Memorial Vessels

Personal remembrance held in clay. Memorial hearts and individually conceived sculptural vessels offer different ways to honour a life—an act of farewell, a keepsake that remains, or a vessel shaped around a person’s story.

Journey Hearts — made to let go.

Created from unglazed terra cotta clay that is low fired, Journey Hearts are memorial vessels intended to accompany cremains to a meaningful final place—a last journey held in clay. They are intended to weather and change over time. Each is individually made as both a vessel and an act of farewell.

Terracotta heart inscribed Jaxon, with a fleur-de-lis and spiral border — Jaxon’s Journey Heart
5” x 5” – unglazed terra cotta

View Jaxon’s wave-pattern reverse →

Jaxon and Jon Ed’s terracotta Journey Hearts held beside the ocean — Jaxon and Jon Ed’s Journey Hearts · a personal farewell

View the trees-and-mountains reverse →

Keepsake Hearts — made to remain.

Glazed and made to endure, Keepsake Hearts are permanent wall-hung memorial vessels created to hold a small portion of cremains and preserve a personal remembrance as a work of ceramic art. Personalized with names, textures, and colors to evoke the person or animal companion being remembered.

Glazed heart inscribed Jon Ed, with trees, mountains, a crescent moon and star — Jon Ed’s Keepsake Heart
8” x 8” glazed stoneware
With or without cremains inside

View Jon Ed’s turtle-pattern reverse →

Dark glazed Keepsake Heart with pale glaze patterns and a gold fleur-de-lis — Jaxon’s Keepsake Heart
6” x 6” glazed stoneware
With or without cremains inside

View Jaxon’s dark wave-pattern reverse →

Glazed heart inscribed Nicky with a raised casting of a dog’s pawprint — Nicky’s Keepsake Heart
5” x 5” glazed stonewear
With or without cremains inside

Nicky’s own pawprint is preserved in this Keepsake Heart. The raised paw was cast from an impression made by his veterinarian—a tangible connection to a beloved companion.

Custom Sculptural Memorial Vessels

A memorial vessel can evoke someone’s passions, a beloved place, or a shared story. These one-of-a-kind commissions begin with a conversation about the life being remembered, rather than a standard urn shape. Whether or not they are made to hold cremains is up to you. I do my best to blend art and a very personal type of utility into a piece that will bring you comfort and a bit of beauty.

Raku memorial urn inscribed Jon Ed with longhorn-shaped handles — Jon Ed’s Longhorn & Texas Raku Urn
10” x 8” x 4”
Made to hold a portion of cremains

View the Texas side →

Raymond’s Magical Sailboat, a ceramic memorial vessel with a man and dog beneath a glass mast — Raymond’s Magical Sailboat
Stoneware, glazes, glass
12” × 10” × 6”
No cremains, only Raymond’s story is contained here

A personal conversation

We can begin with the person, the memories, and whether the vessel is intended for farewell or to remain with you.
Form, surface imagery, names and inscriptions can become part of that conversation.

Discuss a memorial commission →

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