When a loved one passes on, it is never easy for those they leave behind. If you have the additional responsibility of making the final arrangements, you can find yourself overwhelmed with choices at a time when you are emotionally drained. Funeral homes normally have back rooms with a large selection of caskets, pillows, accessories and urns. The director deposits the family member there to look at it all and make a choice. Cremation is the choice of many today. and when I was faced with the planning of a loved one I looked at the choice of urns and remember thinking the line up looked like little caskets or large apothecary jars. And when my beloved cat, Letterman, died, I buried him in box I found in the garage. The containers were very functional, but I would not call them artistically beautiful to house the remains of a beautiful soul.

Artist Morgen Bosler has had very similar experiences. Every time she helped plan a funeral, she felt the selection did not reflect the person or the pet. The containers were not unique and were mass produced. When her sister died, she decided to handcraft a special urn for her ashes. As she lovingly worked in the clay, she realized that others might want to have a hand crafted, art piece that indicated the special qualities of the person whose remains it contained. The result is Mod-Urn, simple, yet elegant expressions in clay to honor the memory and spirits of ones who have crossed over.

The urns are unlike any I ever seen. The shapes are both modern and timeless. There is an organic quality about them that displays a connection to nature. Each urn is coiled, rolled and patted into shape by Morgen's caring hands, then finished with a matte or satin glaze. Shapes with names like Butte and Adobe Mesa show the artist's inspiration from the natural world, while the model Prayer speaks to her faith. Different models can house the remains of either pets or people weighing from 20 to 200 pounds.

Morgen Bosler has traveled many paths on her journey to Mod-Urn. Born into an artistic family of nine children, she grew up at 46th and Boulevard. As soon as she was old enough, she'd go the Broad Ripple Roselyn's Bakery to buy goodies to share with the canal ducks. The modern look always fascinated her. Before she knew the artists names, she felt drawn to the modernity of Peter Max and strong graphic designs. Growing up at the tail end of the hippie era, she embraced the lifestyle of love for fellow man and Mother Earth. She remembers seeing abstract shapes in her surroundings from an early age. Her mother, aunt and grandfather were artists, yet she did not immediately take an artistic path. She worked for the Pawn Shop, Union Jack's and Mickey Quinn's. When she was bartending at The Elbow Room a high end modern lighting store, Luminata, was located on the floor above the restaurant. The owner would frequently stop in for a drink and when he offered Morgen a job she entered the world of modern design. Modern design proved to be her niche. She explored the field by working at Houseworks and Form Plus Function. In her home at 61st and Broadway, she had a studio and started Kemper Creations. She made and sold ceramic absorbent coasters with innovative designs. She designed the interiors of the fifties diners for Celebration Stations' entertainment centers. Accompanied by her beloved border collie/lab mix, Lucy Lou, Morgen opened Mod-Pod Home Things on College. After the store closed, she took an opportunity to visit Europe. Europe proved live changing when Morgen realized she had to focus solely on her art. She enrolled in ceramic classes at the Indianapolis Art Center and found a mentor there. Instructor, Tim Ryan, unleashed her creativity by inspiring her to "Let go and do it." Today, Morgen creates pods, sculptures and urns inspired by her spirituality, nature and her Aunt Hatter Thomas. She currently is showing in Slaymaker Gallery in Chicago and Phillips Gallery in Salt Lake City.

Creating organic, beautiful urns and memory crosses to honor loved pets and people is Morgen's passion. Watching her work the clay and handle the urns, I felt the reverence she places on each piece. Visit Mod-Urn's site designed by Jason at Lodge Design and you will discover works of art that inspire.