The Slip Trail Blog

Sunday morning August 25th gathering on the new slab for future ceramics education building in Pot Hollow. Photo by Leonard Baca

As NMPCA celebrates 50 years, we gather together in
August, 2024 to renew our community in clay, 
learn together and celebrate creativity over 3 days,
ensconced within the grandeur of Ghost Ranch. 
[Prelude by Michael Thornton]

We can be grateful to Michael Thornton for organizing another year of New Mexico presenters – what happens every other year. This time we had this great line-up: Lee Akins “Fear No Glaze,” Barbara Campbell “Alternative Clay and Faux Finish,” Kerry Halasz “Photographing Ceramics,” and Sheryl Zacharia “Forming Technique and Design."

After the workshop, Michael sent a mass email to participants, which included an invitation for participants to send in comments and photos for the Slip Trail article. Here is what was sent:

Hello all, Just wanted to touch base after our great weekend of ceramics workshops at Ghost Ranch. Thanks to all who participated, and to our great presenters! Through this email thread we can all share our photos from the workshop with the group. Cirrelda will be working on writing an article on the weekend event for publication in the NMPCA Slip Trail, and requests that any participants who want to chip in their 2 cents to provide her a pithy statement of their experiences. Any submissions must be made by September 15. Cate reports that Sheryl’s Terra Sigillata is a custom mix made for her by NM Clay. It is not available off the shelf, but can be special ordered. Thanks to all for making the workshop a success! --Michael

Thank you, Michael for all of your hard work to make this Workshop so successful!!  Not only was it very informative and inspiring, but it was a lot of fun!!! --Charlotte 

Thank Michael for all your hard work. I really enjoyed spending time with the group.  When my demo is completed, I will send out a photo and will send an in process to Cirrelda. Hope to see u soon! Thanks all for your patience and attentiveness!!! --Sheryl  

Huge thanks to the NMPCA Board & volunteers for putting together the ceramics workshops at Ghost Ranch. There’s nothing better than conversations with other artists who share your passion! --Kat Richter-Sand

Thanks to all of you who helped the workshop run so smoothly, I enjoyed being a part. --Lee

It was a great workshop and I am so happy with everyone’s input for the new space. Wish I had paid better attention in the photo part, I thought I got a few things, but I sure messed up on others.  I am trying very hard to get into a space that doesn’t resist learning this stuff. Thanks again to everyone for the great clean up job and all the wonderful exchange of information. --Barbara Campbell

Hard to believe a week has gone by already. I’m still thinking about the workshop and how much fun it was and how much I learned. Thank you to Barbara, Lee, Sheryl, and Kerry for your presentations, and to Michael and others who worked on the organization for this workshop. Looking forward to the next one. Best wishes, --Kathy (Kathleen Allen / Jemez Springs and Pittsburgh)

Some of us had come before, others for the first time! Regulars from Placitas, Albuquerque, Cuba, Rinconada, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Jemez Springs were joined by first timers from Philadelphia and West Texas. Our usual 3rd weekend in August saw some cloudy skies, and just a few raindrops. The pool was still open and a few of us swam on Saturday afternoon. Meals were fabulous connecting times as usual, and our evenings afterward spent at Pinon Pottery Studio with slide shows by presenters sent us into deeper realms of the imagination expressed in clay and fire and chemicals. 

BARBARA CAMPBELL, the Ghost Ranch ceramics coordinator,  shared her knowledge of the self-hardening "Taxidermy" clay (reinforced with fiber), the body she uses in her TruGreen Clay seminars at the Ranch. So, we all got to play with it! Barbara provided bamboo skewers for internal armature, and encouraged us to experiment with shapes we don’t normally try with standard clay bodies. In plentiful supply, our entire group engaged with the material in a varied array of expression, all around the one indoor table. A Facebook album shares all the pieces. Here is the piece Barbara made, showing the flexibility and strength:

And the form created by Katy Halasz

Above 2 photos by Barbara Campbell.

Cate McClain's finished Taxidermy piece, "Mochi."

Photo by Cate McClain.

After our Friday afternoon working with Taxidermy clay under Barbara’s guidance, the evening was turned over to LEE AKINS, whose slide show focused on the inspirations that are behind his pieces. He showed us his works chronologically and sprinkled in autobiographical anecdotes about his journey with clay. Juxtaposed with a piece would be a photo of something that influenced the idea or the making of that piece. 

"... Architectural influence... adobe walls and passageways … " Photo by CC Snider-B.

KERRY HALASZ is a photographer in Santa Fe, NM who also enjoys creating with clay. Her preferred way to photograph ceramic work is to use only natural light. She brought and recommends this type of light box which will also soften fluorescent light (Impact digital light shed from B and H photo).

Kerry: “Your camera doesn’t need to be expensive.” She uses a zoom lens, Aperture priority, f stop to 16. 

Typically, she sets up camera at angle, always set at horizontal, unless it’s a tall piece. She uses deflector panels for her portrait work, and sets up outside if not too windy. Later, in the editing mode, she utilizes Photoshop Lightroom. In phones, she uses “Vivid” setting, along with “Adjust,” “Highlight,” “Shadows,” and “Contrast.” 

Kerry demonstrating her preferred light box while shooting Sara D'Alessandro's piece. Photo by CC Snider-B.

Kerry offered custom photo sessions with participants later in the day. We all gained from hearing her honed perspective on making choices when photographing our work.

Katy holding the screen to focus more light, while Kerry adjusts camera to shoot object in outdoor setting. photo by CCSnider-B. 

Kerry pointing out an object.  photo by CC Snider-B.

LEE AKINS on GLAZE – Lecture with Slide Show. Lee lives in Rinconada, and is on the faculty at UNM Taos. “For all of us glazing is one of the most frustrating parts.” Lee added that if you want a certain look you have to approach this in a studied manner. How we decide what to glaze, like how we decide what to make, benefits from thought and intention, to achieve what we envision. “Choices” abound! 

Choosing to use glaze to accent carving: Celadon glazes will run and flow into the lines. Lee recommends getting to know your glazes by working with 5 instead of 20. Shoji Hamada used four, saying, “When I learn these four, I will move on to more.”

Here are some useful anecdotes captured in Lee’s lecture: “What pattern what shape? Not arbitrary random.” … “Design principles: 1. Simple form can use a complex surface /abstract. 2. Complex form /keep glaze simple.” Lee tends not to use gloss glaze that causes reflection. One potter’s piece that was shared used “patterning, repeating shape of pot, implying function in the decoration.”

He showed examples where a “complex form was sticking with one glaze” then contrasted it with a “fairly complex form that had a glaze used to accent form with slip trailing.” Then, he presented an “opposite, to break the rules: large complex sculptures with multiple heads using many glazes.” Many more useful anecdotes were given by Akins in an absolutely wide-ranging panorama of glazing possibilities. 

After the slide show, Lee had us assembled back at the common table, with all his tools laid out. 

Photo by Kathleen Allen

Lee's glazing tools, photo by Kristin Welch.

The question, “WHAT IS GLAZE ANYWAY?” lead into demonstrations of DIPPING, POURING. BRUSH, SPONGING, SPRAYING, COMBING, SPLASHING, TRAILING. While glazing, he stresses the use of 95% minium mask, better to use a respirator because of the fine particle size. He uses a glaze notebook, as well as Pottery Notes app!

More advice: “Thickness is critical. Not preparing glaze properly will affect. Focus on measurement by weight more. 100 milliliters of water will weigh 100 grams. Make your own cup marked after weighing. Specific gravity! 100 water to 145 chemicals.”

Favorite tools of Lee’s: Whisks. Power mixer and immersion blender! IKEA whisk fits in drill! Brush vs spatula to force stuff thru sieve. “Thickness of a dime -- some glazes like shino need to be super thin.” More practical advice: Plastic knives better than metal for removing glaze. And, “Hamada used big ladle to do swirl.”

The result of this far-ranging lecture had many around me echoing my own feeling that we couldn’t wait to get back to our own glazing tables – this “refresher” had us inspired to go back home and try all the different methods we’d known of, but had forgotten or ignored. 

SHERYL ZACHARIAH, born and raised in New York, and resident of Manhattan as an adult, has made her home in Santa Fe for over ten years. She has been a member of NMPCA for a while and has given another workshop to us in the past. She began her demo in the afternoon, and brought a piece already bisque-fired, then created another sculpture with a whole stack of slabs she had pre-rolled out, to be stiff enough to build with. 

Sheryl Zacharia with her bisque-fired piece she brought to demo glazing. Photo by Kathleen Allen                         

In her description of her making-mode, she spoke of “coil vs. slab’ and talked of joining slabs in a coiling method. She went on to describe more of what’s important to her, saying she is "self-taught, no training.”

Uses the clay body Super Sculpt (NM Clay) fired to cone 5. She has one thousand sketches in her phone – an idea can be in her head, or not.

Drawing process is what leads her creations – she showed the drawing that she will create for us. She will identify the ones she likes, so the same shape may have 6 different ways to finish. 

Describing herself as a Modernist, she was a kid who loved Picasso. She strives to not let “others’ ideas get in [her] head.”

Starting with oval, she cuts away. Then she stamps the slabs before she builds with them, using templates. A very key tool for her are the oval and circle cookie cutters! 18” bottom - to make oval, long line with circle drawn. Eyeballing vs measuring - it doesn’t have to look perfect, just has to “look right.”

Builds with slab strips like coils. Builds hollow, no supports. Starts by rolling slabs 1-2 days ahead so not lousy goosey. Cutting slab pieces for building she uses straight edges. Loves texture- goes to garbage room. Makes her own stamps. Keeps scrap bowls that become the slip for joining. Scores and slips sides to be joined. Uses old scraps to shore up seam. Fills in the seam.

Generally she works on two pieces at same time. Combining white and brown clay bodies even when folks say you cannot. 

Paddles seams. Justin Novak teacher, was a proponent of drawing, and a big influence, because Sheryl, too, is a proponent of drawing! Loves texture and is inspired by textiles.  NY Museum of Art and Design resident!!

She’s a painter. Not just solid color but rendered color three coats. Layering makes it interesting 

Light wash of black Mason stain over stains in terra sigillatta. 1.5 cups hot water white terra sig, Mason stain.

Gestural wiping following form of the piece. Black underglaze pencil is also her “go-to,” making lines with flexible, metal straight edge. She definitely goes for the “Layered Look.”

That evening, we got to hear her story via slides – from her earliest pieces and years, on through many affiliations with other artists, in school settings, or studios. She shared an amazing, varied journey of shape exploration. Series upon series inspired all of us in the darkened room. There are many different “periods” and many different influences. Thank you so very much, Sheryl!

 

  

Roller Coaster Sky #5 side 2300, by Sheryl Zacharia

Roller Coaster Sky #5 side 1300,  by Sheryl Zacharia. Finished piece from workshop demo, submitted a few weeks post-workshop. Photos by Sheryl Zacharia. 

