Custom memorials from photos
Honoring Life Through Sculpture
Our small family studio creates heirloom quality sculpted portrait urns based on your photos or ideas. Each piece is turned on a lathe from hardwood or individually sculpted from porcelain ceramic with the option to add a likeness of your loved one.
Custom Memorial Urns
Handmade sculpted portrait memorial urns inspired by their legacy
Create a custom memorial urn in solid wood or porcelain ceramic that captures the legacy of those you love. We shape each urn by hand, then carefully carve it with the likeness of your loved one. Each urn is made to order in the United States.
Most cremation urns are made for anyone.
Yours is one of a kind
To start, choose a material and style to customize
This made-to-order urn is thrown from porcelain, trimmed, sculpted, glazed, and fired by hand in the Mont Arbor studio in Virginia, USA. Choose the size and the glaze when you order.
This Rainier style carries inlay sculptures on the shoulder and lid. Glaze color is chosen from the options offered for this design. Fired porcelain is among the most durable materials made; with proper care a piece like this can last for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Each urn is glazed and finished by hand, so glaze depth and surface vary slightly from piece to piece. We photograph each finished urn and send you the images before it ships.
Sizes:
Pet - 100 cubic inches of capacity
Petite - 150 cubic inches of capacity
Full - 250 cubic inches of capacity
As a general rule, choose a capacity equal to or greater than your pet's weight in pounds.
A bronze threaded lid closes the urn securely and is designed to keep working through seasonal changes in heat and humidity. Each urn is completely sealable. Urns ship empty; the lid can be opened and resealed when remains are transferred.
Current completion time: [4–6] weeks, or [6–8] weeks from sketch approval with a sculpture.
A deposit of 50% of the total price, shown beside each option above, begins your order and covers materials and about half the labor. Place a deposit or schedule an introductory call to start; if you choose the sculpture, the sketch follows your deposit. The balance is due when your completed piece is ready and before it ships.
This made-to-order urn is thrown from porcelain, trimmed, sculpted, glazed, and fired by hand in the Mont Arbor studio in Virginia, USA. Choose the size and the glaze when you order.
This Lucerne model carries inlay details and the vertical channels that run around the lower body with inlaid bands on the shoulder and lid framing the form above. Fluting is one of the oldest ornaments in ceramics and architecture; under the glaze it gives the base a rhythm of light and shadow. Glaze color is chosen from the options offered for this design. Fired porcelain is among the most durable materials made; with proper care a piece like this can last for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Each urn is glazed and finished by hand, so glaze depth and surface vary slightly from piece to piece. We photograph each finished urn and send you the images before it ships.
Sizes:
Pet - 100 cubic inches of capacity
Petite - 150 cubic inches of capacity
Full - 250 cubic inches of capacity
As a general rule, choose a capacity equal to or greater than your pet's weight in pounds.
A bronze threaded lid closes the urn securely and is designed to keep working through seasonal changes in heat and humidity. Each urn is completely sealable. Urns ship empty; the lid can be opened and resealed when remains are transferred.
Care: wipe with a soft, damp cloth; avoid knocks and sudden changes in temperature.
Current completion time: [4–6] weeks, or [6–8] weeks from sketch approval with a sculpture.
A deposit of 50% of the total price, shown beside each option above, begins your order and covers materials and about half the labor. Place a deposit or schedule an introductory call to start; if you choose the sculpture, the sketch follows your deposit. The balance is due when your completed piece is ready and before it ships.
This made-to-order urn is turned from a single block of solid hardwood in the Mont Arbor studio in Virginia, USA. Choose the wood and the size when you order.
Each vessel is shaped on the lathe and finished by hand. No two blocks are alike: grain, figure and color change from one to the next, so your urn will differ in small ways from the one photographed. We photograph each finished urn and send you the images before it ships. With reasonable care a solid hardwood piece like this lasts for generations.
