Michael Osborn is native of central Minnesota.  He grew up on a small farm and spent much of his time roaming the surrounding woods and swamps that Minnesota is famous for.  After graduating from Verndale High School in1974, he enrolled at SDSU in Brookings, South Dakota.  Four years later he graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in ceramics.  Michael also studied drawing, weaving, water color painting and furniture design while at SDSU.  During his college years he apprenticed with a local potter and developed his throwing skills.   In 1979 Michael and his new wife Linda, established Bushnell Pottery in the small town of Bushnell, South Dakota.
     Over the years their studio has grown to 2 floors, 2 wheels, 5 kilns, a gallery and a second floor wood shop.    The studio now covers over thee thousand square feet and is still not complete.  The large studio and adjacent home sit on a landscaped yard that boasts of large perennial flower gardens, a variety of shade trees, and a thriving fish pond.  Their small home has a comfortable screened in porch with a fire place and outdoor cooking area.  They have come to enjoy their natural surroundings and outdoor spaces.  Michael spends his time working in the garden in the spring, throwing pots, and attending arts and craft shows during the summer and fall months.  During the winter months his time is spent building and designing furniture.   He can also be seen wandering the countryside with his two dogs and Jeep each fall, hunting pheasants and enjoying the outdoors he has come to love and appreciate.
     Most of Michael's pots are rural in nature and simple in form.  Daily use and function are important values that are kept in mind while the pottery is being made. The stoneware pottery is microwave safe, oven safe, dishwasher safe and lead free. The pottery is glazed in the off whites, muted blues, browns, and greens of nature that can be seen throughout their garden and the surrounding rural landscape.  These themes are also repeated through the use of water color like brush work and embossed designs that Michael applies by hand.   
     The small town of Bushnell (population 85) is located in eastern South Dakota along Hwy. 14, near the Minnesota border.  Visitors are welcome any time, but are encouraged to phone ahead.