BARBARA CAMPBELL’s Day 2 shared the next step with the now dry Taxidermy pieces: painting of our pieces. An array of acrylic paints and acrylic inks (Golden “High Flow”) was shared with the group. The “test” piece we each created was first painted white, then allowed to dry. We then painted a few coats of the color, then applied sealant which is thin. 

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Before lunch, we gathered at the cement slab for the new ceramics studio, in the area near the arroyo below the Dining Hall, where the former Ghost Ranch ceramics studio, Pot Hollow, sat before the 2015 flood. We heard Barbara Campbell describe the building that would be constructed in months to come. 

A fitting end to an elightening weekend – looking to future times with clay camaraderie, ahead!

On the new Pot Hollow Ceramics Classroom slab. Photo by Kathleen Allen.

--Slip Trail Editor, Cirrelda Snider-Bryan, September 22, 2024.

Over the last 50 years, NMPCA members have come from as many as 45 New Mexico towns! 

Some years, north of La Bajada has had more members. Some years, south of La Bajada has had more. And, there have been some of us who live in other states, too. 

[A note to why I use La Bajada as marker between north and south comes from Wikipedia which cites the wonderful book “Dictionary of New Mexico and Southern Colorado Spanish” by Ruben Cobos: The distinction between río arriba and río abajo dates back to colonial times, and continues to be a cultural and linguistic division in New Mexican Hispano society.]

Place is important! And the fact that our organization represents the whole state means even more, knowing that New Mexico covers 121,591 square miles (314,915 km²), and is the fifth largest state in the U.S..

1986

38 years ago, our New Mexico Potters’ Association, August 1986 member list shows us this array of towns that members lived and made clay objects in:

Members from New Mexico -- 64, from 21 towns, total

From the rio arriba – north of La Bajada -- 21

Chama 1 / Embudo 1 / Chimayo 1 / Las Vegas 1 / Santa Fe 15 / Los Alamos 2 / 

From the rio abajo – south of La Bajada – 43

Las Cruces 2 / Hobbs 1 / Clovis 1 / Glenwood 1 / Gallup 1 / Ruidoso Downs 1 / Socorro 1 / Peralta 1 / Albuquerque 24 / Corrales 4 / Rio Rancho 1 / Sandia Park 1 / Placitas 2 / San Ysidro 1 / Madrid 1 / 

Members from Out of State -- 6

Tuscon, AZ 1 / Aurora, CO 1 / Denver, CO 1 / Ormond Beach, Florida 1 / Salinas, Kansas 1 / Washington, Connecticutt 1 / Topsham, Maine 1 /

2006

Here are the towns we lived in 18 years ago, referenced from NMPCA Directory of Members 2006:

Members from New Mexico -- 172, from 45 towns, total. 

From the rio arriba – north of La Bajada -- 78

Las Vegas 1 / Taos 7 / Ranchos de Taos 2 / Arroyo Hondo 2 / El Prado 2 / Embudo 3 / Dixon 3 / Chimayo 1 / San Juan Pueblo 1 / Hernandez 1 / Medanales 1 / El Rito 1 / Abiquiu 2 / Chama 1 / Farmington 2 / La Plata 1 / Cuba 1 / Santa Fe 42 / Tesuque 1 / Los Alamos 2 / Lamy 1 / 

From the rio abajo – south of La Bajada -- 94

Galisteo 3 / Sandia Park 5 / Placitas 1 / Tijeras 3 / Cedar Crest 1 / Bernalillo 1 / Corrales 2 / Rio Rancho 3 / Albuquerque 46 / Los Lunas 1 / Belen 2 / Peralta 2 / Elephant Butte 1 / T or C 1 / Glenwood 1 / Gila 1 / Silver City 1 / Carrizoso 1 / Lincoln 1 / Ruidoso Downs 1 / Roswell 6 / Artesia 1 / Hope 1 / Las Cruces 5

Members from Out of State -- 12

CA 2 / CO 1 / OK 1 / TX 2 / AZ 3 / FL 1 / NY 1 / MD 1

2024

Here is where we came from May of this year, gathered from NMPCA Member Data by Membership Coordinator Jenna Ritter:

Members from New Mexico -- 212, from 40 towns, total.

From the rio arriba – north of La Bajada – 126

Los Ojos 1 / Farmington 1 / Chama 1 / Cuba 1 / Jemez Springs 1 / Abiquiu 4 / Santa Fe 74 / Tesuque 1 / Questa 2 / San Cristobal 1 / Taos 8 / Rancho de Taos 6 / Los Alamos 5 / White Rock 1 / Arroyo Hondo 3 / Embudo 3 / Arroyo Seco 2 / Dixon 2 / El Prado 1 / El Rito 1 / Espanola 2 / Chimayo 1 / Glorieta 1 / Lamy 1 / Pecos 1 / Las Vegas 1 / 

From the rio abajo – south of La Bajada – 86 

Galisteo 1 / Cerrillos 1 / Albuquerque 52 / Placitas 5 / Sandia Park 3 / Edgewood 2 / Los Ranchos 4 / Rio Rancho 4 / Corrales 3 / Magdalena 1 / Carrizozo 1 / Gila 1 / Silver City 2 / Las Cruces 6 / 

Members from Out of State -- 9

Tuscon, AZ 1 / Fullerton, CA 1 / Lakewood, CO 1 / La Quinta, CO 1 / Mancos, CO 1 / El Paso, TX 1 / Houston, TX 1 / Los Angeles, CA 1 / Transverse City, MI 1

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For even more trivia, compare our state’s area (314,915 km²) to that of other countries: Poland (312,679 km²), Oman (309,500 km²), Ivory Coast (322,463 km²), Norway (323,802 km²), Italy (301,336 km²).

Other places for whom ceramics is important – combined area of North and South Korea is 84, 565 sq. miles (South Korea is 100, 378 km², North Korea is 123,138 km²), Japan is 145,869 sq. miles (or 377,973.89 km²).

According to the 2020 census, NM is the 15th least populous state in the U.S..

What is your impression of these different years, of towns lived in by New Mexico clay makers? We leave it to your interpretation, dear Reader. Please leave your thoughts in comments. Looking forward to hearing what you have to say. 

-Cirrelda Snider-Bryan, Slip Trail editor 9/5/24

This map file is my own personally-purchased property - Cirrelda S-B.

Part 2 - Clay Connections July 2022: The Issue of Pricing Your Work

Cirrelda: I used to sell at the Los Ranchos Growers market for a couple of years and then at book fairs, I made wooden boxes to display my tiles alongside the books we published.  The whole pricing thing has always been really hard. At Los Ranchos Growers Market friends would come up and I would say, “Have a 6-inch tile that I’ve spent 3 hours on for 15 dollars.” It was not great. My Etsy shop started in 2009 -- I love their set up, it’s an affordable fee. I don’t like what they have done in past couple of years where they’re pressuring artists to have free shipping and stuff like that, though. I have over 100 sales on my shop of my house number tiles. I got to a point where I was adjusting the price to make it be worthwhile for me. I charge 15 dollars per number tile, then a set of 4 would be $60. That was higher than at the Growers Market. A really nice “arts and crafts” tile website is charging so much more than I ever did. I just took the house number tiles off of my Etsy because I don’t want to have that take up my time anymore. Since I have retired from teaching, I am do “pop up” sales once a month. My Etsy shop is more of a showcase these days. I was part of a gallery for a few years. I’m inspired by a young artist in Santa Fe who makes one-of-a-kind hand-painted bowls selling at the Hecho a Mano gallery. She charges $150 for her hand-painted bowls, similar to all the hand-painting that I do. And it’s encouraging me to charge more.

Adam Emery - screenshot taken from zoom.

Sheila: What about you Adam, are you selling your pieces?

Adam:  I am, I did the studio tour last year. And, that gave me a good chunk of money. I’ve got a repeat customer come to the shop last few months and buy pieces. And I sell from the shop. And then another show.

Sheila: Good for you. 

Mo: What studio tour are you in? 

Adam: The Santa Fe Studio Tour. 

Sheila: Are you doing it this year?

Adam: Yes. 

Leonard: Adam did you happen to see in eNews the show that’s in New Orleans? 

Adam: I did. I was thinking of doing them again. 

Leonard: I saw it and thought about you right away. 

Cirrelda: So, Adam the person that keeps coming back to you, is that a good relationship? Is that somebody you feel good about making stuff for them? Do they ask you to make specific things?

Adam: They buy. Uh, some of the work is just bad, and my grandparents have told me that people will buy the bad stuff even if you don’t like it. 

Cirrelda: Haha. 

Sheila: How are you determining your price for things, Adam? 

Adam: I do small work under 10 dollars. And then I have some small work, 40 to 50, 60 dollars. And then large sculptures from100 to1000, depending on the work, the time I put into it. 

SatShabad Khalsa - screenshot taken from zoom.

Leonard: SatShabad? You bought my slab roller correct?

SatShabad Khalsa: I did. Yes, I like having it. I don’t use it too often, but I’m glad I have it.  

Leonard: Good. How are you doing your sales? 

SatShabad: Well, I haven’t been in any shows in quite a while. I’ve done the Contemporary Clay Fair a few times and some school shows in Espanola. So, here I am just kind of interested in hearing how other people are doing, so thank you. When I have priced my stuff, sometimes it was based on where the show was. Like if it was at a school show, I wouldn’t put my best work there so I didn’t need to price very high. But for other places, I guess I might have a similar way to Steve. I base on size, and maybe how long it took me. But if it’s a smaller thing, but maybe took me a really long time, that would be something I’d price higher. Also based on how much I like it or not, hahaha. I rarely do it by time because I take a while to do things, so that’s maybe not getting close to like If I were to have a hourly rate for myself, I wouldn’t get anyone near me. Let’s see, I have, depending on what show, like if we do charge tax or keeping my credit card fees, I add that in. Let’s see. Like I have on occasion, in different shows, I have done really well sometimes, and then not great the next time. Sometimes I hear that my prices are too low. In a way I think that kind of depends on each person, the buyers, their perspective or where they’re coming from financially with this. They say that something is worth more and they can pay more. So, when I’ve heard that prices are too low, I try and raise them a little bit. But then they didn’t sell. I don’t know, there are so many factors. And I don’t know if it has to do with my prices or not, those times that things don’t sell. But yeah, these days I’m mostly just spending my time in class, I’m in Sheila’s class right now, at the college. I don’t have much time to focus on sales really right now -- I‘m just practicing my skills and my designs and that kind of thing. I usually do sales when I have enough hand-building work. Now I’m focusing on learning on the wheel, and so wanting to get my skill level to where I like it, you know whenever I feel like I’m a little bit closer. I might this fall or winter look in to for things to sell, just trying to get into my thing ahead of time. Thanks to everyone for the inspiration. 

Judy Nelson-Moore - screenshot from zoom.

Leonard: Okay Judy, it’s you.

