The Diamond Of Boxwood
I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but I always get a little emotional when someone purchases one of these pieces, and I have to pack it up and watch it leave the store.
It all began several years ago when Leah Donahue and I first opened Boxwood. In those early days of our store’s opening, we were on the lookout for new and interesting products to stock on our shelves. Early one morning in August, we hopped on a train and headed to Shoppe Object, a small gift show in New York City. We walked up and down the aisles looking for things that would fit into the home styles here in Alexandria when suddenly our eyes landed on a breathtaking booth full of color and modern pottery. It was nothing like anything we had ever seen before. I remember looking over at Leah and watching as her jaw dropped. We knew that we had found something very special and had to have it for the shelves at Boxwood.
Leah and I both laugh every time we talk about that day meeting Lawrence McRae and his lovely wife Jill Rosenwald who work together in their studio located in Boston, MA. We wanted to buy everything, all the amazing designs in all the colors they offered. We acted like little children in a candy store, and it took us a moment to calm down and get our first order together. Then came the hard part. We returned home and waited…and waited…and waited for the gorgeous pieces to arrive. One thing we learned in those early days is that we had to be patient on orders from Lawrence. Every piece is made to order and handcrafted on a potter’s wheel. Lawrence himself designs and sculpts each detail in the creamy white earthenware, and then hand-paints it to finish the piece.
When we finally receive a shipment from Lawrence McRae, it feels like we are receiving a precious diamond. We are so careful taking each piece out of its box and placing it onto our shelves and truly love the pieces as if they are our own. When someone loves it as much as we do, and they come up to the register to purchase it, we sometimes have a hard time letting go. I vividly remember the first time we sold one of these pieces. I started to get a little emotional. The customer even said, “I don’t have to take it,” but of course, I reassured her that it was hers to love in her home as much as we loved it at Boxwood.
It’s hard to describe why I love his pieces so much. They can fit into a space in so many ways. They are a conversation piece. They are works of art that deserve to make a statement on a table or bookshelf. They are also extremely functional and make the perfect fruit bowl!
We have just received another long-awaited order of Lawrence’s pottery. The colors in this order are stunning and will fit right in with the design of your home. Come in and see for yourself! We’ve recently rearranged a few things so you’ll see these beautiful bowls and vases front and center and maybe you’ll be the next one to take a piece of my heart home with you!
