Pitch Pine Pottery- Mountain Mug

Well, this was bound to happen. If you read and follow The Redolent Mermaid for any length of time, as I have, you’ll come across her pottery posts. Once finished ogling Julie’s incredible handmade finds, investigating the artists’ shops inevitably occurs. Taking a step on that path leads to another step of following the artisans on social media for updates, which becomes a slippery slope when following the potters that the artists follow themselves. All of which led me to my own special little find, Pitch Pine Pottery’s mountain mug.

The band of mountains circling the contours of the mug called to me in no uncertain voice. I’ve been fascinated with mountains for years, but obsessed ever since reading “Into Thin Air,” Jon Krakauer’s first-person account of summiting Everest during a disastrous storm. Not only enthralled by the 7 highest summits, but the extended mountain ranges scattered across the globe and the geological formations that caused them to be. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to see many up close, or even at a distance, but I’d be happy to visit more in North America. Hiking in the Great Smokies was pretty special, but I hope to visit more soon.

Until then, I’m satisfied drinking my morning coffee from this mug. The two distinct hemispheres are the colored bisque lower half and glazed upper half. The etched mountain range and crescent moon remind me of chalk renderings as the white dots transform between puffs of snow and celestial stars depending on how I hold it. The negative space between the jagged peaks and the edge of the glaze draws the eye with its depth.The glaze is beyond pretty, it has it’s own luminosity. Swirls of ocean blue azure with streaks of inky indigo night sky. The edges of the lip rim and handle reveal a rubbed- away tinge of mossy brown. Blue and brown is a favorite color combination, but it was the navy glaze that caught my eye as the mug page loaded on my laptop screen during Pitch Pine’s August 31st restock. Tara, the creator had previewed the items and I couldn’t get these deep blue hues out of my mind.

The glaze is beyond pretty, it has it’s own luminosity. Swirls of ocean blue azure with streaks of inky indigo night sky. The edges of the lip rim and handle reveal a rubbed- away tinge of mossy brown. Blue and brown is a favorite color combination, but it was the navy glaze that caught my eye as the mug page loaded on my laptop screen during Pitch Pine’s August 31st restock. Tara, the creator had previewed the items and I couldn’t get these deep blue hues out of my mind.
Who knows why a particular piece of pottery speaks to anyone? This is the simpler barrel version, which cost $42. There is an urn-like orb mountain mug for a few dollars more I hope to add to my home someday, too. Let me be very real here though. I can’t foresee myself purchasing a mug for more than $50. I recognize the handcrafted work and that they are beautiful pieces of art. But I am a huge klutz and I’ll use this mug all the time, there’s a daily possibility I will break or chip it. I would be willing to spend more on a larger, stationary piece, such as a planter, or a platter.
A lightweight piece, suitable for easy drinking. The swirling base inside the well reminds me of the whorls in knotty pine holes, which is a rather perfect touch for this potter. I love that the maker is inspired by nature and her own love of mountains. What natural wonders inspire you? If you’ve come this far in reading, thank you, do share which figures grace your home, or would if you could gather them around you.
I’ll continue spinning my globe and daydreaming of mountains.