Judy Nelson-Moore: So, we had this sentence in the announcement that said, do you make work to sell? And I’m the person who doesn’t fall into that category. I don’t really make work for sale. But I do sell my work. I’ve participated in group shows. And I have a show coming up in Taos where the work will be for sale. The way I used to price my work is I would go around to galleries and look at prices others were charging. I’m a sculptor, by the way. I feel like pricing sculpture is really kind of a different animal. If you go by the hourly-rate you could really be way off. I mean some stuff don’t take very long to make, but they sell for a lotta money, from other artists. But some sculptures that I make take forever and they don’t sell for anything. But anyway, I would go around to different galleries, I would look at work what I thought was sort of comparable in size of my work, and contrast, and I would try and figure out, okay how does that compare with what I would offer my work for sale. And I found that sculptural work is just all over the world in terms of price. So, I gave up that idea. Now what I do, is I look at the work and I say, “How much am I willing to let this go for?” I only put work in that I’m really proud of, what I really like, the rest of it goes under the hammer. And then I look at that and I say, how much am I willing to let go of these for. There’s also some consideration for if it’s too low, people won’t value it and they won’t buy it. If it’s too high, of course they won’t buy it either because they can’t afford it.  So, those are the two considerations, “What am I willing to let it go for.”  And “How much will indicate its value to whoever’s going to buy it.” Very vague, can’t do a spreadsheet on it, I don’t think. So, that’s my method. 

Leonard: I get all the time from the guys at work. There’s a bowl that has a price on it that says $50 or $60 they say, “No you can get more for it.” And I charge a little bit more. I’m doing multiple glazes, the crystals really grow well, and I really like the piece and the way the glaze plays, has a lot to do with the cost. If the glaze is just kind of on there, and it didn’t run the way I wanted it, then it doesn’t have the same effect to me. 

Judy: The aesthetic qualities. 

Sheila: I think all of you mentioned that, so that’s I think something very significant. Steve and Elaine and SatShabad—all mentioned that, how much they liked the piece. Determined what they would ask.

SatShabad: How much you would be willing to let it go for. That could be a problem too, because if you’re pricing something you don’t love lower. You don’t actually love it maybe. 

Sheila: I don’t think anybody realizes the clay can do magic and then it can do – just where it’s placed and everything. These things just aren’t reproduceable most of the time.

Judy: I really wish there was some other way to get my work out into the hands of people who love it, without having to sell it. Certainly, I am not going to give it away, they’re not going to value that, that’s not the way things work in our society. But I really wish there was a way I could give it out to people.  Because I feel like we need art in our world, we really need art in our world, especially now, we need people who are looking at art, having it open it up their minds to new possibilities and new ideas. That is what I would really like my work to do in the world. But I haven’t figured out yet how to do that without that commercial aspect of it. 

Cirrelda: I love that you bring that up Judy, I’m wondering about trading. I’m also wondering about a book my husband and daughter have read, called The Gift by Lewis Hyde. It talks about the power of giving. I know a lot of public places have art that’s been donated by the artist to be in a specific place. And I know the place is really happy to get it for free. I am throwing those out there because I think that’s a really important point you have, about art needing to be out.  

Sheila: And that’s like the mosaic pieces that you do, Cirrelda, they’re beautifying spaces, it’s such a legacy that you create. That magazine that you shared, the mosaics. It’s kind of also what Judy is talking about, but it’s not so easy with a piece that hangs on the wall or sits on a pedestal.  

Mo: Another thing is teaching. I think someone like Judy that I’ve actually been able to sit in a class with, and Andrea, and other people. That’s where it’s not a physical piece that I have, but that’s certainly a part of carrying your legacy forward. I just had a class last weekend in precious metal clay, people get so excited to learn how to do this in their art. I have been excited to be a part of that. Frankly, the years I have spent teaching a lot of classes, I have made a lot more money as far as just the money thing. And I love it. So, for me, I have to weigh those two things, I love being here my hand in the clay, I also love teaching which takes a lot of time and effort to think about. 

Judy: I’m going to be doing a workshop in Taos, the first weekend in September [2022]. So, anybody who wants to learn how to do paper clay and a trip to Taos – watch for the announcement on eNews. 

Mo: I’m going to try to get in on that, so if anyone wants to drive up for the workshop together, let me know.

Two years ago, July 14, 2022, nine participants showed up for the Clay Connections zoom, lured by this blurb: "The issue of pricing your work." Do you feel guilty about the prices you need to charge in order to make a living off of your art? Do you struggle to reconcile your feelings of disgust at rampant, unchecked consumerism with your desire to make and sell your art? Do you make your art to sell? If you do, how do you decide the price?  NMPCA Slip Trail Editor, Cirrelda Snider-Bryan, plans to record this session to incorporate into an article in the Slip Trail about pricing.  Join us for this lively Clay Connections to discuss this controversial topic. Co-Hosts:  Sheila Miller and Judy Nelson-Moore

Originally, motivation for this discussion began with an email from NMPCA president, Andrea Pichaida, saying, “This article might be an interesting topic for a Slip Trail article: The Economics of Art (and Craft) and Why You Shouldn't Feel Guilty about the Prices You Need to Charge to Make a Living."

Another article mentioned in the discussion is: In the Studio: Pricing Artwork. And the article Leonard mentions here is called Pricing Your Artwork, published in Slip Trail. 

The nine attendees, Sheila Miller, Leonard Baca, Steve Blakely, Elaine Biery, Merlene Walker (aka Mo), Judy Nelson-Moore, Adam Emery, SatShabad Khalsa, and Cirrelda Snider-Bryan, all agreed to have their spoken thoughts shared in an article.

The effectiveness of zoom platform and the small size of our Clay Connections group made this a success. Even taking into consideration the strange effects of meeting on a screen, the input from all created a fabulous and wide-ranging perspective on pricing. Thank you to these folks … for showing up, for being thoughtful about sharing their experiences and learnings, and … for waiting two years for this! 

Clay Connections Zoom 7/14/2022

Judy: Okay we’re ready to go. Who wants to start?

Sheila Miller screenshot from the zoom.

Sheila: I’ll start. This came about from another project that Andrea had sent to Cirrelda. And then Cirrelda has forwarded a couple more, which, if you’re interested in reading, are in the chat area. I don’t have anything profound to say on this topic, more that I wanted to say what I find very interesting is that 2 of the 3 articles she supplied to us said that the importance of paying yourself a living wage. Two articles referred to that. I honestly hadn’t considered that before. Partly because I don’t keep track of the amount of time that I am spending on a piece. It seems a little tedious to me to do so when you start making the piece, bisquing, glazing, everything. So, I don’t keep track. But it’s interesting you know because our time is valuable. So, I’m going to take that into account moving forward and try and determine that. There are other factors that are there in the article too, like I said, two of them, the importance of keeping ourselves in business and paying ourselves a living wage and not undervaluing ourselves, that was really valuable for me to hear and a tool I had never considered before. I think I tried to do an assessment of other pieces were similar to mine to get my pricing, and once I got into it, I had an idea of what pieces what people were willing to pay. I think that’s a very important component that I myself hadn’t considered. 

Leonard Baca - screenshot from the zoom.

Leonard: A few years back, the lady that’s in the white shop up in Taos did article on that. Betsy Williams. She did an article about that in the Slip Trail years ago. She talks about that, about how you price your work. Give yourself a raise, and that type of information. And I took an Etsy class they said the same thing again. I was starting to develop a cost because I mix my own glazes. And then, if you know how much glaze you’re using on a particular piece. Anybody here customizing, mixing glazes or just using commercial glazes? Steve? Yes. Adam? Yes. Elaine? Do you? Elaine: No, I use Desert Sand glazes. Leonard: I can share that with you. It works out kinda nice. You can set it up for what chemicals you use for a particular glaze and then that gives you your cost. Maybe I should share it on the website for tools and information. 

Sheila: Leonard can I ask you, what about if you’re buying equipment? Like I bought a new Shimpo wheel last year, I bought a used kiln. I bought a slab roller. I guess I never think about re-couping the cost for those things. 

Leonard: It’s just like any business, you depreciate that information, if that’s your sole income. But even if it’s not … I just kind of set it up. If you’re making let’s say, if it’s under $1000, it’s more like a hobby, right?  If it’s over that amount, then it’s a business, and you’re gonna have to pay taxes on it. But you can write all those off. You write off all your expenses, you write off your equipment, it’s depreciated --- just like you do any other business. And that’s the way things work. You start with your bookkeeper. You just keep track of it. That way you’ll have it available, or, you’re leading up to that point. 

Merlene "Mo" Walker - screenshot from the zoom.

Mo: For me the best way was to set up Quicken. I did this 20 years ago, and designated the different categories. At the point that you decide that it’s a business.  One of the things for me in pricing is considering I’m in a different place today than I was several years ago when I was actually wholesaling to galleries and shops. You have to be really cognizant of that, if you ever plan to go with a gallery. Now I’m doing the art tour in Eldorado, so it’s my studio, and I don’t have to worry about 20-50%. But I still keep my pricing the same as if I was going to sell to a gallery, and factor that in, because I would be thinking, “Oh well I’m selling out of my home so I can sell it for this amount.” But at that point, if you’re not willing to give up 50% I think it’s really important for all of us, and you probably all know that, when you’re figuring the difference between wholesale and retail, when you’re figuring up that pricing.

Leonard: Another thing that came up when I was doing a little research on it, is how you attempt to represent yourself with a gallery or a show, or how you’re marketing your piece. So, I create a little price tag that has my name on it, the piece’s name, a little description of what I’m making, more personal, and a little tear-off tag so that if it’s a gift they can tear off the tag, and save the label with the piece itself. The reason I did that, and the article I’m reading says, if you’re going into a gallery or a store, instead of just a price tag, it kind of represents the piece a little bit more. And I noticed when I restocked my area at the shop, and I didn’t put any labels on anything, it kind of cut back on some of the people that were just walking by pick it up and wanting to buy it, if it didn’t have a price on it. I thought that was kind of important. Something I did notice about that though if it was in the studio, or in the gallery and it had the price tag, then it looks really good. But if I package it, if I’m going to go to a trade fair, everything’s boxed up, then the tag does a little damage. Then it’s more about the label, the label on the piece, then the tag is if it’s on display. That really helps you market the piece.  When I bought something on Etsy, and then when I got my product, I got this cool little envelope with a thank you card, my receipt, and a business card, and I think they put stickers in it, stuff like that. So, it’s little pieces that dressed up the piece. So, I do the same thing again for my when I ship something out, I typically pack it like a gift for them, re-marketing my store. Those are marketing tips that help show that you’re not just a home potter, but you’re trying to get it to the next level up.

Mo: I will say, Leonard, all those things figure into the cost of the piece, too. 

Leonard: exactly. 

Mo: at that point, that’s why to me Quicken is good, then I’ve got everything I spent as well as the marketing aspect as well as the product. So, I look back and go, wow, I didn’t realize I had this much money tied up, you know. 

Leonard: Keeping up records really helps to show what you’re spending and where your profits coming in, and see what, you know, what your volume is, and then you can show that you’re at least covering your costs, and then try to recreate that again for the living wage. How much time am I spending, am I starting this for $5 an hour? Or am I selling this for $20 an hour? That makes a big difference. 

