Plates.

Food has to be served on something, right? Rather than lose the opportunity for local, we had a renowned local artist, Judi Munn, make the plates your food is served on at the ‘Fork.

Judy and her husband John produce their pottery at the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View, Arkansas. During the visitor season, you can meet them, and they will demonstrate the art of making wheel-thrown pottery.

Their path to become potters was not a direct one. Both are certified to teach and hold Masters Degrees in fields other than pottery. Judi took up pottery with the idea of adding Art to her list of teaching certifications. In 1992, after a year and a half of classes, she got an apprenticeship at the Ozark Folk Center with David and Becki Dahlstedt. John began his apprenticeship in pottery in 1996. Judi and John both teach pottery at various times of the year at the Folk Center.

We at the ‘Fork are proud to serve our food on plates made by Judi and John – every plate is unique and different, and every plate carries symbols that relate to who we are, from leave and images in nature, to our happy squirrel logo.

Judi’s work is in the collections of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Senator Dale Bumper’s wife. An article written by Judi was published in January of 2002 in Ceramics Monthly Magazine. It was called “Pure Whimsy” and focused on her slip decorated animal pottery. Their work has won a variety of awards and honors. One of her pitchers is included in the book 500 Pitchers.

We hope you enjoy the uniqueness of eating from a plate made by these exceptional, local craft people – the plates they make are as beautiful as their personalities, which are a reflection of our beautiful land, lakes and rivers.