Bay Blogs: MMclay

Ethan Carel

11-11-2022

Bay Area Artisans: MMclay

Learn more about MMclay, a small production team who specialize in making handmade ceramic tableware and homeware.

"Designed To Make Daily Rituals Special".

MMclay is really something special. I was browsing online for some local handmade kitchenware I could bring into my home, and I was delighted to discover MMclay and their very charming collections of beautiful kitchenware. I could not wait to start writing about them!

MMclay began as a one-woman project run by the amazing artist and designer MaryMar Keenan back in 2015. Her Progress Collection, which was designed specially for a local San Francisco restaurant, is what brought her business to the spotlight. Today they have a larger team and a variety of different collections.

"Whether our pieces join your life as part of your morning coffee, family dinner, or home decor, we hope they can provide a reminder of the slow beauty that human hands can create." -MMClay

Chefs and restaurant owners are becoming more aware that the food, and what the food is served on, are equally important when we dine. Recognizing this, MMclay places emphasis on hand-creating tableware that is unique, stylish, and that can last a lifetime.

Because of their commitment to creating tableware that is equally charming as it is durable, the demand for their lines have only gone up. It is easy to see why they ship out their craftsmanship almost daily to businesses and people's households.

A Dive Into Their Collection

They offer a wide variety of different lines and collections that each have their own character and charm. I am pretty certain that you could find something that resonates with you after looking through their impressive collection of wares.

By far one of my favorite collections I came across was there "Onyx" series. Borrowing directly from their description on their website, Onyx is inspired by the gemstone itself, and "this line features a glazed rim of bluish white speckled tones on a semi-matte black glaze". I find the appearance of the collection very appealing.

Another composition I like is "Glacier". Borrowing directly from Mark Taylor's description on his website, each part of the collection is "a meditation upon the physical properties of geomorphic processes, is meticulously drawn with a glaze pencil, then coated with a layer of matte glaze, and fired to maturity". Natural phenomena like "the erosive forces of rain and wind upon sediment" are what inspired the creation of this artwork.

Amman Accommodation: Kempinski Hotel

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting such a nice hotel to be part of a tour. Kempinski Hotel was in a great location in Amman’s central business district, the service was outstanding, and the rooms were very comfortable with the biggest and best pillows I’ve ever had. The bathroom towels were gigantic and just as luxurious as the fluffy robe. I couldn’t have wished for a more comfortable bed for the 13 hour sleep I had on my first evening - after 30 hours without it.

Spending 15 minutes each day in the complimentary steam and sauna room in the Spa helped me recover from jet lag. The buffet breakfast and dinners were also delicious and full of Jordanian food. Hotel breakfast and dinner buffets are included in the Globus tour. There are local restaurants within walking distance to the hotel if you want to eat out. You will love having 5 Star accommodation at affordable prices on your Escape by Globus tours.

I would highly recommend visiting their website at https://mmclay.com to check out their whole collection! I spent a good hour just scrolling because of how interesting every single collection is.

All of the pieces in this blog post can be found on MMclay's website. Some pieces may not still be available for purchase. All photography used in this blog post is courtesy of MMclay.