Cirrelda: I’m curious for the 9 people that are here, how each of us sells. So, Leonard you sell at your place of business and you have an Etsy shop?

Leonard: When I first was doing it at the shop, I just did like an Open House at the shop. I had all my customers and friends over and family. It was more like a holiday-type event. I did a lot of sales, like in just one evening, started out in the $500 range, then the next time I did it, it was in the $1000 range. So, it worked out kinda nice. What I want to do now though, is I just want to do two events, and do it at home. So, I can invite people to the house, set up the work, have a little bbq, invite friends over and then do your selling that way. Get in a rhythm, come once in the summertime, and once towards the holiday season. And that’s kind of what my goal is planned to do. 

Judy: You also do the Etsy shop, right? 

Leonard: Yes, I do an Etsy shop. There are so many people on Etsy – if I try to search for somebody in Albuquerque who does ceramics, it’s going to be hard to find them. Cause it’s about self-promoting. So, you self-promote yourself on Facebook, you self-promote yourself on Instagram, then, word-of-mouth, friends. Then once I start doing that a little bit more, I get a little bit more sales. It does show you, just like what that we did on Facebook we show the results for the Celebration of Clay: how many people have gone, and how many have “liked.” Etsy has kind of the same thing. It tells you how many people have searched for a certain product or name. And it tells you the product name.  also tells you how many people searched for your shop this week or this month and you can put any kind of resources in it. So, it looks like I had lots of people coming, but my sales really happen during the holiday season. And they pretty much drop off after that. Then there’s another gentleman who is on my Facebook page, and has an Etsy shop, but he empties it out, right? So, his stuff is gorgeous, and his stuff is not inexpensive, but he has a huge base. So, what he does instead of paying a fee every month (you pay like 20 cents for 90 days - it’s not that much) until you sell the product, then it’s a little bit more. So, what he does is he empties his shop and turns everything off. Then he does an announcement, “Hey, I’m having a show and I’ve restocked.” Everybody’s excited to go. Then he makes all his sales like in a month or couple weeks, everything’s sold! because everybody anticipates they can go and look at his work and buy his work. After that he turns everything off and he doesn’t have to deal with it during that time. So that’s a different way and one that works. Who else has an Etsy shop? 

Cirrelda: I do. 

Leonard: Do you? 

Cirrelda: I’ll talk more about my Etsy in a little bit. But I am curious to hear from Adam, Elaine, Steve. I want to hear how all the others sell. 

Cirrelda – Elaine, you use the studio tour, right?

Elaine Biery - screenshot from the zoom.

Elaine Biery – Yeah, whenever they have them. For years I did the studio tour and it was really successful and in fact I think you came the last year that they had it, Cirrelda. But they haven’t had it for the last 2 or 3 years and I don’t know that anyone is going to pick it up. So that was always real successful. I sell from my home. I do the Contemporary Clay Fair, used to have it twice a year, now they’re just going to do it November, that always works really well. You know you build up the clientele. People come and look at your stuff because they’ve bought stuff previous years. And like I said, I sell at home. Really right now that’s about all.  I’m not in any galleries right now. Thinking of maybe looking for one it but that’s all I’m doing is thinking about it! 

Cirrelda: How about your pricing method? 

Elaine: That’s always a hard one for me. Let’s say at the Contemporary Clay Fair, I have a piece and I really like it, and I don’t care if I sell it or not. Then I tend to put a higher price on it, and if it sells, good. If it doesn’t, I won’t be broken-hearted over it. It’s kind of a balancing act. At the Clay Fair you take quite a bit of inventory you want to sell.  I don’t want to price my things so low that it’s like a giveaway. Nor do I want to sell rapidly. I want to sell a lot of the inventory that I take. So, yeah, it’s just a balancing act. I don’t worry too much except, it’s intuition.

Mo: Last year was my first year in the Eldorado art tour, and I loved it. I was surprised I did as well as I did. It was wonderful to have it here in my studio, to have everything set up, and at night I could go home and go to bed after it was over. I love that. And I actually lucked out because I’m involved in the Santa Fe Cactus Club, the president started carrying my cactus pots. He goes all over the US. He’s taking 15% to sell my pots. I mean it’s been wonderful. I don’t know how long he wants to continue doing that. I’ve been able to have that instead of doing an Etsy shop or something, to have you know to have a pretty constant income. Because he usually does a show at least two a month in CA and different places. So, people are starting to recognize my cactus pots. And I do the Cactus Show here in Santa Fe every year. I was selling jewelry up until 3 years ago, then I started doing my clay again. I know that my skill level is not where I want it to be to ask some of the prices that I would like to. That’s my goal is to work on finishing my work better and developing that. So, I look at that in pricing. Because I know in precious metal clay, I could sit down and do multiple pairs and finish them and do it in just a matter of hours. So, my time wasn’t what I was doing but it was the costs of the materials. I have wonderful little cost comparison for precious metal clay. But it’s measured in grams of materials. It’s much simpler because I have product costs, the real thing, right there. A lot of my friends that do Etsy and they call it “passive income.” Because they make big show pieces, but they have small pieces, ceramic art pieces, cups, whatever, one of my friends says, this is my passive income, I can make 4-500 a month without doing much of anything. But it’s a lot of work, because she really has to update her inventory and put it out there. These talks are great to help me to understand what other people are doing.

Steve Blakely - screenshot from the zoom.

Steve: I have very much struggled with pricing over the years, usually I price for the type of show it is. Right now I am shuffling to the Corrales Bosque Gallery from my place, it’s actually it’s a cooperative gallery. I like a smaller gallery with other artists, I’m the only potter there. Anyway so, I have struggled a lot, as we all have, with pricing, and my most recent method was to do a spread sheet for the gallery. Basically, what I do with the spreadsheet is start with the size of the piece, because my pieces are mostly vases, and they range from 6 inches to 12 inches. They get higher but now 12 is the max. Then I just gave each size a price. So up to 6” is $80. Or up to 8” is $80. 8-10” is $160, 10 and 11 is $260. 11” and higher is $360.  Then the next category is the design time, and if it was difficult, or if it was easy. And I just gave that a figure --$10, $20, $30, or $40 -- $40 being the most difficult. Next step is the glazing, I do all spraying, so whether I use one glaze or two glazes, or I do a lot of “faux bois” work, so doing the faux bois work is creating a wood-like look with different oxides. So, I just price those at 10 – 20 dollars. And then I gave the piece a “result,” if I was pleased with the aesthetics personally, and I gave that a price. And then I gave the whole aesthetics final piece a price that I felt was good, 10, 20, 30 or 40 dollars. It’s kind of a weird system, but it made sense for me at the time so I added those up and came up with the price, so for example an 8 ½” pot came out to a value of 270 dollars, and then I decided, does that make sense, or not? And then it gets adjusted. So that’s more or less the system I am using right now. I don’t know if it makes sense or not, to tell you the truth. Maybe you can give me some feedback. 

Sheila: Is this for your gallery pieces that you’re basing? 

Steve: Yes, gallery pieces. 

Sheila: And then you’re paying a membership to be part of the gallery? 

Steve: A monthly dues. 

Sheila: And then a commission? 

Steve: a 20% commission. 

Sheila: That’s been what my experience was. You have to consider those “fees” as well. 

Steve: Yeah, but, I really take the worth of those pieces into consideration. Not the cost of the show and everything, just the worth, and the size, so it kind of balanced out. 

Cirrelda Snider-Bryan - screenshot from the zoom.

Cirrelda – I wanted to reply to your method, Steve, just to say it reminds me of the 1^st article I put in the chat. It’s from Ceramics Arts Daily (CAD – part of Ceramics Monthly (CM). They do let you have 3 free articles a month, so you can probably access this article. I found it helpful after reading that first one Andrea shared with me. The CAD article talks about exactly what you’re doing, taking into account different aspects to make the price. It talks about creating a wholesale price and then creating a retail price. The whole idea of adding on. Kind of going back to what you were saying too, Elaine, and Mo. You’re adding on a bit of a chunk. That’s an important thing for us. Both articles talk about “burning out” if you’re producing to sell and being on a timeline, we want to give ourselves some compensation for that time. Thus, a retail price will give yourself a profit, not just covering your time, your product, your materials. But giving yourself “icing”! 

Steve – So, I don’t even know if what I’m doing is good. When I first started at the gallery, I sold right away. But now I’ve had 2 months of no sales, and then all the other artists have said, well, none of us are having sales right now. We’re all working at getting more people in. It’s questionable even for me being in a gallery.  Right now it’s a learning experience.  I question the pricing in the gallery scenario….  I find that that’s the biggest problem with the gallery. 

Cirrelda: You mean your prices are too high? Or too low?

Steve: I’ve been told they’re not too high. But, I wonder sometimes if they are too high. Then, we have a “sale.” And it’s not like a situation where you are selling your work at all times either, and that really helps. The downside of being in a gallery, you’re not there to talk about your own work and it’s where you’re coming from or how you made that piece, I find that that’s the biggest problem in a gallery, or any situation where you can’t talk to the people. 

Sheila: You can do like Leonard does and give a little story on your pieces. 

Steve: I wanted to do that, but the gallery kind of wants just a little card, with the title and the price. I have a card that tells about my work, but not each individual piece. It’s the individual piece that sometimes sells if you’re talking to someone … tell them how your inspiration for it was, where you’re coming from, that’s really the selling point. 

Mo: Is anyone on here actually making a living from their pottery? Because I frankly don’t know but a few people that are able to actually do that. Their work is like high-selling stuff and they do shows like Main Street in Ft. Worth or Cherry Street and they sell big huge chunks at a time so they’re thousands of dollars.  I quit my corporate job and I was in several galleries and shops about 25 years ago and I thought, “Oh I can do this” and my first year I made $12 thousand dollars, hahaha.  And I realized, oh, my goodness! And I was working very hard and I was in ten galleries or shops, so it still you know. 

Cirrelda: Wow. 

Steve: Yeah, normally I’m selling just to supplement my social security. Which is what a lot of us do. So, I‘m not trying to make a living off of it. I’m just trying to make living a little easier. 

End of Part 1. Go here for Part 2. 

Meet the Jurors! Celebration of Clay 2024

Delighted to introduce this trio who will determine the awards at Celebration of Clay: 50 Years of NMPCA: Jules Epstein, James Marshall, and Betsy Williams. The Taos Ceramics Center will be the showcase, running from October 5 through November 16. The trio of jurors will decide together which artist will receive … Best of Show, three Awards of Merit, Arita Porcelain Award for Beauty and Functionality, and the Coyote Color in Clay Award. The recipients will be announced at the opening on Saturday, October 5 from 4 to 7 pm. The gallery is located at 114 Este Es Road, Taos, New Mexico. 

Jules Epstein. 

