Jen: growing up surrounded by craft
My mom had a sewing/crafting room and my dad a workshop. My favorite memories are of spending time in their subsequent ‘shops’ in our house. I would create sculptures out of scraps of wood and little Barbie clothes with leftover fabric, among so many other things.
jen kingsbury yungers
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t creating. Much of my inspiration comes from growing up with my parents. I was blessed with the two of them and always surrounded by the things they made—furniture, clothing, beautiful and bountiful gardens… even complete houses! It established a belief that “I can totally do that myself!” which has given me the courage to try a wide variety of creative pursuits.
As I grew older, I began sculpting things with all sorts of media but I could never shake my love for ceramics. Working with clay is so primal and soothing. I bought a kiln in the early 2000s, had a new rush of creativity at the tail end of the pandemic and I just couldn’t stop making. Before I knew it, I had all these pieces and I expressed to my dad a worry that they would just end up in boxes. Surprisingly, he had the same feeling about his wood pieces and we decided to collaborate and create an outlet for our work here at MUD + BARK
dale kingsbury
Jen: while growing up, our homes were always finished with wood cut — and sometimes turned — by my dad. His first lathe (which just recently bit the dust after some 30 or 40 years!) used an old motor he got from a broken washing machine.
He’s been perfecting his turning style for years, originally making trays using wood from walnut trees felled on the property of the family farm in southern Minnesota. It was an infamous holiday gift to special friends. He’s been turning out masterpieces for years now, often still incorporating some of that Walnut from back on the farm. He has been crafting beautiful furniture, bowls, picture frames, cutting and charcuterie boards, and so much more.
“We hope you enjoy these pieces in your home as much as we have enjoyed creating them for you.”
