Next time that you get frustrated with some task that you don’t think you’re doing well – you might want to take inspiration from Paul Lundstrom. Nicknamed “The One-Armed Potter,” Lundstrom just showcased his first collection of ceramics at the DK Custom Framing at Gallery 14 in Fargo, North Dakota.

Lundstrom actually has all of his limbs, but he’s been dubbed in this way because his cerebral palsy has severely limited his use of his left arm and leg.  But don’t think that this stops him.  An engineer by trade at Bobcat Co. in Gwinner, and a 2004 graduate of North Dakota State University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Lundstrom hasn’t let much stop him. As his business card states, “My pottery is a product of my belief that I can do anything I put my mind to.”

Lundstrom first started throwing bowls in junior high school as a way to engage in therapy for his cerebral palsy.  He liked it but didn’t continue until college, when he found that it helped him to relieve stress. Now, Lundstrom has been using the facilities at ArtNfusion in Lisbon to create his masterpieces. Having sold approximately 50% of the 100 items he brought to his first show, he’s feeling quite satisfied with the work.

And, Lundstrom isn’t even keeping the money he makes from his pottery. Rather, he’s donating it to the Great American Bike Race in Bismarck, a fundraiser for children and adults with cerebral palsy and related issues.

And, while he hopes that using the name “The One-Armed Bandit” gets people interested in his work, he doesn’t want either sympathy or praise based on his disabilities. As he said, “It’s one of those things. People think I’m amazing for what I do. I’m not really amazing. I just wanted to do things.”