Jules Epstein 

Just two years after receiving his BFA in graphic design from Penn State University, Mr. Epstein founded a brand design firm just north of Boston that grew to be a nationally recognized business with more than 25 employees. Thirty-three years later, in 2013, he sold the business and retired full-time to Taos, NM, with his wife and two daughters. In 2019, along with his wife, Georgia, he laid the foundation for the formation of the Taos Ceramics Center (TCC), a community ceramics studio, supply store, and respected interdisciplinary gallery. In 2024, the TCC was recognized by the IRS as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization. Mr. Epstein continues to be the curator for the TCC Gallery and Operations Manager of the business. He has been an active board member on the Taos Arts Council since 2018 and is treasurer of his local acequia in Arroyo Hondo.   

James Marshall. 

James Marshall

James Marshall’s education in the ceramic arts began with a pottery apprenticeship in Guatemala while serving in the Peace Corps. For two years he lived and worked with the K'iché, a Mayan First Nation tribe during his service assisting in a pottery cooperative and agriculture.

In 1977 he began his studies for an MFA at the Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  John Stevenson and Rudolph Arnheim, author of “Art and Visual Perception”, were his mentors in the research, development and production of his work in sculpture. He graduated with an MFA in 1979.

James is a multi-media artist with a concentration in clay, wood, bronze, copper wire, steel, graphite and charcoal.  Works are included in over 200 public and private collections and museums, nationally and internationally.  Additionally, his work has been published extensively in books, magazines, and newspaper articles. He presently maintains a home and studio in Santa Fe, NM.

James’ teaching experience includes the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA., University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. In 1999 James began to foster and build the ceramics program at Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Today this program includes 12 ceramics classes that cover all facets of the ceramic process.  Currently James is Professor Emeritus in the School of Art Design and Media Arts at Santa Fe Community College and continues to teach classes.

Betsy Williams. Photo by John T. Denne. 

Betsy Williams 

Born and raised in rural Georgia, the youngest of three children, I grew up drawing. My father had a wholesale tire business and the leftover price sheets from his tire store were my unbound sketchbook.

I was drawn by a love of books to St. John's College, the “Great Books School” in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating, another three years of Russian language study culminated in a summer at the University of Leningrad. Next, I moved to New York City on a whim with my friend, Robin Taylor, and got a job at a Japanese bank where I was trained as a money market trader. My co-workers at the bank introduced me to the world of Japanese ceramics, and a show of 17th century Korean celadon ceramics at the Metropolitan Museum of Art marked a defining moment in my life.

I was welcomed into evening classes at a small Japanese pottery studio in Manhattan while still working full-time at the bank. After five years, I left New York and sought out an apprenticeship in Japan, visiting many pottery studios before asking the artist whose work I admired most, Mr. Yutaka Ohashi of Karatsu, Japan, to take me as an apprentice. I studied with him for 4½ years and am forever indebted to the special people who supported and encouraged me during my time in Japan. 

Upon completing my apprenticeship, I returned to New Mexico to buy a remote plot of land in the mountains north of Santa Fe and set up my studio. I met my husband, Mark Saxe, who is a stone sculptor. Together we opened Rift Gallery in Rinconada, New Mexico, south of Taos along the Rio Grande rift valley. We also created Sax Stone Carving Workshops, a series of intensive seven-day summer classes, bringing together students from all over the world to learn from some of the best carvers in the field. Recently we founded Rio Grande Rift Institute, a non-profit dedicated to hands-on education in art and craft. We live in an adobe house on a hilltop adjacent to the Carson National Forest with our dog, Atticus Finch, turbo-charged puppy Agnes, and Mo the turtle, who came with me from Japan. 

The majority of my pieces are woodfired in a kiln I designed and built in 2001. I am building a new wood-fired kiln now (summer 2024). The wood-fired work is complemented by Tiny Plate World Headquarters, my wheel-thrown and hand-painted tiny plates, fired in an electric kiln. 

In the early days of the pandemic, I embarked on a research project of New Mexico virgin clays. This research is ongoing and has taken an increasingly prominent role in my practice. I honor with gratitude the land and its stewards who preceded me. 

Summer of 2022, Brant Palley and Cirrelda Snider were asked to co-teach one of the NM Connections workshops at our NMPCA Ghost Ranch weekend, “Using Stains and Oxides in Clay.” Alas, he needed major surgery, so was unable to participate. Cirrelda interviewed him to get info for the stains and oxides handout, and he wrote his own bio to be included. Here the handout format has been removed, and the interview that actually happened is presented. Brant is happy to have this information shared to a wider audience than the participants at that past Ghost Ranch retreat. 

The Slip Trail (TST): Brant, please tell us about yourself.

Brant Palley: Owner of New Mexico Clay since 1985. Ceramic artist graduated Otis Art Institute 1979 (LA). Clay body designer, Webmaster of nmclay.com, kiln expert, and, head floor sweeper. Started with Art at a young age as my Dad taught at UNM in the 50’s and they collected Indian Art including some fantastic Acoma pottery that I have seen every day. We were dragged to museums in Europe and saw a lot of art.  In high school I had a great pottery teacher, and then at UC Irvine when super bored with psychology classes, started taking pottery and painting. Went to Otis Art Institute in downtown Los Angeles where, in the decade before, a ceramics school was begun by Peter Voulkos in the 1950s and was part of art movements like the Craft-to-Art movement, also known as the American Clay Revolution. Move to NM 1985. “Ceramic King” then “NM Clay” on Girard now for 38 years. Brant worked at his uncle’s art gallery Reese Palley’s where they sold figures from Boehm and Cybus,  Brant was responsible for shipping and handling and delivering fragile porcelains.

Brant at his desk at New Mexico Clay.

TST: Tell what you know about oxides. Tell us about adding oxides to slips.

Brant: Oxides are elements, all elements have different properties, like melting point, cobalt and titanium are very refractory, where iron and copper are not.

TST: And adding oxides to water? 

Brant: Will not reliably stick to clay body as stains. Oxides are refractive [melt at higher temps.]

TST: Then what about firing oxides? 

Brant: Each are different. 

TST: Clay Bodies - all? 

Brant: Generally, oxides are not as sensitive as stains, but may change color in the presence of other fluxes like sodium and boron. Changing composition of clay body affects the oxide’s performance.

TST: Safety important when using oxides? 

Brant: Each are different. 

TST: Here’s another tangent about oxides — have you seen trends in usage? 

Brant: Usage is down except iron wash, more products available for potters makes glaze-making less necessary. Only the “geeky” want to be making own glazes now.

For example: Iron oxide -- different ones melt at different temperatures vs cobalt oxide – refractory higher melting point.

TST: Now we turn to stains. What about adding stains to slips? 

Brant: Should be body stains, if stain rule is #1 on Mason Chart. For example, 6000 Shell Pink used as body stain comes out white … needs Ca carbonate [Calcium carbonate].

TST: Adding stains to water? 

Brant: Will not reliably stick as stains are refractive.

TST: Firing? 

Brant: See rules 2-4 on Mason Color Chart 

https://www.masoncolor.com/ceramic-stains

TST: Clay Bodies - all? 

Brant: Same as slips. [Pure white is recommended.]

TST: Safety? 

Brant: Don’t inhale, yes to gloves if mixing.

Brant checking out an old container of stain in the back room of New Mexico Clay.

TST: History of Stains - any personal anecdotes? 

Brant: Early experiences with crystal glazes; the high soda-zinc glazes change some colors dramatically, Nickle blue anyone?

TST: Use of stains rose w/ Duncan Cover Coat in the 70s? Or earlier? 

Brant: Stains were made for the tile industry, not potters. We just get the sloppy seconds…

TST: Was Duncan the first to use Mason Stains for a glaze “line”? 

Brant: Yes. … Duncan, then Mayco, Laguna’s Moroccan Sand, then everyone popped out. Only the geeky are making their own glazes nowadays. NM Clay was top seller of Duncan. We used to sell to 80 other stores, now to 2. Duncan had a room full of ball mills (vs. blenders). 

Mason Color photo of ball mills, https://www.masoncolor.com/mason-color-history

“Mason Color Works was founded in 1842 as Bleak Place Color Works in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England by James and Mary Skerratt Mason. Mary was a well-known color chemist who developed many of the inorganic pigments which are still used in the whiteware industry today.” Son “F.Q.” moved in 1902 to East Liverpool, Ohio, “Pottery Capitol of the World.” Read more at website https://www.masoncolor.com/mason-color-history.

Mason Color Factory photo, https://www.masoncolor.com/mason-color-history

Reds in glaze color were difficult to come by. 

More from Brant: The Environ-vent was invented for Lead based red glazes because of their need for good oxygen in firing.  

From digitalfire: https://digitalfire.com/glossary/ceramic+stain

“Encapsulated stains were introduced by Cerdec-Degussa (also called inclusion stains) are a special class of man-made pigments that enable bright and difficult-to-achieve colors in ceramic glazes (especially reds and oranges). Encapsulated stains are made by special processes that 'coat' the individual particles (i.e. cadmium) with silica or zirconium. In this way they can be suspended in a melt with minimal dissolution of the harmful metals into the glass. These stains are very expensive, must be used in larger amounts, and come with lengthy safety data sheets and must be used according to instructions. Like regular stains, they are intended to be incorporated into engobe or glaze recipes, not used as a straight powder. These are a recent development in glaze technology, and, many companies that hesitated to use them in the past now use encapsulated stains in their biggest-selling products.”

Cover-Coats were unceremoniously dropped by Mayco. Other underglaze brands include Amaco Velvets, Amaco LUG’s, Coyote, Spectrum and Mayco’s Foundations.

__________________________________________

Tips on Using the Mason Color Chart*

Charts were given to all participants of the 2022 workshop, courtesy of Mason Color Works!!

https://www.masoncolor.com/reference-guide

•Reference numbers under color swatches

6000 Crimsons                     6400 Yellows

6100 Browns                        6500 Grays

6200 Greens                         6600 Blacks

6300 Blues / Violets

•Numbers under color name refer to 

% of stain / % of Opacifier (Zn:zinc base glaze)

“Body Stains” need reference numbers 1, 3, 6.

•Inside flap list includes oxide combinations.

•Mason Color Works:

https://www.masoncolor.com/ceramic-stains

•On NM Clay website:

https://nmclay.com/potters-material-chemicals/mason-stains

•Archived Formulas for colors not available

Mason reduced number of pigments from 160-100.

https://www.masoncolor.com/archived-formulas

 6000 Shell Pink used as body stain comes out white … needs Ca carbonate.

MS6020 Pink Manganese Alumina oxides are Al & Mn, and its reference numbers are: 1,3. 

Mason stains are made to be combined!

Every year when we launch the Bill Armstrong Grant there’s an urge to know more about the man the grant was named after. Bill Armstrong was a founding member of New Mexico Potters Association (the original name of the organization) in the early 1970s. After he passed away, the organization established a grant to award ceramic education programs in his name. 

The award was begun in 2002 according to Daisy Kates, who, with Penne Roberts, administered the grant from 2002 through 2018. Michael Thornton took over the grant administration in 2019. 2005 is the earliest grant listed on the website. Just one grant is not on that list – “2002: Healthcare for the Homeless, Artstreet, Downtown Albuquerque.” This means that Bill Armstrong must have passed before 2002. 

