Mud Sweat and Tears About Us

Marie has always enjoyed playing with clay. She helped with honey pots as a child and made small bowls which she sold at craft fairs. In high school she sold enough to finance a trip to Japan.

In 2000 she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and her dream of becoming a potter was dashed.

When she is able, she spends time in the studio helping Laura with glazing and decorating, and she throws small bowls as therapy for her MS.

Marie lives in Chase with her husband Paul.

Jersey, Marie and Paul's dog is a frequent visitor to the studio. She behaves as if she owns the place, lying in the middle of the floor, so that everyone has to step over her.

Bruce was introduced to clay when Laura rented a wheel. Although he had never seen anyone throwing, he sat down and made a beautiful bowl.

Six months later he gave up his job as a Purchasing Manager for two Particle Board factories, in New Zealand, to become a full time potter.

He makes a full range of functional domestic ware.

Every winter he throws 4000-5000 Honey Pots for an annual contract.

Bruce has a passion for crystalline glazed pots and is continuosly working to perfect his glazes. He is experimenting with post firing reduction.

Bruce has taught pottery classes and has given many workshops

Laura got involved in pottery when Grant and Marie were babies. She was looking for something to do outside of the home.

The only evening she was able to take a class was Tuesday, and the only courses available at the local college were cake decorating and pottery. Cake decorating seemed a bit too domestic, so she chose pottery.

There were 24 people in the class and only 8 wheels, so each student only got 20 minutes on the wheel each week. Hardly enough time to practice centering the clay, let alone learning to throw. The rest of the time was spent handbuilding. She found it rather frustrating.

One afternoon she saw an advertisment in the local paper offering pottery wheels for rent from a nearby pottery supply store.

She decided to rent the wheel for a month to see if she had any talent.

They moved the furniture in the living room and set up the wheel. While she was cooking dinner Bruce had a try and threw a beautiful bowl.

That was the end of Laura's throwing career.

She now uses a slab roller and plaster molds to create platters and other serving dishes.

Laura really enjoys decorating so she decorates some of Bruce's work and Grant's work as well as her own.

In the winter of 2008-09 when Laura had to have surgery, Grant offered to help with the annual Honey Pot contract. He had helped when he was in school, (one year he made and sold enough napkin rings to buy a Vic20), so he knew what the job involved. He helped with the turning, loading the bisque kiln, waxing, glazing and cleaning.

When the Honey Pots were finished he thought he would like to try throwing.

Just like his father, years before, he sat at the wheel and made a beautiful bowl.

Grant is very interested in glazes and their chemical composition.

He is also fasinated by crystalline glazes and is working closely with Bruce, producing crystalline glazed pottery and experimenting with post firing reduction.

Grant lives in Blind Bay with his wife Chelsea, they have two children, Sebastian and Natalia.

Mud Sweat and Tears studio is situated in Blind Bay on the shores of Shuswap Lake, British Columbia, Canada.

In 1981 Bruce and Laura returned to Bruce's native Canada from New Zealand.

They lived in Kamloops for 2 years, then moved to the Shuswap, opening a Craft Store in the old Squilax General Store. In 1986 they purchased a house in Blind Bay and set up their studio.

Bruce, Laura and Grant use over 12 tons of clay a year, between them.

They use stoneware and porcelain, to produce functional, sculptural and one of a kind pieces.

Bruce and Grant both work on the potters wheel, and Laura uses a slabroller to produce functional domestic ware.

Mud Sweat and Tears has a annual contract to make

4000 - 5000, honey pots for the Nicola Valley Apiary in Meritt.

They have several kilns, a 40 cubic foot gas kiln, 3 electric kilns, and a raku kiln.

They are members of Thompson Valley Potters Guild, Okanagan Potters Assosiation, the Craft Council of British Columbia and the Potters Guild of British Columbia.