Woods:
Walnut — dense and fine-grained; deep chocolate to purple-brown, sometimes with a band of pale sapwood; the color warms slightly with age.
Maple — hard maple; pale cream with a fine, even grain and occasional figure; the lightest of the five.
Ash — cream to light tan with a bold, open grain that stays visible under the finish; the wood of tool handles and baseball bats.
Cherry — warm red-brown with a satin grain; darkens noticeably in its first year in daylight and slowly after that.
White oak — tan to light brown, dense and heavy, with a distinct ray fleck where the grain is quartered; the wood of barrels and boat frames.
Sizes:
Pet - 100 cubic inches of capacity
Petite - 150 cubic inches of capacity
Full - 250 cubic inches of capacity
As a general rule, choose a capacity equal to or greater than original weight in pounds. If you need a larger urn urn, we can accommodate you, just let us know prior to checkout.
A bronze threaded lid closes the urn securely and is designed to keep working through seasonal changes in heat and humidity. Each urn is completely sealable. Urns ship empty; the lid can be opened and resealed when remains are transferred.
Engraving is available on request. On the plain form, the full body of the vessel is available for a name, dates or a short inscription.
Care: keep out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources; dust with a dry cloth.
Current completion time: [6–8] weeks.
A deposit of 50% of the total price begins your order and covers materials and about half the labor. Place a deposit or schedule an introductory call to start. The balance is due when your completed piece is ready and before it ships.
This made-to-order urn is turned from a single block of solid hardwood in the Mont Arbor studio in Virginia, USA. Choose the wood and the size when you order.
Each vessel is shaped on the lathe and finished by hand. No two blocks are alike: grain, figure and color change from one to the next, so your urn will differ in small ways from the one photographed. We photograph each finished urn and send you the images before it ships. With reasonable care a solid hardwood piece like this lasts for generations.
Woods:
Walnut — dense and fine-grained; deep chocolate to purple-brown
Maple — hard maple; pale cream with a fine, even grain and occasional figure
Ash — cream to light tan with a bold, open grain that stays visible under the finish
Cherry — warm red-brown with a satin grain; darkens noticeably in its first year in daylight
White oak — tan to light brown, dense and heavy, with a distinct ray fleck
Sizes:
Pet - 100 cubic inches of capacity
Petite - 150 cubic inches of capacity
Full - 250 cubic inches of capacity
As a general rule, choose a capacity equal to or greater than original weight in pounds. If you need a larger urn urn, we can accommodate you, just let us know prior to checkout.
A bronze threaded lid closes the urn securely and is designed to keep working through seasonal changes in heat and humidity. Each urn is completely sealable. Urns ship empty; the lid can be opened and resealed when remains are transferred.
Current completion time: [6–8] weeks.
A deposit of 50% of the total price begins your order and covers materials and about half the labor. Place a deposit or schedule an introductory call to start. The balance is due when your completed piece is ready and before it ships.
This made-to-order urn is turned from a single block of solid hardwood in the Mont Arbor studio in Virginia, USA. Choose the wood and the size when you order.
Each vessel is shaped on the lathe and finished by hand. No two blocks are alike: grain, figure and color change from one to the next, so your urn will differ in small ways from the one photographed. We photograph each finished urn and send you the images before it ships. With reasonable care a solid hardwood piece like this lasts for generations.
Woods:
Walnut — dense and fine-grained; deep chocolate to purple-brown
Maple — hard maple; pale cream with a fine, even grain and occasional figure
Ash — cream to light tan with a bold, open grain that stays visible under the finish
Cherry — warm red-brown with a satin grain; darkens noticeably in its first year in daylight
White oak — tan to light brown, dense and heavy, with a distinct ray fleck
Sizes:
Pet - 100 cubic inches of capacity
Petite - 150 cubic inches of capacity
Full - 250 cubic inches of capacity
As a general rule, choose a capacity equal to or greater than original weight in pounds. If you need a larger urn urn, we can accommodate you, just let us know prior to checkout.
