Visit to Sara Rayner's studio

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
Yesterday I drove to see Sara Rayner at her studio in beautiful Red Wing, MN. The studio is located in the carriage house of a big old home. It was fun to see the pottery works and talk with Sara, she is a very engaging person. The studio was gorgeous, clean, and full of beautiful pots of all shapes and sizes. I bought three pots, a small bunjin, a medium semi-cascade, and a large flat oval. I spent only $200, as her prices are very reasonable for hand made fine quality pots. I have always loved the earth tones in her glazes, and that's what I was looking for and found. Here are pics of the three pots I purchased and some random shots of her studio.

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 

fourteener

Omono
Messages
1,476
Reaction score
1,681
Location
Duluth MN
USDA Zone
3
I was there last Wednesday! My visits have become more complicated. At first I'd go and get anything that was a deal or whatever caught my eye. I had 40 trees and no pots. Now when I go I'm looking for the right pot for a certain tree and I take too much time. Luckily, Sara is patient, helpful, gracious and laid-back.

I don't know about others, but to be honest the sound of those pots(all pots, not just Sara's) scraping each other is a bit like nails on a chalkboard. There is a lot of that sound as you dig through piles of pots!

I got about six or seven pots and did a lot of transplanting last week! Spring is almost here.
 

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
I know what you mean about the scraping sound. I am pretty sure that's why she leaves the room when you start digging through pots.
 

Poink88

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
8,968
Reaction score
119
Location
Austin, TX (Zone 8b)
USDA Zone
8b
Nice! I really envy you guys having that quick access to a great potter.

I can see several pots I would like to buy (like the big pot in the 2nd pic of post #3). Thanks for sharing! :)
 

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
I showed her this pic of my shimpaku in an old pot of hers. She said it was one of the first drum pots she ever made. I bought it from her years ago for $7 !
image.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: n8

grouper52

Masterpiece
Messages
2,377
Reaction score
3,718
Location
Port Orchard, WA
USDA Zone
8
You guys are very fortunate to live close to her!

Several recent updates of mine are in her pots, and I have several others as well. Simply gorgeous pots. If I see some of her pots at a convention or elsewhere, I will always buy one, and later figure out which tree would look best in it, and almost always, later, some tree does.

Never had any problems with one at all. They stand up incredibly well here.

Thanks for the post.
 

subnet_rx

Mame
Messages
219
Reaction score
8
Location
Hattiesburg, MS
USDA Zone
8b
Yeah, thanks for the post, not sure how private she is, but I'd love to see a video of her in action and maybe a small interview.
 

mcpesq817

Omono
Messages
1,810
Reaction score
499
Location
VA
USDA Zone
7
I have in-laws in Minneapolis that I have successfully avoided visiting for the last few years. After seeing this post, I might have to suggest a trip out there. :rolleyes:
 

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
Definitely worth the trip, even at the price of seeing your in-laws ! Red Wing is a beautiful town about 40 minutes south of St. Paul. Lots of potters making "Red Wing" pottery, like jugs and urns and such, but she is the most famous potter there and the only one making bonsai pots.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,182
Reaction score
22,180
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
I don't know if she's the most famous potter there ;-). Depends on which pottery circles you travel in ;-) Red Wing, MN, has long been a source of excellent salt-glazed stoneware stuff

http://www.redwingcollectors.org/
http://www.redwingpottery.com/

Some of the antique stoneware containers made there are pretty pricey.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/REDWING-BEA...338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4172f62592

Sara, however, is no doubt one of the premier bonsai ware makers in the U.S. Wish she would come east more.
 

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
You used to be able to buy a ten gallon crock like that for ten bucks when I was a kid. The older ones have really shot up in value.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,182
Reaction score
22,180
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
well, the seller hasn't gotten any bids.

FWIW, here in Va. the Shenandoah Valley was a center for stoneware in the 1800's. You used to be able to pick up stoneware crocks for a few bucks when I was growing up. One local farmer busted up a few hundred of them to line a drainage ditch back then...Now, a gallon crock can go for $300...
 
Top Bottom