Hours
Sat & Sun By Appointment Only
Closed Jan-June
Price range from $10-$850
The Stone Soldier Pottery was founded by the late Robert C. Burnell in 1968 along with his wife Connie Burnell. Robert, Connie and their three children Gregory, Jenepher and Bjorn moved into the old North River Hall located in Jacksonville, VT August 1968. With this move brought great challenges as the building had not been occupied for a number of years. The old boiler needed work and fall was just around the corner. With the help from a plumber familiar with such boilers, two of the three story building now warm, Bob set off to the second floor studio to create a line of work, some of which are still being produced today.
As for the name Stone Soldier, lets hear it in Bob's words...
The inspiration for my figures comes from Japanese Hani-Wa sculpture. Han-Wa, literally clay cylinders, were burial mound sculptures - soldiers, dancers, animals, clowns - all to accompany the emperor on his trip to the next world. My first two pieces were much in the Hani-Wa style but quickly evolved into Hani-Wa Bob Burnell style. The third soldier, now my logo, is representative of the marine drill Sargent who in the mid 1950's made his recruits on training drill ford a river numerous times until one of the recruits drowned. I had Sargents like that when I was in the service and decided to immortalize him.
Robert C. Burnell
