The Story of Mr. Benny’s Pot Shop

In my career, I have always wanted to create work that is true to me: not what was hip or trendy, but born out of what has brought real meaning to my life. I founded Mr. Benny’s Pot Shop, not only as a retainer for my artistic pursuits with clay, but also to provide a new space where other makers, objects, and ideas could come together to tell a more complete story of the home. That’s why you will find more than just pots. Through a selection of goods that is thoughtfully unrefined, here, there’s anything and everything that builds relationships, and brings joy.

The namesake of this project is my grandfather, Bige Burnett. He was loved by the family and neighbors around him, and was defined by the relationships he maintained. He was called “Mr. Benny,” by friends like Mr. Bob, the meat department manager who worked with him at the A&P Food Store for over 18 years. On his Tuesdays off Benny would take the kids out for slim jims, cokes, peanuts and bologna and cheese sandwiches (but only after the lawn was perfectly cut). He loved spending time with the entire family. He and his wife, Betty, would listen to Dinah Washington records over holidays, in a neighborhood with no locked doors.

I hope that you find the selections of my pottery, pots made by dear friends, and additional handmade goods on Mr. Benny’s Pot Shop to embody this same spirit as Bige Burnett: complex stories that value work, education, communion, and celebration. I want nothing more than for these objects to bring people together. Here, the same cups are meant to hold the adults’ bloody mary’s, and for the kids, root beer floats.

Cheers,
Jason Bige Burnett

photo: Bige Burnett with wife Betty and two of their four kids.