Jim Brown
Functional Stoneware Pottery
John Brown
POTTER WORKS MAGIC AT MUSKOKA STUDIO
While travelling across Canada and working at a variety of jobs, Jim Brown kept telling himself that he would return to his first love - making pottery - by age 45.
He did better than that. At 39, he came back to Muskoka, bought the top of a Precambrian-granite outcrop at the north edge of Gravenhurst, designed and built himself a home and studio to fit the rugged surroundings.
Now his Muskoka Bay Pottery is known as a place to get one-of-a-kind gifts and mementos. His Friendship Bowls, beautiful cobalt blue with clasped-hand figures dancing around the rims, have become classic house gifts to recall memorable visits to Muskoka cottages.
If you're planning to enjoy Ontario's Near- North this year, you might find it worthwhile to visit this studio/gallery and meet Jim Brown, his cats Zena and TC, dog Oreo as well as brother and partner, John.
It won't cost you anything unless you buy, but that's a definite possibility. It's hard to resist his vivid handmade bowls, mugs, goblets, platters, hanging planters and bird feeders.
Born in Cobourg, the son of an OPP officer, Jim grew up in a number of Ontario towns and went to high school in Sudbury. There, in Grade 11, he and some fellow students found the school had a potter's wheel and studio but no instructor.
They wangled permission and began to teach themselves. Results impressed school officials enough to prompt the hiring of a teacher so that by Grade 12, Jim was able to take a real pottery course.
From high school, he was accepted for the prestigious ceramics program at Sheridan College's School Of Design Campus in Mississauga. After a year of college, he travelled twice across Canada, worked in commercial ceramics - making toilets - served in Edmonton as a group home counsellor and started a wood working business in which he lost his shirt.
He then sold insurance for a long stretch to raise money to pay off his debts. This accomplished, he resolved to return to working with clay.
In 1990, he moved to Gravenhurst and began to live his dream. Since then, John has trained as a pottery technician and joined the business. Volunteer work in promoting tourism led to three years as a part time Gravenhurst Town Councillor.
Most of the Brown brothers' work is sold at the studio, but you can also find the best selection at their gallery, Muskoka Bay Gallery, next to the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst and at Signature Craft Shows in Toronto and Ottawa.
Currell, Harvey. "Potter works magic at Muskoka studio" Toronto Sun Sept. 17, 2003