ABOUT MOON DOG STUDIO
WHO IS MOON DOG STUDIO?
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.
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME MOON DOG STUDIO?
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.
WHY DO YOU LOVE MAKING POTTERY?
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.