Debi Smith

I received my Master of Arts degree from California State University, Northridge and have been teaching studio art, art appreciation and art history courses for over 20 years in California, Nebraska and Currently the University of New Mexico at Los Alamos.

I tend to be drawn to treatments that use natural and raw processes such as Saggar and Raku. The unpredictability of the finished product is quite exciting. Because of the additive and subtractive processes while sculpting, I also find I use a sculptural aspect, even with wheel thrown pieces by shaping and carving the surface.  Whether a piece is hand built or wheel thrown, the feel of clay in between my fingers connects me to the earth. A spiritual grounding. It takes me back to a time as a very young girl, digging a hole in the backyard and filling it with water, I would mix the mud and create things. Clay and I had a destiny to meet. 

As a native New Mexican, I have a deep connection to my homeland. I have been working in the clay medium for most of my adult life. I am inspired by the multi-cultural aspects and land of New Mexico. Primarily a sculptor, I love telling narratives of my experiences and connections to earth and life itself.  Through the shapes, textures and colors of my surrounding native land in addition to my personal experiences, I continually embrace the creation cycle from the raw earth to the finished piece.