Gertrude's Adventures: urn for a family dog, Gertrude.
Decorated with her hair, and the lid is also a rattle,

Commemorative and funerary pieces are very special commissions. I have created urns and commemorative pieces for dogs, cats and horses.

Using the 'horsehair' firing technique is one way to create a very special commemorative piece. In this technique,
burnished pots are fired in a raku kiln. The pots are removed from the kiln when it reaches about 1150 degrees, and
the animal hair is placed on the pot, burning designs into the burnished surface.


Presto's Spirit: commemorative vase
for a champion horse

Pieces may be made to hold animal ashes, or keepsakes such as collars, tags or favorite toys.
Still others may just be decorative reminders that celebrate the spirit of your four legged family member.

When preparing for these commissions, I like to learn about the animal, seeing pictures and hearing about the personality so I can design a piece the truly reflects the animal for you. For horses, the tail hair is optimum. Dog and cat hair may also be used, but as it is finer and shorter, the decoration will be different.

Commemorative pieces may also be made using more traditional glazes, using stamps, imprinted names, nicknames and/or sayings. And while I mainly work on pieces for companion animals, I am also happy to talk with you about commemorative pieces for human family members as well.