For Lisa and Adam Mauer Elliott, the art directors of American Craft, using what is made by hand connects them to the makers. For 27 years, they’ve purchased, made, and been gifted with craft for their home. Their table is set here with pieces by 16 artists, including Taeko Tanaka Perry, Sue Pariseau, Jim Sannerud, ME Speak Design, Pig’s Eye Pottery, Estelle Mauer (Lisa’s mom), and Lisa and Adam themselves. “To eat on any given day is to be nourished by the work of many,” says Lisa, “and by earth, sun, water, fire, heart, time. A simple act of setting the table becomes a dance—a gift, both palpable and profoundly powerful—of time spent noticing and appreciating connected-to-the-earth things and the people who made them. There’s a community of artists—Tom, Taeko, Leo, Alexis, Adam, Estelle, Sue, Jason, Lisa, Eric and Lori, Jim, and Jojo—in attendance at this table.”
Gathering at the Table
End Note: Lisa and Adam Mauer Elliott share their collection of handmade tableware.
By the editors of American Craft
September 2, 2022
Pieces listed in order of arrangement on table from back to front:
Large textured brown hand-built ceramic bowl
Tom Abel, Cracked Clay
crackedclay.com | @crackedclay
Wooden rice scoop serving paddles (shamoji)
from Miyajima, Japan
unknown artist
Ceramic tea pot
Taeko Tanaka Perry
(Former student of Warren MacKenzie)
Vintage teak serving trays
Succotash Retro (owners Paul and Noreen Allbright)
@succotashretro
Small ceramic bowls
unknown artist
Wood slab sushi plates
Crate & Barrel
crateandbarrel.com
Pinch pot made with fire clay, stain, light glaze
Leo Tushaus
Ceramic pourer
unknown artist
Raku ceramic bud vase
Alexis Zaccariello
alexiszaccarielloart.com | @alexiszaccarielloart
Reclaimed oak mat with leather bindings
Adam Mauer Elliott
@inakastudios | @earthskywaterlove
Ceramic stoneware pitcher
Estelle Mauer
(Former student of Warren MacKenzie)
Hand-turned cherry salt pinch bowl
Adam Mauer Elliott
@inakastudios | @earthskywaterlove
Ceramic plates
Sue Pariseau, Old Crow Studio
suepariseaupottery.com | @suepariseaupottery
Ceramic bowls
Jason Kaping, Pig’s Eye Pottery
pigseyepots.com | @pigseyepots
Pigment ink–printed cotton linen textiles
Lisa Mauer Elliott
@inakastudios | @earthskywaterlove
Hand-planed charred-tip Japanese chestnut chopsticks (hashi)
Eric and Lori Wright, The Wright Revival
thewrightrevival.com
Hand-turned reclaimed oak chopsticks
Adam Mauer Elliott
@inakastudios | @earthskywaterlove
Cherry + ebonized oak chopstick rests
Adam Mauer Elliott
@inakastudios | @earthskywaterlove
Hand-carved oak + buckthorn spoons
Adam Mauer Elliott
@inakastudios | @earthskywaterlove
Hand-carved birch spoon
Jim Sannerud, Jim Sannerud Studios
Hand-carved birch spoon
JoJo Wood
jojo-wood.co.uk | @jojowoodcraft
Woven seagrass placemats
Ikea
Ikea.com
Layered super mull bookbinding fabric as table runner
The Shop at Minnesota Center for Book Arts
shopmnbookarts.org | @shopmnbookarts
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American Craft Editors
