The pottery of Jay Gaare of MudPuddle Pottery will make your life full of whimsy with a touch of magic and total fun. We have loved following the work Jay has been creating— from a retro TV planter to earrings to duck key holders and more—all through ceramics! Learn more about this local maker today!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in northern Wisconsin, just across the border from Duluth, MN, in a small rural town. Lake Superior being just a stone’s throw away shaped my childhood, my worldview, and my current artistic practice. I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that I’d convince my parents to let me take home natural clay from Lake Superior shores so I could continue playing with it. Currently, I live in Moorhead. I moved here just two years ago after attending Minot State University for a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Apart from ceramics and my day job, I spend my time fiddling with crafts while watching TV, (apart from re-watching Bob’s Burgers, my fiancé and I have gotten quite into Bones) caring for my animals (a crotchety cat, high-energy dog, and an axolotl), or playing video games.

Describe what type of products you make under MudPuddle Pottery?

Mostly things that I would want in my home, too. A mix of functional houseware to purely decorative, but everything skews towards the silly side. The type of ceramics I make are for the kind of person who enjoys something a little weird, whimsical, and handmade.

Tell us how you got started with your ceramic business?

I’ve wanted to be an artist nearly my whole life. I guess I’m fortunate that I’ve always known it was my calling. Unfortunately, however, art is something that is severely undervalued as a career, never mind without it we wouldn’t be human. I’ve sold ceramics off and on throughout the years at local gift shops, art shows, and to friends, but I’d say MudPuddle Pottery became official in January of 2025. It’s been something I’ve been working towards for years, and really I’m just in the beginning stages, juggling a full-time job, a parttime job, and my ceramic business as well. I’m making baby steps towards the goal of opening a communityfocused studio and working full-time as a ceramic artist.

You mostly work with handbuilding— what is your favorite type of item to create with that process?

My favorite type of item to make is larger sculptural pieces with coil-building or pinch-pot techniques.

What was one of your most difficult pieces you’ve created?

For my senior capstone exhibition in college, one of the pieces I created was a 24 inch by 26 inch wall hanging of a large anthropomorphized flower. It weighs a lot, and had maybe one or two inches of wiggle room fitting into the kiln.

What is your most popular item you sell currently?

It depends on the location where I’m selling. Currently, my best selling pieces online are Key Critters, my wall-hanging key holders; while in-person at markets it’s been the tiny sculpted creatures that go the fastest.

Where does your inspo come from for new pieces?

I’m largely inspired by ancient pottery and the whimsy of children’s artwork. To translate that into my own work, I have a few sketchbooks that I use to doodle in. Sometimes I’ll sketch out specific ideas for pieces, but mostly I enjoy trying to take a two-dimensional drawing to a three-dimensional artwork.

What is something you’ve enjoyed the most about doing this handcrafted business?

Sharing joy through my art. When they turn a little creature over to find a butt and can’t help but laugh, or being told that one of my pieces has become a household staple to them. It makes me happy to be able to share a little joy through art.

What is the most challenging thing?

Time and money. If I could, I’d work on my ceramics full-time, but making art your career is difficult. So for now, I play a balance game between my fulltime job to fund everything, part-time studio work to stay active in the local art community, and selling my work online and in-person to start building my business.

I hear you love Bob’s Burgers (SAME)! What character do you consider yourself most like?

Nat the limo driver. Weird, animal lover, ready for whatever.

What advice would you give to someone else looking to start a handcrafted/maker business?

Don’t make doing what you love into a chore. You really have to balance making things to sell with making things because you like to and want to. Once it starts to feel like a duty instead of a hobby, you have to switch things up a bit.

What advice would you have given yourself five years ago?

Practice on the wheel more.

Being that this will be deep into the holidays—bonus question: How do you recharge when things feel crazy?

Steeping a cup of herbal tea, and cuddling up with my cat Bean to watch a scary movie.

MudPuddle Pottery

Etsy | @brennamandco
Twitter | @pottery.mudpuddle