Bay Area Made is a community of values-driven makers from around the Bay dedicated to virtues such as craft, quality, good design, innovation, and sustainability. In addition to building community amongst local makers, we’re dedicated to educating and inspiring consumers to support local companies who create quality products that are better for the user, the community, and the planet. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, to the products we use daily, WHAT WE MAKE locally and HOW WE MAKE IT really does matter.
One of the ways we showcase our community is through our annual exhibition during SF Design Week. This year our exhibition was hosted by Gantri lighting in their beautiful San Francisco SOMA studio. “Bay Area Made: Product Design Stories” featured products from 37 Bay Area Made members, and the stories behind them. The products represented standard, custom, and customized offerings from established and up-and-coming brands spanning home & garden, clothing & accessories, food & beverage, and body & bath, providing a behind the scenes glimpse into who creates the products, and how and why they are made.
In this series we’re featuring select exhibitors and their stories. Here is the first installment.
Check out Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4 of Product Design Stories.
MMclay
After several decades as a potter MaryMar Keenan started MMclay in 2015 when she was given the opportunity to design and produce a custom line of tableware for The Progress restaurant in San Francisco. It was important in her designs that the work was constructed artfully to subtly attract the attention of the user while thoughtfully complimenting the food. Today MMclay produces 6 lines of tableware with that same idea as the forefront of each piece that is created. MMclay is a testament to Keenan’s dedication to craftsmanship and the handmade tradition emphasizing the profound appreciation for the tactile and the tangible, elements that are often overlooked in our fast-paced, digital, mass-produced world.
The handmade nature of MMclay is not merely about aesthetic appeal; it embodies a philosophy that values the slow, deliberate processes of creation and the unique variations that make each piece unique. This approach fosters a connection between the maker and the user, instilling each object with a sense of history and personal touch that factory-made products simply cannot replicate. This kind of feedback that MMclay receives frequently from adoring customers and is the motivation behind the business.
For the Bay Area Made show, bowls are a primary focus as they are particularly poignant in these ideas. Bowls are more than just utilitarian objects, they are vessels that symbolize nourishment, community, and connection. Sharing a meal in how we come together to show gratitude, to celebrate and to commemorate. A handmade bowl is not just a container for food, but a catalyst for connection and ritual. MMclay wares are crafted with mindfulness that elevates them from mere objects to treasured pieces of daily life. Bowls, with their open, inviting shape, serve as metaphors for hospitality, abundance and comfort. Using a handmade bowl can transform a simple meal into a meaningful ritual. The deliberate choice to use handmade pottery in our daily meals highlights our own commitment to mindfulness and a recognition of the intrinsic value of everyday activities. Plus, it provides a deeper connection to the food we eat.
Using handmade pottery reminds us of the importance of reconnecting with the tangible, from one hand to another. It subconsciously encourages us to slow down, appreciate the beauty in everyday objects, and recognize the value of craftsmanship. Handcrafted vessels hold profound significance when made with care and intention.
– MaryMar Keenan, Owner/Designer
Fort Point Beer Co.
Fort Point is an independent San Francisco beer company made up of people who believe the simple things in life can be a whole lot better. We are inspired by our love for SF and desire to make craft beer more accessible. Over the years we’ve grown to become one of the city’s best known independent producers and made plenty of new beers and even a line of ciders along the way. No matter your favorite Fort Point, the same remains true — every can hits that sweet spot between interesting & easy to love.
Each one of our beers starts out as an idea that’s inspired by a San Francisco place or feeling and is then refined and developed at our brewing facility in the Presidio, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
Our cans tell a story about the liquid inside and the city we call home.
- KSA features Grace Cathedral–one of the most iconic landmarks in SF’s Nob Hill neighborhood, that’s also a subtle nod to the Dom Cathedral in Cologne – the city the Kölsch beer style is from.
- Sfizio is our homage to North Beach. Looking up at the copper-clad Sentinel building, stopping by your favorite Italian spot for a fizzy beer al fresco…and sitting and talking for hours as the city goes by, the light changes and you spot the perfect little Vespa cruising towards the bay with a friendly seagull flying overhead.
- Lobos is named after Lobos Creek, the unique water source that runs through the Presidio and supplies our brewery with water. A Lobo (wolf), shrouded among the Cypress trees of Lands End, howls at the moon…or is it a coyote?
- Villager is dedicated to the people of SF–the villagers. Sutro Tower is arguably a local’s favorite landmark…you can see it from almost any neighborhood.
- Animal is a tropical IPA, and the parrots of Telegraph Hill are tropical animals that live in the heart of SF. It’s a perfect match! Coit Tower and the infamously curvy Lombard Street reference the iconic neighborhood these birds originally took over, though you can see them flying through most parts of the city these days.
- Westfalia is a Red Ale that our Head Brewer, Mike, tried in Nuremberg while road tripping through Germany in a Westfalia van. The Fort Point version is intended to be the perfect reward after a long day of driving up the California coast.
– Dina Dobkin, Owner & Creative Director
Kaoru Sanchez San Francisco
I started Kaoru Sanchez San Francisco in 2015, and it’s hard to believe we are coming up to our 10-year anniversary! The time just flew by. They say that happens when you’re having fun. That part is the absolute truth. My inspiration and influences come from childhood and from my tenure at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. As a kid, my aunt Kitty had a fabric store located at The Cannery in San Francisco, and I could not get over the vibrant beauty of the fabric—especially Marimekko. I loved the colors and the bold patterns, and it is no secret that I try to convey the same lightness of being that Marimekko is known for. The same can be said about the museums; every day was awe-inspiring, and every exhibition sparked my creativity.
My process is quite simple in that I work from pen to paper (mostly doodles) and digitally. My kitchen table is my studio, and my best work usually happens when everyone is asleep. My main focus is on home goods (aprons, napkins, runners) and bags (simple totes and shoppers), all of which are sewn in San Francisco by the best sewing technicians. None of what I offer is unique, yet there is an heirloom quality to every piece. I have always endeavored to create with functionality and sustainability in mind, along with a heaping dose of imagination. I see this as the perfect combination, and I look forward to showing you more.
– Kelly Chin, Owner/Designer
Photos by Medium Small
View the MMclay profile.
View the Fort Point Beer Co. profile.
View the Kaoru Sanchez San Francisco profile.
