Yesterday I was speaking with a friend, John Maeder, owner and photographer at Pistols & Petticoats - The World's Greatest Old-Time Portrait Parlor. Located in uptown Sedona, AZ. John is a pottery collector who owns a number of my works.
John asked if I was familiar with the pottery of Mitchell Grafton of Panama City, FL. I could not place the name, but when I went to his FaceBook page I realized that I had seen some of his work online a few years back and was pretty well impressed by it. Now looking at what he has online at this point in time I am taken aback at how much truly magnificent work he has done over the years. There is image after image of the most delightful and professionally crafted pieces for one to gaze at. I am more than impressed by this man's work! So much variety and so much quality creates a real feast for the eyes and mind.
For those people who personally know me, they know that I am not usually one to just wontonly give praise to an artist just to be giving praise. I am usually a miser with complements outside of the occasional, "Yea, that's nice". But I must tell you that this work of Mitchell Grafton's is stellar in my highly biased opinion. I am always perjured toward finely designed and executed works of art.
I must place Mitchell Grafton's richly detailed pieces in the same class and league as the works of the Martin Brothers, Jim Rumph,and of course Kris Kuksi. The afore mentioned artists are among those that I consider masters of the fantastic sculptural arts. Mostly artist seek praise. In Mitchell Grafton's case I think praise will be seeking him. I am always awed by genuine ability. Now after all this visual excitement I have to go make pottery!