Internet searches still do not reveal an obituary. Many longtime NMPCA members were contacted, asking for their memories about Bill. No one could remember the year he died. But a few folks shared anecdotes! 

Pam Seigal, who moved away from ABQ to Eugene, Oregon in 2012, but was a member of NMPA in the early days, had this to say about Bill: “I was under the impression that Bill bequeathed some funds in his will toward a grant fund. Bill and I traveled to Europe together for the Dutch Potters Exchange. Bill set up the whole affair. I had organized their housing when they came to New Mexico. That was 1991. We took them out to the end of Southern Blvd. in Rio Rancho where there was no sign of civilization. That impressed our Dutch visitors. Also drive-throughs – they don’t have a car culture like we do. But much earlier, Bill and I were two of the originators of NMPA, when I served as president, he was vice president. Then he became president.”

Judith Richey shared her memories about Bill Armstrong in December of 2022: “I would say yes, Bill was one of the founding members of NM Potters Association. I don’t remember what year he died. He was instrumental in getting meetings held at Ghost Ranch, as well as contacting people to do workshops at the Ranch. Amazing in that respect. He was a very kind fellow, very generous, and he had a wealth of info to share. We were very lucky to have had his help. Very big on Ghost Ranch. From very early on, he was arranging workshop leaders. He valued people. When I went to Ghost Ranch, it was to attend the Potters Association workshops.  When we all got together, the camaraderie was wonderful. Last time I saw Bill and his wife, it was at a Mexican restaurant on 4th street. Really glad to know him. A really giving person.” 

Mary Sharp Davis shared this about Bill in 2023.  “Bill Armstrong? I miss him. He was a draw-string type of person. It was easy for him to get a hands-on group together for potters. He was willing to share whatever it was he knew. He was generous, jovial, welcoming. If you were looking for a glaze, he would give you his glaze recipe.”

Cirrelda Snider-Bryan recollects: “I am looking through an incomplete set of old Slip Trails and can’t find when he died nor an article explaining that the grant would be named after him. However, I did read many an old editorial that he wrote, like this one at the top of the March 1984 NMPA Newsletter. I took Primitive Fired Pottery seminar taught by Jim Kempes and him at Ghost Ranch in 1989. Bill was there leading with Jim as we visited several digging spots to collect from deposits for use as either clay or slip. Especially remembered was the vein on highway 85 overlooking the Chama River, about ten miles south of the Ranch, at that iconic view. The Ranch van parked in the pull-out parking area, and we crossed the highway to a band of dark maroon that proved later to be a great slip. I had already known Bill from attending the Ou Mie Shou workshop on Chinese brush painting sponsored by NMPA in 1984. His wife Mary also took that multiple Saturday workshop held at the Albuquerque Zoo in the Reptile and Amphibian Hall with the renowned Chinese artist who had lived in Albuquerque for decades since leaving China after WWII. Then, there is this description of 1986 seminar offered at Ghost Ranch a few years in a row, with Bill in the list of instructors, which I wish I would have signed up for!” 

Penne Roberts did not remember when Bill died either. She shared: “Bill Armstrong was very instrumental with the Heights Community Center’s pottery studio for its first twenty years. Until the City changed it. They didn’t understand pottery, and remodeled the building, didn’t pay attention to our feedback. The great thing about pottery is you don’t have to be structured. All get inspiration from each other. Conversations were really good, philosophical. Really, really good.”

Penne also shared generously of her set of photo albums that document clay happenings in New Mexico from the mid-seventies on. Let’s revel in these photos with their great captions, to get a sense of the variety of activities he was involved with and instigated. We can sense who this great leader from New Mexico Potters beginnings was, from all of these photos:

Penne sharing from one of her photo archives at her home in Albuquerque, 2023. Photo: Cirrelda SB.

Bill in center, white hair and plaid shirt. Tonque Brick factory field trip he organized. Photo: Penne Roberts

Bill, right, and geologist, left, inspecting the clay deposit at Tonque Brick Factory in Tonque Wash. Photo: Penne Roberts

Two geologists at the Tonque Brick pile. Early 1980s. Photo: Penne Roberts.

    

1981 Raku kiln building workshop at Bill Armstrong’s Corrales home. Photos: Penne Roberts  

1981 Raku kiln building and firing at Bill Armstrong’s – Mary and Bill on right, Daisy Kates front center. Photo: Penne Roberts.

 

Left: UNM Clay, Fiber, Wood Show program, organized by Bill Armstrong, 1984. Right: Tile conjunto by Bill Armstrong. Photos: Penne Roberts.

One person recommended talking to another while researching Bill Armstrong’s NMPA contributions for this article. Thanks to Penne, Judith, Mary, Pam, for helping us see how well Bill Armstrong connected folks in the early decades of our organization. From the Dutch Potters Exchange, to engaging UNM Ceramics Faculty and exhibits, creating workshops with renowned clay artists from near and far, strengthening the relationship with Ghost Ranch Conference Center, to making the connection for the community with hands-on firing and clay deposit digging – his legacy now lives on in the long list of ceramics education projects supported under his name.

¡Bill Armstrong, presente!  

---Cirrelda Snider-Bryan, editor

--Please send stories of Bill to editor: sliptrail@nmpotters.org --

Armstrong Grant 2023 Summary

By Michael Thornton, Armstrong Grant Administrator

This year two organizations answered the call for proposals for NMPCA’s Bill Armstrong Grant.  

After due consideration and site visits to meet the applicants, the board voted unanimously to approve both proposals. 

Congratulations to Art Smart NM, and Thrive Community School, both of Santa Fe, on your worthy projects!

Art Smart’s project is helping to fund an artist residency, which brings artist Jarrett West to instruct students in art. The grant will impact 60 2nd and 3rd grade students at Sweeny Elementary School. The grant will fund necessary materials, tools and support for this project to include travel for field trips, and the construction of a permanent outdoor installation. 

The project at Thrive Community School will benefit 250 K - 7th students by providing materials and tools needed for ceramics lessons. 

Students will participate in exhibitions planned to share their artwork at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and the International Folk Art Museum. 

NMPCA is proud to support these projects, as it fulfills our mission to promote education in the ceramic art. 

More will be shared here after reports about the schools’ projects come back.

This Meet the Member on the Slip Trail blog is in honor of member Rob King’s recent selection as a 2024 NCECA Emerging Artist. 

How does it feel to be selected to be a 2024 NCECA Emerging Artist?

Oh my goodness! What an incredible honor. It feels really nice to know that others enjoy seeing the world through my eyes. I’m excited to continue to build my support system in clay and to share my passion for these materials, the precious ground beneath our feet, with the world and this platform will allow that on such a grand scale. So, to answer the question, overwhelmed and grateful.

How did you first get interested in clay?

I first got interested in clay after seeing a video of someone throwing on the wheel. I think it may have been the Great Pottery Throwdown (haha!). It seemed like a really fun and dynamic process and I couldn’t stop watching videos of people doing it. I mentioned my newfound fascination to my brother and he said that his girlfriend had a pottery wheel in storage so I begged him to bring it to me. He obliged and I absolutely fell in love with the process. I think within a month, I had a kiln and a whole setup in my garage. 

Describe your studio.

My studio is a converted garage. It is a very basic setup but enough for what I need to create and teach. It stays messier than it should but I’m trying to be better about that. I particularly love how the space changes with the seasons. Right now, with winter in full force, it feels very intimate, quiet, womb-like. I create a lot in the winter and don’t teach but, in a few months, I’ll open the space up and students and visitors and sunlight will pour in, the studio will expand to include the high desert surrounding it which, of course, is a completely different feel. 

"Via Combusta 1" by Rob King

Describe your work.

I think that when I am making good work, it feels very timeless and contains the essence of this incredible place we inhabit. I utilize local resources extensively in my work, local clay, minerals, rocks, sand, wood ash as I feel that this connects the work to place, to me, to both of our histories. 

"There is Fear There, Yes" by Rob King

When you are not working in your studio, what do you enjoy?

Running the studio keeps me very busy but when I get some downtime, you can usually find me reading in my big comfy pink chair or going for a hike (I really love being outdoors) or visiting friends or a gallery or museum. Lately, much of my non-studio time has been spent planning and executing the opening of my new gallery space in Galisteo, NM, Duende Gallery, which is set to open in April 2024. It will feature my work as well as rotating exhibitions featuring New Mexico artists of all mediums.  

Do you play music in your studio? If yes, what do you listen to?

Sometimes, yes. It depends on my mood and the studio’s mood. Occasionally, I just like to work with the ambient sounds of the studio and the noises of nature. Sometimes I listen to podcasts, particularly when I’m doing the more mundane studio tasks (e.g. recycling clay, cleaning, trimming dinnerware, etc). If it’s a music in the studio day, it could be anything from Indigenous flute music to Neil Young to Wagner to Kurt Vile to George Jones. 

What other pottery do you have in your home?

I have some traditional Acoma pottery and a few special pieces from friends that I really treasure.

What caused you to join NMPCA?

I feel that clay is such a powerful tool for healing and expression, it certainly has been for me. Why wouldn’t I want to share that with others?

-Rob King, February 7, 2024.

Congratulations, Rob! Thank you for sharing your answers with your clay community for the Meet the Member column.

Slip Trail editor shares notes, photos, memories from the James Watkins Ghost Ranch Workshop – August 18-20, 2023.

I got to the Ranch a day early to get a campsite, and thus was able to be there when James Watkins first arrived to Piñon Pottery Studio. He had left his home in Lubbock at 4:30 am, in his large extended cab pickup with trailer, transporting himself, his wife and her mother – they arrived around noon on Friday. After not being able to fit through the west entrance to Piñon, he drove his truck and trailer around the north/back side, which ended up providing the perfect space to accommodate all the containers of his large vessels as well as firing equipment and supplies under the ample portal. Our teacher had come very well-prepared.

Array of distinctive clay works by James Watkins. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B.

Classroom 2, already set up with slide projector and rows of chairs, became the ‘gallery’ as a number of us participants carried in piece after piece of the huge, gorgeous wares. After 3 pm, when it seemed all participants were gathered, James Watkins began his slide show introduction to our weekend. 

Watkins began his presentation with a piece he described as having a “deep, gun metal black.” 3M tape was used to mask off design, and sticky-backed paper made especially for bisque ware. James’s comment, “You collect memories,” led us into his broad overview.

James Watkins addresses participants at the beginning of the workshop. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B. 

He began by sharing the trajectory with his clay practice: 1978-1983 Mackenzie Terrace Pottery Center in Lubbock, TX. 1983-2018 he taught Architectural Ceramics at Texas Tech. Since 2018, his own studio is his nexus: JCW Clayworks at Junction Center. Thus, he has been 34 years in Junction, TX. 

Of his influences, he shared, “Wide open spaces of Lubbock!” He collects dust from dust storms to make terra sigilatta slips. He collects clay from canyons and deserts to experiment with textures. 

Another influence are the pictographs near the Mexico border around Langtry, TX. He took students there for two days of camping, telling them no copying of the pictographs allowed. His “Rattlesnake Canyon platters” were influenced by this place. 

