MudLove Pottery celebrates its second birthday
After being cancelled once due to poor weather, MudLove Pottery hosted a Block of Love Party in The Village at Winona to celebrate their second year anniversary of being in business in Winona Lake.
Warm weather enveloped those in attendance who also had the opportunity to hear live music from Abram Galvin and Laura K. Balke, play cornhole, purchase crafts, and eat grilled hot dogs and burgers.
MudLove has reason to throw a party.
Owner Luke Wright started MudLove two years ago with a mission bigger than himself and his small garage pottery studio behind the Village Barber.
Part of that mission is to provide clean drinking water to those in Africa.
Wright has partnered with Integrated Community Development International, more commonly known as ICDI, to give 20% of all MudLove profit to this Winona Lake organization. Part of the mission of ICDI is to provide clean and safe drinking water to those living in the Central African Republic.
A $5 purchase from MudLove gives someone in Africa clean drinking water for a year. 
The sheer number of individuals who stopped by the MudLove Block of Love Party gives an indicator of how well this mission is succeeding.
MudLove’s product line and mission has struck a cord with many students at Grace.
Trent Crofts, a Grace Seminary student loves MudLove because “They have a great cause and great quality.”
Brooke Surgeon, a Grace College student loves MudLove because “of the story behind how it got started and hearing Luke’s passion for making art and how he kinda stumbled into that and how he turned it into a business.”
Surgeon also added that, “Having a place to buy something made locally is really awesome.”
From a technical perspective Grace College student Dave Ferrier said, “I love MudLove because he is a really good potter. When I go into his shop I’m always inspired. His design is simple but functional and really beautiful in that way.”
The product line in the Mudlove Studio has grown with its age. In ad- dition to the popular bracelets, you can purchase mugs, vases, necklaces, rocks, and T-shirts.
MudLove is located in the Village at Winona in the garage behind the Village Barber at 804 G Park Avenue, Winona Lake, Ind.. You can visit MudLove online at mudlove.com and on twitter at @MudLovePottery.
Story and Video by Jonathan Haag | Staff Writer | haagjr@grace.edu
Photography by Cassie Gareiss | Photography Editor | gareiscm@grace.edu
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Angela Leopold
