Mugs52 Is Here—Meet the Makers Behind the Collection

After a nearly year-long collaboration with some of the most talented ceramicists across the country, we are so excited to introduce this year's Mugs52 collection. Quantities are limited, so get your hands on your favorite designs (literally!) ASAP.

1. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by A Question of Eagles

• Studio Name: A Question of Eagles
• Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “We were looking toward vintage & traditional transferware pieces when we designed this mug. Obviously, Cottagecore is still a thing with the sustained popularity of quilts and quilted clothes and we are here for it! Coming out of Covid and with everything seemingly still so unstable, it just feels good to lean toward some more traditional and cozy inspirations. We wanted to make it a little more modern though so we pared back the design to one bold floral pattern in a neutral palette.” —Melissa Tolar

2. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Andrew Molleur

• Studio Name: Andrew Molleur
• Location: Kingston, New York
• What was the biggest challenge of designing this mug?: "When I was initially designing my mug the most difficult aspect was getting the proportions correct. The handle had to feel good to hold, the body needed enough volume but not too much and it all had to feel balanced in your hand regardless of being filled or not."

3. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Aziza Mirzan

• Studio Name: Aziza Mirzan
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• What was the biggest challenge of designing this mug?: “I wanted to make a mug that was comfortable to hold, with a good balance of form and function, and so much of that is in the design of the handle. I find making a good handle to be a welcome challenge and am always tweaking my handle design, and as hands come in all sizes, I wanted my design to be one that's easy to grab, hold, and use with ease.” —Aziza Mirzan

4. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Base Ceramics

• Studio Name: Base Ceramics
• Location: Brooklyn New York
• What makes your studio so special?: “I make all my pieces from start to finish in a tiny 100 sqft studio in Brooklyn, New York.” —Catalina Parra

5. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by BKLYN CLAY Made

• Studio Name: BKLYN CLAY Made
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “We wanted to make something that you could walk around with and dip with confidence. Our No-Spill mug was inspired by boat mugs, Star Trek, and Ken Price. The wide base and narrow opening ensure your coffee will be safe on wavy waters or just going from the kitchen to the couch.” —Laura Vogel

6. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Bombabird Ceramics

• Studio Name: Bombabird Ceramics
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• What's something about your mug (the design, its form, material, etc.) that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: "I mix all my glaze in-studio and use unique firing programs in an electric kiln to achieve the desired effect I am after. To achieve the smooth satin finish on this year's mug, it takes 22 hours in a glaze kiln!"

7. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Carved Color Ceramics

• Studio Name: Carved Color Ceramics
• Location: Costa Mesa, California
• What was the inspiration for your design?: "With a history in graphic design, I always strive for something clean, minimal and graphic. The lines on my Food52 Limited Edition mug remind me of how I like my life, balanced yet organized with a pop of color."

8. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Cheyenne Mallo Pottery

• Studio Name: Cheyenne Mallo Pottery
• Location: Olivebridge, New York
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: "The design on our mug is a topographic map of a firetower hike in the Catskill Mountains of New York. The lines that create the design are made by a process called slip trailing (just like icing a cake!), and are raised up on the surface of the pot, giving them a tactile quality." —Cheyenne Mallo

9. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Connor McGinn Studios

• Studio Name: Connor McGinn Studios
• Location: Tarrytown, New York
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “We designed this big old mug for comfort. The angle of the handle is designed to distribute the weight evenly on your fingers when the mug is full and hot, with enough space to slide 3 or 4 fingers through the handle and wrap them around the mug once it cools down a bit. We also added a bit of texture to the surface to give it a nice feel and a little extra grip too!” —Connor McGinn

10. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Convivial

• Studio Name: Convivial
• Location: Kansas City, Missouri
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: "For the past four years, Convivial has had the honor to participate in Food52's Mug Project. Every year we begin our design process with the same form, our 10 oz Minimal Mug, and then we explore new surface designs using traditional ceramic techniques, such as relief carving, hand painted glaze or applying a wax resist design. Our hope is that someone could routinely collect one of our limited edition mugs—knowing that each new mug will seamlessly fit in with any convivial mug previously designed." —Danielle Coleman

11. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Earth + Element

• Studio Name: Earth + Element
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• What makes your studio so special?: “Earth + Element is an eco-conscious studio run by a team of women. We strive daily to conserve resources in our studio from recycling clay, reusing water and everything in between. To minimize our footprint we shred all of our trash into packing materials. Shipping is plastic-free and our care instructions are printed on a pack of wildflower seeds.” —Elizabeth Di Prinzio

12. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Ekua Ceramics

• Studio Name: Ekua Ceramics
• Location: Long Beach, California
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “I often wonder if people realize that the entire piece is stained, it’s not just painted on. If it breaks it's the same color as the inside. I put a lot of effort, hard work, and money into mixing my clays to look the way they do.” —Sara Todd

13. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Elizabeth Benotti Ceramics

• Studio Name: Elizabeth Benotti Ceramics
• Location: Eliot, Maine
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “While trying to defy my natural draw towards cleanliness and perfection this mug was an exercise in pushing me to be loose and abstract. Pinching the clay and revealing the process through texture creates a delicate finish. The decoration is a play on control and freedom to let the materials tell the story.” —Elizabeth Benotti

14. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Erin Louise Clancy

• Studio Name: Erin Louise Clancy
• Studio Name: Queens, New York
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: "The mug remains both timeless and unassuming in its ubiquitous role in our homes. It functions not only as a daily companion to our beverage of choice, but as a sculpture in miniature. When we reach for a mug, we are subconsciously considering all the elements that go into making the form: the right balance in the hand, the placement of the handle, texture, and color (not to mention how much caffeine we need)." —Erin Clancy

15. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by FisheyeCeramics

• Studio Name: FisheyeCeramics
• Location: Catskill, New York
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “This year I made a goal of learning more about glaze chemistry—the inner workings of glazes, understanding why they do the things they do. The satin white glaze on my mug is one of the first glazes I experimented with, adjusting the materials several times to get the surface quality I was looking for.” —Kim Gilmour

16. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Franca NYC

• Studio Name: Franca NYC
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “We played around with a lot of various colors and varying line-weights, it took many tries to find the perfect balance that we felt worked together well on the form of the mug.” —Sierra Yip-Bannicq

17. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Good Girl Pottery

• Studio Name: Good Girl Pottery
• Location: Northampton, Massachusetts
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “My mug’s body and handle are slab built, as opposed to wheel-thrown. I start by rolling out a thin sheet of clay, and then cut the pieces and attach them one-by-one. The process takes a lot of work but it’s really fun.” —Liana Marks

18. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Handmade Studio TN

• Studio Name: Handmade Studio TN
• Location: Nashville, Tennessee
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “When designing this mug, I wanted to create a piece that could remind us of the holiday season, but could also be enjoyed all year long. The heart is a symbol we can all connect with, so we hope this mug acts as a reminder to slow down and embrace the abundant love found during the holiday season.” —Morgan Williamson

19. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Heo Ceramics

• Studio Name: Heo Ceramics
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “The coil on this mug is placed at a deliberate angle so that it nestles naturally between your fingers. My favorite part of the day is the few minutes I spend with my morning coffee, and this detail was designed to bring a heightened awareness to those fleeting moments, as if the warm mug is curling up beside you, or holding your hand.” —Karen Tong

20. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Hotel Ceramics

• Studio Name:Hotel Ceramics
• Location: Portland, Oregon
• What was the biggest challenge of designing this mug?: “The biggest challenge of designing and making this mug was the clay prep work. I spent upwards of 30 hours wedging the clay to make sure the stain was completely mixed into the clay. Having the exact ratio of stain to clay for each mug also took a lot of math that I haven’t had to do in a while!” —Sara Lioanag

21. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Jeremy Ayers

• Studio Name:Jeremy Ayers
• Location: Waterbury, Vermont
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “My inspiration for the design of my mug is creating a mixed clay swirl of two different clays. My work is generally very controlled and tightly designed so this is a contrast to my usual sensibility. The glaze design of the piece is in my sharp, controlled geometric design. The clay swirl is fully revealed in the unglazed portion, while the glazed areas is only partially revealed. The glaze is translucent so some of the swirl design shows through!” —Jeremy Ayers

22. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Jono Pandolfi Designs

• Studio Name: Jono Pandolfi Designs
• Location: Union City, New Jersey
• What was the inspiration for your design?: "The glaze color was the inspiration for this mug. We were testing a few new colors to make a set of gradient ombre bowls for a Special Edition and one of the lavender tones that came out of it was so beautiful that we made it a new full-time glaze for our hospitality clients." —Mallory Rice

23. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Kendall Davis Clay

• Studio Name:Kendall Davis Clay
• Location: Fort Worth, Texas
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “The inspiration behind my mug was a summer trip to West Texas. My background is in painting and drawing, so it just made sense that I would start making tiny paintings on my mug. The color blocks become about interpreting my experience of space and light. I grew up in a small Texas town working the land—I am still inspired by earth and the tactile nature of clay.” —Kendall Davis

24. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by L’Impatience

• Studio Name: L’Impatience
• Location: Kingston, New York
• What was the inspiration for your design?: "This mug is a nod to a limited collection of teal blue-colored pieces we did a couple years ago. Everyone loved its rich and deep color so we wanted to revisit it as a glaze to give it some extra glossiness, contrasting even more with the white raw clay." —Benedicte Leclere

25. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Lail Design

• Studio Name: Lail Design
• Location: Catskill, New York

26. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Lucy Park

• Studio Name : Lucy Park
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• What was the inspiration for your design?: "This mug was inspired by the idea of connection and support. It has a small sphere that shores up the handle and connects it to the hand-thrown body of the mug."

27. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Midsummer Studio

• Studio Name: Midsummer Studio
• Location: Portland, Oregon
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “My mug is inspired by the magic of simple, everyday moments—like cooking a nice meal.” —Amelia Wimmer

28. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Millstream Home

• Studio Name: Millstream Home
• Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• What was the inspiration for your design?: "My childhood spent playing pretend under the evergreens at our old farmhouse has shaped me in many ways and contributed to the thought behind this design and my company in general! Millstream Home is an ode to my Amish heritage and this mug that is handmade in Pennsylvania is a small way for me to keep the memories and legacy of my childhood." —Janelle Stoltzfus

29. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Mud Witch

• Studio Name: Mud Witch
• Location: San Francisco, California
• What makes your studio so special?: “My designs are original inspired by the body-positive movement. That’s why this shape is called a chubby mug.” —Viviana Matsuda

30. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Myrth

• Studio Name: Myrth
• Location: Somerville, Massachusetts
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “We wanted to create the feeling of a blizzard. Here in New England hunkering down with a hot cup of cocoa while the snow comes down outside is a favorite experience of ours. The black slip whirls around the outside of the mug to give this feeling.” —Abby Smallwood

31. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by neenineen

• Studio Name: neenineen
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• What's something about your mug (the design, its form, material, etc.) that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “In addition to being hand thrown, the yellow graphic and stripes on this year's mugs are sketched on each mug individually and carefully hand painted.” —Ninon Choplin

32. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by New York Stoneware

• Studio Name: New York Stoneware
• Location: Bronx, NY
• What makes your studio so special?: “Our studio is unique because we run an urban production-scale pottery wherein every single piece is thrown, trimmed, and glazed one by one by hand by our small team of dedicated artisans. Every single piece is thrown on the wheel by potter William Reardon.” —Lyn Reardon

33. Limited Edition Handmade Mug, by NonPorous Ceramics

• Studio Name: NonPorous Ceramics
• Location: Denver, Colorado
• What was the biggest challenge of designing this mug?: “When designing this mug I wanted to create a form that has the comfort of a handle within the mug itself. The lumps provide a similar hold as a traditional mug by providing a perfect fit between the lumps and your hand!”

34. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Oxum NYC

• Studio Name: Oxum NYC
• Location: Brooklyn, New York

35. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Outi Putkonen

• Studio Name: Outi Putkonen
• Location: New York, New York
• What was the biggest challenge of designing this mug?: “Getting the curve of the belly just right and coming up with a comfortable handle that complements the shape without taking away from the elegance.” —Outi Putkonen

36. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Peaches The Studio

• Studio Name: Peaches The Studio
• Location: Portland, Oregon
• What was the biggest challenge of designing this mug?: “Developing custom colored slip through pigmenting the clay to create colors found in the natural world. This process was full of trial and error—mixing percentages of varying stains into porcelain slip and then firing the tests in the kiln to see how the colors turned out.” —Julia Sherman

37. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by People Via Plants

• Studio Name: People Via Plants
• Location: Richmond, Virginia
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “This mug is inspired by Tulip Poplar blooms, with their saturated dusty green petals and pops of yellow and orange. We love to look to nature for inspiration alongside our most favorite mid-century thinkers of color like Josep Albers. Walks outside are a major part of our studio practice—we get fresh air and fresh perspective and endless inspiration for color combinations like sunsets, moss, mushrooms, caterpillars, and tulip poplar blooms.” —Matt Spahr and Valerie Molnar

38. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Pepper Stone Ceramics

• Studio Name: Pepper Stone Ceramics
• Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
• What makes your studio so special?: “Pepper Stone Ceramics is a one-woman show from creating the pottery to the marketing to the packaging and everything in between. I especially pride myself on my glazes. They are exclusive to Pepper Stone Ceramics and each brings a happy or playful vibe to my kitchen, and hopefully yours too!” —Anna Richardson

39. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Personal Best Ceramics

• Studio Name:Personal Best Ceramics
• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: "Both glaze colors—the yellow and pink—are made without added tints. The colors come naturally from the raw materials in the glaze formula. I mix these and most of my glazes myself." —Whitney Simpkins

40. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Recreation Center

• Studio Name: Recreation Center
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “I think with most of my mugs people are really surprised by all the different textures and what it feels like to touch, hold and place your mouth on the mug. The unglazed raw clay, the glossy glaze, and the rubber handle all feel different while being touched at the same time. The mugs are individually thrown and vary a bit in size and feel, even the placement of the shapes change from mug to mug. All these things, the small variations and the textural differences, are a reminder of what you're holding, an object very carefully and considerately made by another person, all while doing one of life's most important tasks: nourishment.” —Josephine Heilpern

41. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Rory Pots

• Studio Name: Rory Pots
• Location: Burlington, Vermont
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “I have recently been playing with modular construction in my lighting pieces and thought about applying the same intention and design into my Mug52 mug. It nods to a goblet or a chalice both in form and luxury, but holds much more modernity—why not feel like a modern day king or queen while drinking your morning coffee?” —Rory Shamlian

42. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Sarah Cihat

• Studio Name: Sarah Cihat
• Location: Nashville, Tennessee
• What makes your studio so special?: "My studio is in the backyard about 50 ft from my our house in Nashville. I love being able to go to and from my house so easily. It’s especially helpful raising 2 little girls to be able to go back and forth quickly. However, my favorite part is the calm and solitude of my studio. I relish my time alone working and creating in my studio and feel extremely fortunate to have this space all to myself." —Sarah Cihat

43. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by See Saw Ceramics

• Studio Name: See Saw Ceramics
• Location: Longmont, Colorado
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “The geometry of our first aid mug is meant to be playful—using elementary shapes to create expressive proportions.” —Kelsey Julian

44. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Steinicke Holst Ceramics

• Studio Name: Steinicke Holst Ceramics
• Location: Brooklyn, New York
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “The mug is inspired by modern functionalistic design, that's easy to use, and beautiful to look at.” —Simone Steinicke

45. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Stone + Sparrow Studio

• Studio Name: Stone + Sparrow Studio
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “The mug has a little hidden foot that you wouldn’t notice unless you pick up the mug and flip it over!” —Kate Marchand

46. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Tellefsen Atelier

• Studio Name: Tellefsen Atelier
• Location: Middletown, New York
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “Something special about my mug that someone might not know just by looking at it is that I make all of my glazes in-house! I love formulating new glaze colors and have developed a full rainbow of 17 different shades that I keep in rotation. Color brings me joy.” —Alexis Tellefsen

47. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by This Quiet Dust Ceramics

• Studio Name: This Quiet Dust Ceramics
• Location: Lake Forest, Illinois
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “I wanted to design something that would make someone's daily ritual of having a cup of coffee or tea very special. This mug is light—it feels smooth in your hands and it is big enough to indulge in your favorite hot drink. I also know that mugs' cupboards tend to get really crowded, so I wanted to design a mug that could be stacked to save some of that precious space.” —Dubhe Carreno

48. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Utility Objects

• Studio Name: Utility Objects
• Location: Atlanta, Georgia
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: "The utility objects wave mug is only glazed in black on the exterior. The speckles shown are a natural occurrence in the clay that gives it a nice peppery look.” —Aleisha DuChateau

49. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Vo Ceramics

• Studio Name: Vo Ceramics
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “All pieces are one-of-a-kind. I did not use a stencil and just freehand drew the abstract design!” —Nhi Vo

50. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Void & Form

• Studio Name: Void & Form
• Location: Denver, Colorado
• What's something about your mug that someone wouldn't know just by looking at it?: “The pattern on all of the mugs I've created were painted freehand, no stencils were involved. I liked the randomness of each mug being slightly different from each other even though the pattern is at first glance almost exactly the same.” —Natalie Legg

51. Limited-Edition Handmade Mug, by Wild Bower Studio

• Studio Name: Wild Bower Studio
• Location: Mountaindale, New York
• What was the inspiration for your design?: “We wanted a mug that felt cozy and rustic. This is a combination of 3 clay bodies, that we call our Toasted Marbled design which creates an almost landscape effect on the mug like seeing the layers of sand, clay, and dirt piling up over time. Each mug will be its own one-of-a-kind art piece and no two will have the same pattern. We really highlight the marbling by glazing only the rim and the handle of the mug.” —Nicole Helen Brunner

52. Limited Edition Handmade Mug, by Wonki Ware

• Studio Name: Wonki Ware
• Location: Western Cape, South Africa

Some responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.