A bronze threaded lid closes the urn securely and is designed to keep working through seasonal changes in heat and humidity. Each urn is completely sealable. Urns ship empty; the lid can be opened and resealed when remains are transferred.
Current completion time: [6–8] weeks.
A deposit of 50% of the total price begins your order and covers materials and about half the labor. Place a deposit or schedule an introductory call to start. The balance is due when your completed piece is ready and before it ships.
This made-to-order urn is turned from combined blocks of solid hardwood in the Mont Arbor studio in Virginia, USA. Choose the wood and the size when you order.
Each vessel is shaped on the lathe and finished by hand. No two urns are alike: grain, figure and color change from one to the next, so your urn will differ in small ways from the one photographed. We photograph each finished urn and send you the images before it ships. With reasonable care a solid hardwood piece like this lasts for generations.
Woods:
Walnut — dense and fine-grained; deep chocolate to purple-brown, sometimes with a band of pale sapwood; the color warms slightly with age.
Maple — hard maple; pale cream with a fine, even grain and occasional figure; the lightest of the five.
Ash — cream to light tan with a bold, open grain that stays visible under the finish; the wood of tool handles and baseball bats.
Cherry — warm red-brown with a satin grain; darkens noticeably in its first year in daylight and slowly after that.
White oak — tan to light brown, dense and heavy, with a distinct ray fleck where the grain is quartered; the wood of barrels and boat frames.
Sizes:
Pet - 100 cubic inches of capacity
Petite - 150 cubic inches of capacity
Full - 250 cubic inches of capacity
As a general rule, choose a capacity equal to or greater than original weight in pounds. If you need a larger urn urn, we can accommodate you, just let us know prior to checkout.
A bronze threaded lid closes the urn securely and is designed to keep working through seasonal changes in heat and humidity. Each urn is completely sealable. Urns ship empty; the lid can be opened and resealed when remains are transferred.
Engraving is available on request. On the plain form, the full body of the vessel is available for a name, dates or a short inscription.
Care: keep out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources; dust with a dry cloth.
Current completion time: [6–8] weeks.
A deposit of 50% of the total price begins your order and covers materials and about half the labor. Place a deposit or schedule an introductory call to start. The balance is due when your completed piece is ready and before it ships.
Handmade to order in the United States by American sculptors
★★★★★ - 5/5 average review
Process & craftsmanship for custom memorial urns
Each of our custom cremation urns begins with a piece of solid kiln-dried hardwood or ceramic porcelain carefully chosen for quality and beauty. Because each tree and piece of clay is unique, each urn will also have its own unique grain pattern and subtle coloring. Rather than see these variations as defects, we highlight these natural differences as we sculpt and polish each piece. It is the nature of handmade sculpted work to vary in small but beautiful ways from piece to piece, and it’s what makes your urn completely unique. Our process ensures each urn is as individual as both the material we created it from and the beloved pet it was made to honor.
Wood selection
Every urn begins with carefully selected and sustainably-sourced hardwood. We personally inspect each log for beautiful grain patterns, coloring, structure, and humidity before we prepare it for wood turning.
Wood Turning
Your prepared timber is then carefully sculpted by hand on a lathe. This process turns the initial piece into the urn that will honor your loved one. This process can take anywhere from one to several days depending on the size, grain pattern, and any residual moisture.
Portrait Carving
Using your photographs, we create detailed relief carvings that will adorn the side of your urn. The result captures your loved one’s unique features such as the curve of their ears, the expression in their eyes, the personality that made them irreplaceable.
Hand-Applied Finishes
We finish every urn with multiple coats of natural oil or colored finishes that are hand-rubbed to bring out the wood's character. This creates a durable, smooth with a warm, natural sheen that deepens beautifully over time.
If you’d like us to create something outside of what we currently offer, we’d love to connect with you. Send us a brief message explaining your vision and we will connect on the best way to bring it to life.
Have something special in mind?
