ABOUT

      I joined the local Tennessee Valley Bonsai Society  which allowed me to step into the art of Bonsai with mentors at hand.  Then the accident happened and I lost partial use of my hands due to a spinal cord injury due to an automobile accident.  Everything changed.  Forced to retire early from surgery, I then had time to explore all aspects of Bonsai art.  With all the time in the world, I began to work on the vision and patience.  Be careful what you ask for.

     During the rehabilitation process, I enrolled in Ceramic Art classes at Lee University.  What started out as a hobby, became something more.  Bonsai and pottery became the outlet for my artistic expression. My collection grew and grew.  Use of my hands  remains limited, but I have found ways to overcome with rehabilitation and time.  I started slab building.  Throwing pots on the wheel was near impossible until I found the Strong Arm tool.   My ceramic building skills slowly improved.

     For me the next logical step was to begin creating Bonsai containers for my trees.  My style is mostly “rustic, avant-garde evolving”, if that can be called a style.  I love colors, textures and details. I have been busy adding to my tree collection, searching for accent items and now hand-built ceramic containers. As with any collection, it tends to multiply very quickly. 

     Many people have asked me to “build them a pot” or “what other items do you have for sale”.  And now you know the reason for the website.  They are looking for that unique pot  or accent for their unique tree.  I collect, buy, make and sell wheel-thrown and hand-built Bonsai pots. All of my work [as indicated in the item description] is individually handcrafted so that no two pieces are ever exactly alike, production is limited and exclusive.   In addition to my hand built pots, the site offers collected accent items and production pots [as indicated in the item description] that I have obtained during travels.  The collected items are available to enhance the display of your Bonsai tree or as started pots.   My family states that I have to part with some items to make way for new “finds” and new “builds”.   They just don’t appreciated the collection process of the hobby.  Thus, the website is a gallery that you can view my hand-built containers,  collected pots, slabs and accent items that I “have for sale”. 

       My work is influenced by a life long learning, a long appreciation for the art of Bonsai and a strong desire to create.  My pots are vessels for the art of bonsai. Bonsai is as much rehabilitation for me as surgery was my way of artistic expression for the majority of my adult life. It is my hope that my pottery work will find its way into your collection. I am honored when my creation pottery becomes part of another artist’s vision for their Bonsai creations. 

     By the way……A Foo Dog, also known as a Fu Dog, Fu Lion, or Guardian Lion, is a traditional Chinese and East Asian symbol that represents protection, prosperity, and good fortune. Despite its name, it is not a dog but rather a stylized lion or lion-like creature. Foo Dogs are often depicted in pairs and are commonly placed at the entrances of buildings, temples, and homes as protective guardians.  My children say that I have become a Foo Dog in my retirement.

James