_{Let me introduce myself. I am Claude W. Smith, III, former professor of ceramics at Western New Mexico University. Prior to January 2025, I was a nonmember of the New Mexico Potters’ Association and Clay Artists. Years had separated us, the north from the south. Distance within the state of NM can be daunting, but the organization made an effort in 2025 to close the gap. I appreciated the effort and joined. Although not a new member I enclose a bit about myself.}

_{I have now been retired for sixteen years from Western New Mexico University as Professor Emeritus. I was hired in 1978 to build a ceramics program. Thirty-two years later I left a strong clay studio for future students to enjoy the same ride I enjoyed for over fifty years.}

_{While reading Jonathan Living Seagull by Richard Bach during my pre-graduate summer school days, I realized I was Jonathan. Not a bird soaring to freedom on the whim of the wind, but a young man searching for my true identity. Upon entering the University of Iowa nine months later my goal was to become a studio potter, but an epiphany occurred and I found the artist within and the goal to teach college level students. My challenge became sharing my passion for clay and the creative process of problem solving, which allowed me to have the best job on campus, although very physically demanding. Clay is more than a mere job or subject to be taught, it is a lifestyle. To become a dream maker or teacher was first the result of catching my dream. How many people miss the opportunity to follow one’s heart?}

_{I have sandwiched my creative juices between seven knee surgeries, a heart attack and quadruple by-pass, hip and carpel tunnel surgeries, each time slowly erasing the rusty muscles to find hope and a spirituality in clay and the Great Healer. Thank goodness for grace and muscle memory.}

_{During my fifty plus years of exploring barro and its characteristics I’ve gained a background in throwing, hand-building, cone-ten reduction pottery, salt glazing, saggar firing, saggar firing in residual salts, raku and more recently saggar firing at cone 08 temperatures in the raku kiln.}

Claude W. Smith, III. “Monsoon Season” From a series of saggar-fired tea bowls, Jan. 2026.

_{In closing, “We are all gifted. Our job is to discover those gifts and use them to the best of our ability. My job for years was to assist individuals in finding their gifts. Age doesn’t matter. Assisting them in unwrapping their gifts was as rewarding as making a beautiful pot. Gifts are given. Gifts are enhanced. My time is now and I hope to continue the creative clay efforts. Dream the dream and focus. Hard work, persistence and the love of sharing one’s passion with the world is enough. It was, and is for me, but I don’t close my eyes because I am still soaring.”}