As the second anniversary of Shade & Shutter approaches, Mark and I have been reflecting on the past year. It has been a difficult year for many, and we are blessed and sincerely grateful for the support of our friends, customers, and the Key West arts community.

Giving back. During our second year we gave back to the community by sponsoring local arts organizations, including The Studios of Key West, The Key West Art and Historical Society, and The Florida Keys Council of the Arts. We donated pottery and photographs to organizations like the Waterfront Playhouse, the Wesley House, and local schools. We also donated a percentage of our sales proceeds to local charities, including Sister Season and SOS Foundation.

Mark’s ceramics. Mark introduced a new line of pottery that features colorful, fun patterns. He loves finding and creating these new designs. There is joy on his face as he unwraps a stencil from a piece of pottery and a new design is revealed. He also made many custom orders—like mugs, planters and bowls with special shapes and glazes—for individuals and local organizations. Mark says that he loves the challenge of making special custom orders and he seems to have become the “village potter.”

Sarah’s photography. One of Sarah’s photos called “Diesel rust” was shown at the KWAHS exhibition “From a Woman’s Hand”. Another of her photos called “Stepping out into sea spray (ballerina)” was awarded an honorable mention from the International Photography Awards and was featured in the Culture 2021 magazine from the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. Her photo “Chug” was shown in The Studios of Key West members summer show.

Looking ahead. Mark and I could not have accomplished all this without your support. We wish that we could invite everyone to a second-anniversary celebration this month to express our gratitude, but due to COVID-19 we will wait until we can all celebrate together again. Mark will undoubtedly create more beautiful pottery designs this coming year, and Sarah will continue finding more opportunities for stunning photos in Key West. Here’s to a healthy, peaceful new year.