Grumbles House welcomes 321 Pottery to Dunnellon. We have started with a few pieces from 3 of the 5 glazes offered and several of our favorite pieces including the microwave bacon cooker. Have you seen one before? It resembles a mug but has an opening at the bottom to allow the grease to pool and be poured into a jar to keep or dispose of. It holds 7 to 8 slices with an average cooking time of 1 minute per slice in the microwave. Just drape bacon over the center well with half inside and half outside. When cool, turn upside down in the dishwasher and it’s ready to wash. We hear so much about not heating plastics with our foods due to carcinogen effects that I think this alternative to frying on the stove top is a nice short cut.
Another great piece is the 2 piece French Butter Dish. Wikipedia explains “A French butter dish is a container used to maintain the freshness and spreadable consistency of butter without refrigeration. This late 19th century French-designed pottery crock has two parts: a base that holds water, and a cup to hold the packed butter which also serves as a lid. The cup containing butter is placed into the base, where water creates an airtight seal that keeps the air (and thus oxygen) away from the butter so that refrigeration is not needed, and the butter can be used in its soft form. This method will keep butter for around a month provided it is kept at temperatures below 80 °F (27 °C) and the water is changed regularly”.
Other pieces we carry are the 16 oz tulip top coffee mugs that don’t spill when you sip, when you need 2 cups to get you going instead of just one. The stick butter dish is small, funky and cute the square baker that is perfect for small casseroles, baked dips and desserts.
I love the pieces shaped similar to canoes for celery, olives, cookies bars, and other small things to serve in. The 3 color glazes I’ve chosen work well with the rivers, lakes and oceans in our area.
Besides the beauty of the pieces, I go for practical use and functionality. The egg plate is an innovative break from the normal round deviled egg platter and the serving bowls have a beautiful shape that makes everything from chips, to fruit, to salad or mashed potatoes look beautiful in them. They nest which is great for storing them and easy to give as a wedding gift, a housewarming or mother’s day present.
The artist behind the pottery is Matthew Powelson and his lovely wife who assists with encouragement, sales and marketing. Matthew is an attorney as well as a potter and said that both in law and pottery, you start with something muddy and messy and apply strategy, vision & intentional work to achieve a goal. Once in the corporate world, Matthew now enjoys private practice where he specializes in IP ( Intellectual Property) Law in Monterey, CA.
With little exposure to pottery, other than hand-building and throwing a few pieces as a child, Matthew toured some pottery studios around Athens, GA. in 2013 and the love story began. He began taking classes which led to an apprenticeship and eventually to this growing sideline business. He continues to advance his skill, technique, and style. He enjoys mixing the clay and glazes from scratch and gets much of his inspiration from nature, western landscapes, modern architecture, and industrial design. He focuses on functional pottery and appreciates folks interest in what he makes.