More influences were shared: “Covered jars influenced by cotton gin. Luster inspired by sunsets. Copper black. Martial arts training concept: “relaxation and explosiveness.” Another influence was crafted after a vessel his grandmother made “soap” (food) in - soap (pronounced 'saw-oop') big black urns. Then, vessels using the “cattle feeder” shape. Vessels were also inspired by field furrows. Tiles were created by James to echo irrigation circles and playa lakes.

Watkins also had influences from his travels. In 1994, he traveled to Japan, “East meets West.” It was during his Artist in Residency there that the double walled platters, Raku-fired, began. Tea bowls were created and anagama kiln-fired, with no glazes. 

During another trip, this time to Hong Kong in 2001-2, he produced his “Shinto Toru Gates” piece. They were created after wrapping with toilet paper, then fired to cone 017, with hold for one hour. More influences came from Hong Kong bamboo scaffolding. Another trip was made to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam in 2004. 

Along the way, a number of books have been published, including Alternative Kilns and Firing Techniques: Pit, Barrel, Raku, Saggar (2004)*.

In 2018 he retired to put energy into his studio. 

A far-ranging lecture, we had just been given the background for all the methods we would be introduced to over the weekend. 

 

"Black on Black" pieces wrapped in toilet paper, loaded into JW's canister. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B.

Friday evening "Black on Black" firing with Michael Thornton checking pyrometer. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B.

Black on Black activity

Friday evening, we had our first activity – Black on Black – like the very first piece he showed in the slide show. We took a bisque fired piece or two we had brought with us and applied slip and auto detailing tape. After applying terra sig, we burnished with plastic bag, then wrapped with TP up to 1” thick. After binding with masking tape, the pieces were piled into James’s own round metal firing bin with lid that he’d brought. The big bin went into gas kiln, and was fired to 1500 degrees F. All of us mingled in the kiln yard while the gas kiln was started, then monitored, and shut off after reaching 1500 degrees. (Leonard and Cirrelda paid a visit to Barbara Campbell up at Long House where her son had just gotten married, to see if she had any advice to lend about the gas kiln. ;)

"Black on Black" pieces after being unwrapped. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B.  

Saturday morning first thing after breakfast, we unloaded the Black on Black pieces that were nicely cooled down.

Naked Raku activity

Next up was the Naked Raku Activity. (See p. 39 for Terra Sigillata slip recipe in Watkins’ book *Alternative Kilns and Firing Techniques.)

Peel Away Slip bin with Lee Akins. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B. 

We used same Terra Sig slip as last night for Raku. With the addition of a Peel Away Slip “dip” right before firing (recipe on the plastic bin: Fire Clay 60, EPK 20, Silica 15). Slipped pots awaiting firing were placed on a table, then we went to lunch. 

Throwing Demo

After breaking for lunch, we paused the firings for a bit to watch James throw a double-walled pot. JW: “I imagine there’s a hole in the center of that bat, and that I’m trying to push clay into that hole.”

James Watkins throwing a double-walled vessel. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B. 

He shared story of discovering double wall from his dream. “Takes a few days to throw very large bowls – wait til it gets stiff.” James slowly finished the double wall vessel on wheel – over 3 hours – draped plastic over during lunch break. Methodical. Conveying anecdotes along the slow throwing process.    

Raku

Then it was time to do the Raku firings. We used the small Raku kiln under porch roof, and did around 10 firings of 6 pieces average at a time. We got caught up in the thrill of Raku. Lee Akins and Leonard Baca dedicated much time to help these firings happen.

Jennifer Stewart bringing her dipped pieces to the kiln. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B. 

Naked Raku. Photo: Kathleen Allen.

Naked Raku pieces by Sharon Brush, Charlotte Ownby. Photo: Kathleen Allen.

Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, participants set off with their fresh "NM SOL" cone 10 clay (from New Mexico Clay in Albuquerque), many taking advantage of the 15 wheels that were available to throw on, though a few folks did some hand-building, too. 

Left: David Blackwell. Center: James Watkins. Right: Sharon Brush & Sheryl Zacharia. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B.

Throwing double wall forms. Left to right: Michael Thornton, Christiane Couvert, Brant Palley, Joan Eichelberger. Photo: Cirrelda Snider-B.

Saggar with stannous chloride

After dinner, we were introduced to the final Activity -- Saggar with stannous chloride (mask needed!) and myriad coverings, including lichen, etc. Each participant concocted their own personal applications on multiple pieces, ending with tightly wrapped foil. Then we each personally loaded our foil bundles on the growing heap of individual saggars inside the gas kiln again. 

Stannous chloride sagger-fired pieces by Cate McClain. Photo: Kathleen Allen. 

The kiln was lit and the firing began as we hung around with new and old friends, deep in conversations as the pyrometers registered climbing temps, and finally reached the 1500 degrees again. 

After a delicious breakfast together on Day 3, we unloaded Saggar pieces. Group photo shot in front of gas kiln. Made our good-byes, as James and family had to make the long drive back to Lubbock. Then of course, we relished the clean up!

Group photo by Leonard Baca.

Photo album from the workshop viewable here.

--Solidarity, Cirrelda Snider-Bryan.

Grateful for help from Kathleen Allen, Charlotte Ownby, Brant Palley, Michael Thornton in reviewing this article. 

By Judy Nelson-Moore

With an interview by Slip Trail editor Cirrelda Snider-Bryan on October 11, 2023 

Judy Nelson-Moore:  It is difficult to decide where to start my story about my involvement in the NMPCA. Should I start with attending the New Mexico Potters Ghost Ranch workshops in the late 1980s while living in Denver?  Should I start with when I became a member of the NMPCA board after moving to Santa Fe about 32 years ago?  …

Wherever I start, this story about me is also about the NMPCA and its growth, expansion, and success over the last 25 years.  I have been a player in this success, having served on the board for 20 years and in various capacities on committees.  I am proud of what we have accomplished and extremely grateful for the friendships I have gained from long-standing and recent introductions.  If I were to mention the names of all the friends I have made it would nearly make for a roster of members.   These friendships have enriched my life immeasurably, and I can’t imagine my life without them now.   

The greatest observation I can make about the NMPCA, if I take a long view, is the increased quality and variety of ceramic art expression exhibited by members.  If you come to each of the exhibitions put on by the NMPCA for 20 years, as I did, this fact becomes very apparent.  New members have brought in new forms of expression, workshops have encouraged ideas and excellence, and individual members have put forth their best efforts to improve their work. 

 The Slip Trail: You talk about the greatest observation you can make about the NMPCA being “increased quality and variety of ceramic art.” Within that context, please discuss your history with the Celebration of Clay, the annual exhibition.

Judy Nelson-Moore: NM Potters, for a time, held their annual member shows at the Harwood Art Center in Albuquerque, with the name “Celebration of Clay.” Here is the flyer for the 2003 show, for which I was an award juror. Elaine Biery won Best of Show that year, and you can see the pictures of other awards. There was never an overt jurying process in those early Celebrations of Clay. Members were notified of the show, and if any pieces were ever rejected, I didn’t know about it. It was mainly organized in Albuquerque with Kathy Cyman and others. 

 

Celebration of Clay 2003 flyer. 

Not too long after, the annual exhibition moved to the Albuquerque Arts Alliance Gallery, where Cricket Appel, then president of the NMPCA, was also the director of the Albuquerque Arts Alliance.  The Arts Alliance had a gallery with their office, and we started showing there. And at that time, we overtly discussed it would not be a juried show. I was mainly in favor of that because I had had two previous experiences with craft organizations where juried exhibitions created a poisonous bitterness.  In one case, the organization died because the acrimony devolved into disinterest. I felt the NMPCA should not have the same fate!  NMPCA should be very inclusive. The whole purpose of our organization was to build up the ceramic arts and encourage artists. From my previous experience, I felt a juried show was contrary to that purpose. Fortunately, many of the other members agreed.  Several years later, I was validated by learning that renowned artist and teacher Robert Henri, who worked with Edgar Hewitt in 1917 during the founding of the Museum of New Mexico, implemented an open-door policy for the exhibitions without jurying because he felt judgments were the antithesis of creativity and artist’s development.  

From Robert Henri, The Art Spirit, published in 1923:

“…To struggle for an open forum for exhibition without the control of juries, and for greater opportunity all, for self-education…. there will grow new and wonderful things”

I’ve long fought for what I called “the self-juried show.” I said each artist should submit their work to the Celebration of Clay, where they can imagine themselves standing at the opening, having their picture taken, and feeling proud of their submittal. I call that “self-jurying.”  Over the years, the NMPCA’s conduct of their annual exhibition has proven the success of the “self-juried” show concept ... We had some difficulty finding venues who would accept the idea early on, but the venues realized a quality show could still be staged because we had demonstrated it for many years. You can look at specific artist’s work from years ago and then look at their work now, and you can see a fabulous progression. 

The Slip Trail: How was the Clay Community back in 1992 here in New Mexico, especially Santa Fe when you moved there. Was it more fragmented? The reason I ask that is because in your outline you state there was a Santa Fe Potters Guild and at one point it merged with NM Potters and Clay Artists (at that time it was just called New Mexico Potters). What’s the story about Santa Fe Potters Guild merging with NM Potters? 

Judy Nelson-Moore: When I first came to Santa Fe in 1992, I was really very busy with my computer software consulting business, I was doing a lot of travel.  My husband, Jim, and I were also building a house.  Of course, the house has a wonderful clay art studio!  At this time, I also continued working with paper clay.  This is adding paper pulp to the clay body to increase the dry strength.  I have been exploring this concept ever since with my own work and conducting workshops. 

However, I was struggling with integrating into the community in Santa Fe, partly because I was traveling a lot and missed the ceramic art community in Denver.  There, we had a very active community of ceramic artists; I was a member of the Colorado Potters Guild, a very close group.  I found in Santa Fe there was a Santa Fe Potters Guild which held meetings and sales.  I joined and since I was a computer software specialist, I did their email list.  However, I found the atmosphere in Santa Fe at the time was kind of standoffish.  Artists were protective of their techniques and opportunities because of the great competition.  There were so many artists. It seems there’s much space in Santa Fe for art, but there was a lot of competition for the opportunities. It still is that way. At Denver galleries, you could do better as a Santa Fe artist than you could in Santa Fe as a Santa Fe artist. Something about an out-of-town artist has a draw for galleries.

A fellow Santa Fe Potters Guild member and I, Jay Dirago, decided we would like a more open, sharing atmosphere.   So, we started an informal group called The Clay Salon. We would invite clay artists into a studio, his studio, my studio, and other studios followed.  We would gather around in a circle, and we would exchange ideas. We shared glaze recipes, inspiration, tools, working methods, and gallery contacts: the idea was to share ceramic art experiences.  

