Inspiration can strike at any moment and from any place. More often than not, it feels like necessity truly is the mother of invention for us. There are times when a customer's unique need sparks a new idea. Other times, an unexpected situation—like receiving an order of boxes in the wrong size—leads us to get creative and we find ourselves designing at least 25 new hand-built pieces just to make use of those boxes. Check out our new frog trays, adorable, useful, and a joy to make.
Each challenge becomes an opportunity to innovate, it’s what keeps our work both exciting and rewarding as we draw from over fifty years of creating pottery together to bring something fresh and meaningful to our Crutchfield Pottery customers.
All of our pottery is lead free, food, dishwasher, and microwave safe.
Each piece is made when you order it and has slight variations and the artist’s signature and year on the bottom, letting you know that they came straight from our pottery studio to your home!.
Introducing a retro piece from Crutchfield Pottery:
The Frog Tray
This 4” x 8” hand-built pottery valet tray, accented with sculpted frogs, is perfect for holding jewelry, keys, AirPods, reading glasses, spare change, and other small essentials. Especially useful in the bathroom, it can also hold a bar of soap, hair ties, or similar accessories. Food safe and lead free, it also makes a charming individual tray for hors d’oeuvres, sushi, or bread beside your dinner plate.
We moved to a piece of property with a registered wetland near Lake Wenatchee, Washington in 1990, That spring we were serenaded and inspired by frogs. We started producing a line of frog and dragonfly pottery. We have moved several times since but still cherish those memories.
Frog trays began as a solution to an issue and became a playful nod to the past. The design balances whimsy with function. Its shallow base holds small treasures and the frogs are a cheerful reminder to enjoy everyday encounters with nature.
About the Artist
Barry Crutchfield has been making his living as a potter since the early seventies. He opened his own studio in California in 1980, doing art shows and winning awards throughout the United States.
He and his family moved to Washington in 1990 where he continued traveling to art shows with his wife Terri and two daughters for over 20 years.
As the world of online shopping boomed, he traded in his art show trailer for an online Etsy shop to sell his creations. In 14 years he has had over 11,000 sales with an average 5 star rating for his hand thrown ceramic dinnerware sets and functional pottery.
