The Best at Bear-ly The Cost

Bear Paws Pottery is handmade, American, and affordable.

by JAIME NETZER

A desire for handmade pottery without sky-high price tags — coupled with a lifelong passion for painting ceramics — motivated artist Caren Williams to open Bear Paws Pottery in Brookesmith, Texas. “A person can go into Walmart and buy pottery for cheap that’s made in China, and there are a lot of people that make really nice pottery but it’s outrageously expensive,” says Williams, who takes pride in her work being both handcrafted and affordable. “It’s really hard to buy stuff that’s handmade in the United States.” Using plaster molds, Williams casts slip from Mississippi and Texas clays to create her artisan collection of pots, vases, pitchers, and jugs. She then glazes the earthenware by hand, signing and numbering each piece. This fall, Williams is re-launching her popular dinnerware line, allowing customers to personalize their place settings without breaking the bank.
FYI: 325.642.3277, www.bearpawspottery.com.