Mill City Museum welcomes new gift shop arrivals: Pottery from Moon Dog Studio of Ely, MN

Nov 10, 2024 | shop/share

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Welcome to Moon Dog Studio

Where You’ll Find Contemporary ceramics, with an emphasis on function, so you can use them every day.

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About

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My name is Nina Wray & I am the potter behind Moon Dog Studio. My love of pottery began when I was in high school. I was lucky enough to go to a school with a solid art program & two pottery studio classrooms. I took every pottery class offered & spent many lunch hours & after school hours in the pottery classroom. I dreamt of the day I’d drive around the country, touring craft fairs, with my loyal dog in the passenger seat. Somewhere along the road my love of travel & the outdoors took over. The transient nature of my career in experiential education made it difficult to pursue my pottery interests. More than a decade later, I have circled back to my first dream job as a potter. Now I spend most days working in my studio while my loyal dog lazes happily nearby.

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I love the outdoors & going on adventured into the wilderness. My previous career in experiential education allowed me to spend the better part of the last decade outside. The name moon dog comes from a rare celestial occurrence when the moon appears to have a halo encircling it or often looking like two dimples of light on either side, called a moon dog. I have been lucky enough to see moon dogs on many of my trips into the wilderness. The name was chosen to remember those long nights spent gathered around a fire, or a camping stove, enjoying some of life’s simple pleasures. I also happen to love dogs, so that doesn’t hurt.

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I love the way pottery can become a part of our daily lives. It is our favorite mug, the dish we share a meal with, the planter our flowers grow in. Clay is a medium of seemingly endless possibilities. I find it inspiring to know I can continue challenging myself by trying new forms or new techniques. My current challenge: making my own glazes.

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