Mae: Maya Lovelace and Zach Lefler

I just loved both of them as soon as I met them. They were finally creating their dream restaurant (Mae), and Maya was remembering the river rocks in the place of her childhood. My pots are so much like that, she said, immediately connecting with that sensual element to my work that I always hesitate to describe in this culture that can be so prim. But not with them. Like a professional, I didn’t go on, but you know how there are people who are clearly comfortable in their skins? They just gently smiled at me and I spent the rest of the year focussed on their needs. All photo credit Josh Chang :)

Mae is inside Yonder (doing takeout! currently). Mae has a chef’s (set) menu. The seating is 22, I think. I made 25 pieces each of small and dinner plates, soup bowls, and then 3 serving pieces 8 each, working in white porcelain as well as a local mid-range red clay from Dundee, OR, from the same pits that provided the bricks that made old Portland. Yes, that became a nightmare in my studio, but when I look at these photos from a shoot they did, it all feels so beautifully worth it. Mae is first on my list to visit with Joel if they manage to re-open. Please! saverestaurants.com. Please. Maya and Zach paid their staff properly, they were socially responsible, intolerant of industry bs, and they were focussed on food equality. Standing for these values is so hard, and especially now as the entire food system is getting such a major shake-up, we need to start seeing why these small businesses are so down-to-the-roots important.

….but, all culture-making aside, I also just want to drink up all that flavor!! oof!….