Service to others. That is a fundamental tenet of Isaac Shue’s church and his life. Now he is serving his family and others though the art of pottery, including a special offering at Christmastime.
Isaac and Karina Shue are founders and owners of Gallery Mostaza in Harper. Isaac grew up here and was active in the Mennonite Church, in which hands-on service to humanity is a vital part of the faith. He participated in church service projects in Miami and Haiti while attending Hesston College, and then Goshen College.
Shue enjoyed art, especially sketching. “I always had a pencil or a basketball in my hands,” he said. He was good at drawing and painting but wasn’t sure about three dimensional art.
While at Goshen College, he was required to take a ceramics class and found he loved the challenge. “It draws you in,” Shue said. He bought a pottery wheel and started making bowls.
“At the end of the semester, there was a student sale,” Shue said. “People bought a lot of my bowls and I realized people would pay for this.”