Ruth Cohen and Archie Johnson

Ruth Cohen and Archie Johnson realized a life-long dream when in 2003 they purchased property in a rural, northeastern Pennsylvania town and established Mud and Fire Potters.  Both studied pottery at Pratt Institute in the 1970s, but each pursued a “first” career along life’s road – Ruth as an educator and public school principal and Archie as an architect.  “We had always planned to establish a studio,” says Ruth.  “Archie is a pyromaniac and loves wood firing.  We looked for a place near Woodstock, but after the post-9/11 flight from the city, real estate prices sky-rocketed.”  Instead, they turned to rural Pennsylvania, where prices were reasonable and wood smoke from their kilns could waft freely.  Archie’s architectural skills were put to use redesigning the existing house on the property, and designing the new gallery/studio building and kiln shed.  They operate two kilns, affectionately named Dante, a noborigama kiln, and Firefly, a bourry box. 

The prognosis was grim.  Ruth moved into Archie’s room in the ICU, sleeping on the floor until the nurses found her a recliner.  “I was constantly with him,” she recalls. After five weeks in intensive care, the imminent danger was over and Archie was ready for rehabilitation.  Ruth watched the therapists show Archie flash cards with simple words and pictures.  “He was despondent.  I went home and got some clay.  Archie loves jazz, so I brought some CDs.  Immediately, he was interested.”  Ruth guided his hands, patiently teaching him the simplest techniques, beginning with a primitive pinch pot.  Slowly, over time, Archie began to heal.  Over a 5-month period, Ruth refused to accept that Archie would not “come back,” and she continued to be encouraged by his response to clay and music.  Those first pinch pots sit in their studio, as a reminder of how far Archie has come.  Today, he is troubled only by slow speech and some vision loss.

The small town of Little Meadows rallied around the couple, providing meals and support.  They even built a wheelchair ramp on their home.  Ruth says, “Archie was so determined that he refused even a walker – so we never really even needed it!”  He came home and returned to the studio, gradually “becoming a human being again,” as Ruth says.  Determined to stay and continue to evolve in their life’s work, Ruth and Archie built on what they had started and moved forward.   Ruth expresses gratitude for the support they were given, from the local community and from their mentors in the pottery community.  “Kevin Crowe, our mentor since the 1990s, and his mentor, Jack Troy, were so encouraging, driving out to support us during this time.”

Prior to Archie’s illness, they conducted seven classes each week at the studio, an undertaking that relied heavily on Ruth’s background in education.  Archie jokes, “She’s still the teacher – the principal!,” but Ruth counters, “Yes – and you’re the superintendent!”   Currently, they offer classes only on Saturdays, with a small group of local students.  Their focus is on their work, the work that carried them through a trauma and that has adapted to reflect time’s healing.  Archie says, “I want to use the time I have been given to passionately create.  I am always looking for new directions.”

Ruth and Archie look forward to the upcoming warm weather, which means regular firing of “Firefly.”  The first spring firing is scheduled for the weekend of May 18 and 19.  Two open house weekends are scheduled in late June and early July.  July also brings the annual weekend workshop with their mentor, Kevin Crowe.  Crowe offers a weekend workshop of hands-on throwing, entitled, “Ying and Yang: Throwing Large Pots & Tea Bowls – No Mystery.  Methodology, not Muscle.”   Crowe’s workshops inspire participants to expand their artistic imagination.  See the box below for more information.

Mud and Fire Potters is located at 1002 Bow Bridge Road in Little Meadows, PA, just one mile east of State Route 858.  Look for a large stone bearing the insignia on the side of the road.  Call ahead to ensure that the gallery is open.   Or, peruse the online gallery at www.mudandfirepotters.com

Archie and Ruth’s pottery is also available at several other locations in New York and Pennsylvania.

For more information about Mud and Fire Potters or the Kevin Crowe Workshop,

call (570)623-3335 or visit www.mudandfirepotters.com

Email: mudandfirepotter@aol.com.