Deneen Pottery
Favorite part of working at Deneen Pottery? Everything! Working alongside and inspiring our awesome staff and assisting our incredible customers. Getting to be around such a creative process and talented artists - the variety of 'opportunities' that fill my day keep me on my toes. Witnessing the transformation from proof to product.
Getting into a groove can have it’s benefits and drawbacks. I remember a specific experience like this when I installed closet rod supports in our bathroom just before Eloise was born. This seemingly simple project turned out to be just a bit more challenging. Somehow I mounted all 3 brackets upside down… When I picked up the rod, which was supposed to fit right in, I realized the mistake.
My groove of hanging these 3 brackets is no where near the efficiency or rhythm that our medallion appliers get into when working on our handmade logo mugs- but losing sight of what is in front of you as you work was exactly the same. This leads into a wonderful story that was just sent to us from Nick and Maya of Madison, Wisconsin who just recently found our mugs while staying at a B&B. “I recently stumbled upon the Deneen website (while looking at Victorian Dreams B&B in Lodi, WI. ) and instantly recognized your mugs from our kitchen. So I’d like to share a little story with the folks at your company…”
“Back in our days of young love, my wife (then girlfriend) and I lived in southern Utah. Our FAVORITE place to treat ourselves to dinner was Hell’s Backbone Grill, in Boulder, which we could only afford about once a year. Everything at Hell’s Backbone is perfect – the food, the ambience, the people. Which is, of course, a testament to your mugs being there. We were having tea after dinner one night, when my wife noticed the logo on her mug was upside down…”
“We wondered if it was a joke or something? A dissonant detail offered to reward the attentive? We asked the waitress about it, and she laughed and said it must be a mistake, as she pointed to a row of right-side-up mugs on the wall. “You should keep it!” she said, and we did.”
“This ‘mistake’ mug has since become a cherished object of love and memory in our household. It reminds us of our courtship, our time in Utah, and of how some of the best things in life aren’t planned or ‘perfect.’ Until today, I did not know who to thank for this little treasure. Thank you for our purple mug, and please know that not all the mistakes in your work are for naught.”
Unlike the closet brackets, which I had to fix, this delightful mistake wasn’t fixed and now stands for something much bigger and more important. Thank you Nick and Maya for sharing your story and showing us that even when we don’t get things perfect our work is still valuable.
While in Utah Nick lead over 750 field days of canyoneering, rock climbing, mountain biking, and desert hiking, for Zion Adventure Company. He now owns and runs a climbing business called Devils Lake Climbing Guides in Madison, WI. To read more about Nick click here.
Deneen Pottery
Favorite part of working at Deneen Pottery? Everything! Working alongside and inspiring our awesome staff and assisting our incredible customers. Getting to be around such a creative process and talented artists - the variety of 'opportunities' that fill my day keep me on my toes. Witnessing the transformation from proof to product.
