
