MycoRant

A couple of days ago, I was perusing some wonderful stuff at a local bird seed and garden supply establishment. It was like an oasis in the middle of town. The property took up a whole city block and was what remained of an old farm that existed on the high prairie that is now covered by the sprawl of Colorado Springs.

Garden Mushrooms and Bird Feeders

Bird Feeders from JJ Potts

A tulip garden full of ceramic mushrooms caught my eye. As I looked around further, I noticed there were some rather interesting mushroom bird feeders as well. They looked like they were made of similar material, and I suspected they were from the same designer. A tag on one of the bird feeders identified it as the product of “JJ Potts”.

I asked the proprietor if the glassy-looking shrooms in the tulip garden were from the same manufacturer, but she didn’t know. I figured they had to be though, so when I got home I did a search for JJ Potts. Sure enough, JJ is into mushroom objects all right. Just who is JJ Potts?

JJ Potts

Well, it’s not a person at all. JJ Potts is a company formed by two brothers, Jeremy and Adam Neff, from Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s  a story of a little project that went well an got turned into something bigger.

“My brother and I made the first Shroomyz in a high school pottery class 9 years ago,” explains Jeremy. “A family friend who owned a garden center asked us to make some garden mushrooms that she would try to sell at her garden center. They started selling really well, so we opened up a little factory in the garage. The garage led to a rented space and we needed help so we hired our friends.”

Shroomyz from JJ Potts

Most of the friends have since got “real” jobs after graduating from college, but the Neff brothers still have a crew of part time college students working their way though school.

According to Jeremy, it’s been a long haul for both of them.

“My brother finally graduated just last week with a degree in material science engineering at the ripe age of 31 and I am still working on a geology degree and have a couple of years left. I’m now 27.”

“We’ve had our ups and downs for sure but we’ve grown into more than we ever thought. We currently employ about 15 people and sell our products all over the country.”

The bird feeders are nice and designed to be hung off the ground. The smaller mushrooms are called shroomyz and come in a variety of sizes and styles. The pictures don’t do them justice. When you see them you’ll probably have to have one (or a whole flush). JJ Potts only sells wholesale. They might be available from your local garden supplier. Contact JJ Potts to see if there is a reseller near you.

Tags: art, fungal sculpture, garden decorations, JJ Potts, mycoart, sculpture