I also continued to be a member of the New Mexico Potters.  (I had been a member for years from Colorado.) Gary Carlson (NM Potters president at the time) talked me into doing the email list for the NM Potters.  So, I was doing the email list for the Santa Fe Potters Guild, our Clay Salon, and the New Mexico Potters.  The Santa Fe Clay Guild folded, and I told everyone I was not going to maintain overlapping lists anymore, so I told people they should just join the New Mexico Potters.  Most people did, and we continued to hold the Clay Salon in Santa Fe, even having some people join us from Albuquerque.  I see the Zoom Clay Connections which we started during COVID-19 as a continuation of the impetus to share ceramic art experiences, expanded to the whole membership around the state.  

So, you could say my software consultant career let me make major contributions to the New Mexico Potters and Clay Artists over the years.  First with the email lists and sending emails, then with website creation and maintenance, leading to my idea to have an online “studio tour” of artists on the website, then online membership records, online event registrations, online donation campaigns, exhibition displays, people’s choice voting for exhibition works, and conversion of the paper/email “Slip Trail” to the current blog.  I think these initiatives have helped to keep the organization vital and growing.  I am grateful to the active participation of the membership, especially fellow board members, past and present for their support.  I am very thankful for Sara D’Alessandro for taking over the newsletter. Michael Thornton for taking over the Ghost Ranch Coordination, and Leonard Baca for taking over the website.   

The Slip Trail: Ghost Ranch became an important place for you to connect with other potters and learn from them. Please talk about the ways you remember having the NMPCA organization help the Ranch be a place for Clay Community. You had brought up in your outline the Armstrong Grant, Clay Forward, any other projects to support the ceramic arts at Ghost Ranch.  

Judy Nelson-Moore:  Ghost Ranch was and is my first and best love in New Mexico.  From the time I attended the first ceramic art workshop at the ranch, I was caught.  I went to Ghost Ranch for a Jim Kempes and Willard Spence workshop.  Some of the most memorable NMPCA workshops were Rudy Autio (1985), Akio Takamori (1986), Jim Romberg (1992), Kathy Triplett (1998), Joe Bova (2007) and many in between including New Mexico connections  (workshops with multiple presenters) I attended as a participant and a presenter.  

When my mother died, I went to Ghost Ranch and I climbed up to Chimney Rock where I was in tears and sitting on the ground, feeling like I was home. So, when my husband and I decided we wanted to retire to Santa Fe, I was still working as a consultant at the time. We suddenly realized we didn’t have to live in Denver because I was always flying anyway, so why don’t we move to New Mexico, and of course we had to move to Santa Fe. 

I became good friends with Barbara Campbell when she took over the Ghost Ranch ceramic program coordination, and she and I partnered on many years of workshop planning and presenting, donation campaigns and fundraising projects, volunteer camp coordination, and thinking about the future of the ceramic art program at the ranch.  Our partnership continues to this day.  One of our ideas to better utilize the ceramic art facilities was to promote “Edge” workshops.  These were workshops scheduled on the calendar before or after the regular Ghost Ranch programming when the studio was not in use.  The weather at the Ranch is good for most of the year, so we were successful with several of these, including Jim Romberg, Joe Bova, and Sheryl Zacharia.  Luisa Baldinger and I did one of the workshops together:  I was doing paper clay, and she was doing soft slab construction.  

“Edge” workshop at Ghost Ranch: Paper Clay led by Judy Nelson-Moore, Soft Slab Construction led by Luisa Baldinger. Photos by Marta Rodeheffer

The experience of planning, presenting, taking, and talking to clay people over the years about Ghost Ranch experiences, led me to see that Ghost Ranch is a significant place for the ceramic arts, not just for me but for a lot of other people, and it had a potential I needed to help become fully realized.  Barbara and I had this idea where we applied for the Armstrong Grant in 2008 to put in a cement floor.  The Armstrong Grant gave us  $1000. We worked with the grant and put a cement floor over the dirt in Pot Hollow. In conjunction, I raised a donation campaign among the members where we collected a sum of money for other projects. Then the Ranch put in the Raku pavilion about a year later. We really were able to make several improvements down in Pot Hollow. 

Judy and Barbara Campbell at Ghost Ranch. Photo by by Marta Rodeheffer

When the flood occurred in 2015, and we moved up to Piñon, we had a campaign to get money for the sun awning over the portal, so it wasn’t so difficult to work on the portal because the sun was really quite difficult in that location. So that was a significant expense. When Covid came along, and I saw the Ranch was struggling, I had this idea. First of all, Andrea Pichaida’s daughter, a graphic designer, developed these logos for the Celebration of Clay for about three years. They were beautiful logos, I felt. We hadn’t had any T-shirts or aprons for several years, and I thought we needed something to remember these logos by, if not the shows and workshops themselves. And then I got this idea: let’s use them as collateral to collect money for the Ranch. So, you know, I’m always coming up with ideas. I’m never short of ideas. Other people probably feel that’s unfortunate. (haha!) I always believe you cannot put forth an idea and then step back and say, okay, everybody else, you do that idea. That’s not fair; that’s not right. So, I started pitching the idea and dedicated myself to making it happen. That’s how the Clay Forward campaign started. I had a wonderful group of artists on the committee (Cirrelda Snider-Bryan, Luisa Baldinger, and Merlene Walker). I thought we had a brilliant idea to call it Clay Forward, and we met our goal, plus more.  Everyone now wears their shirts and aprons happily. Well, strangely, when Barbara Campbell was investigating how were going to use that money, she found out that the Ranch had been holding on to some money designated for the ceramic art studio for quite some time. So, there’s more money there than we even thought there was. 

Another program I am supportive of for the NMPCA is the Armstrong Grant.  I knew Bill Armstrong, and he was a great guy.  He was selfless in his contributions to the New Mexico Potters. 

The Armstrong Grant was initially set up for $500. And we later increased it to $1000. We need to increase the amount.  When we receive an application for more than $1000 or applications we want to award, and it’s more than $1000, the board does award them. Because we have some money in our savings, we can do increase the award for good reason. At an annual meeting several years ago, when we were giving the treasurer report, some members asked what we were doing with all that money. Let’s do something with it, they said. I’ve been conscious of discussion for several years. In the past, we didn’t always get applications for the Grant, and I think part of the reason is it’s such a paltry amount nobody wants to go to the trouble to apply for it. 

The Slip Trail: You lent the organization your computer savvy in many ways. Wasn’t the motivation always to bring people together more easily? Can you reminisce on that process of converting to an online presence?

Judy Nelson-Moore: First, I want to say, after the Annual Meeting this year, Kathy Cyman came to me and said something wonderful.  I think it reflects where we’ve come as an organization. She said, “Judy, I think the NMPCA would not be where it is now without you and your computer skills and putting us online and all the communication that has occurred.”  I felt like this was a good reason for all the hours of work I had spent on developing the technical side of the organization. I started because it seemed I was the only person in the organization who could. The initial motivation was to get the word out about who we were and our activities, the workshops, and grants.  I felt like people didn’t know what was going on. The motivation was also to raise what we now call the “profile” of the NMPCA, the public side, that was the website side, and the member side, all the communications, the emails, the newsletter, to get the word out among the members, to give the members some value, to make them know this is a happening organization, it’s well worth your participation. And I think this value has come to pass. 

Bringing people together more easily was really the goal of the Zoom calls, with the Clay Connections, starting during COVID lockdown when we couldn’t meet in person. Being a statewide organization, it was always difficult for us to meet in person anyway. Clay Connections became an ongoing activity because it filled a need to connect beyond local areas.  I think it’s a great way for people to connect. And people are more interested in connecting now than they were before.  

In those early “transition-to-online” years, we also evolved to have several websites. In the early days of WordPress, it didn’t seem possible to do more than one function on a WordPress site. I started one for the main website to publicize who we are and what we are about. Then, I started another website for the Studio Tour. I think the Studio Tour is one of my most significant contributions. It was another one of my brainchild ideas (chuckles). I felt like this was to be of significant value to members. It was when internet searching was increasing, and it enabled the artist, for a very low cost, to have their presence on the internet to show their work. I think this was very helpful. So the studio tour was the second site. Then there was The Slip Trail, the blog. The Slip Trail has had so many generations. It was initially a mailed mimeographed paper publication. Penne Roberts was the editor for many years, as well as other editors. The postage was getting very expensive.  The newsletter editors had trouble getting anybody to give them any input. We changed it to every other month, then to quarterly. And one meeting, the board was at my house, actually right here in this room where we are talking, and the board said, “Why don’t we have an online blog?” Then they all turned to me (big smile). And so, I implemented another WordPress site for the blog. The fourth one was for show applications. When you have even a non-juried show, you need some way of determining how many people to accept and collect their entries for tracking and labeling. 

Then the WordPress sites became too unwieldy, and I began to realize, although they were nice sites and a credit to our organization, WordPress was not a tool just anybody could work with. It’s a difficult tool, and you need to be technically minded, especially with all the functionality we use.  You almost need to have a full-time person. And the board kept saying, “Well, Judy, we’ll just hire you to be the person.” I finally decided we needed to convert to something else. In the meantime, we decided to utilize Wild Apricot for membership records, dues tracking, and payments. The credit goes to Cricket Appel. She’s the one who identified the “content management system” (the official word for it). We converted all our membership records. It’s a great system to maintain membership records; it sends notifications when it’s time to renew membership, plus it enables us to register events, so we put the show applications on there, along with workshops. Wild Apricot accepts online payments. It is also a fairly adequate website and email tool. But I said to the board: we must have something people can manage easily. Multiple WordPress sites did not work for easy maintenance.  We decided to consolidate everything into Wild Apricot.  So, we went into a big project. It took us about six months, and people helped me. We converted all our functionality into Wild Apricot. And it works reasonably well. We had to convert all of the Studio Tours; we had galleries of previous shows we converted, and we had the Slip Trail articles; it was a big effort.

Judy during the interview. Photo credit: Cirrelda Snider-Bryan

The Slip Trail:  Almost our last question: You were involved on an administrative level with NMPCA for twenty years. You took on many roles. You took your required year off, but then you joined back on after six years, three times. Are there any anecdotes you wish to share about the various roles you took on the board over the years? Treasurer, President, Vice President, Webmaster, all the different roles.

Judy Nelson-Moore:  I have worked in a business for many years. I was a manager in a computer software business. I worked as a consultant, I worked with clients. That experience was invaluable in all the roles I later took on the NMPCA. However, I quickly discovered the differences between working with business clients and clay artist volunteers in the NMPCA.  My best role in the business environment was as a consultant, helping people. I’d let them make the decisions, and I could just help them implement them. This skill came into play in leadership roles within the NMPCA. When I was NMPCA president, we had some difficult decisions and times when communication within the board was difficult. But there’s one very important action we took:  We made an operations’ manual. Sara D'Alessandro, Barbara Campbell, and I attended a Santa Fe Business Institute workshop. They gave a workshop on non-profits and how they should operate. After the workshop, we created the operations’ manual. It’s on the website.  Unfortunately, many people have forgotten about it. So, my final advice is to pay attention to the manual.  It can be updated and changed to meet current circumstances, but it can give guidance if questions arise and communications get confused.  

The Slip Trail: Brava, good. Looking into the future, do you have an idea for the future of the NMPCA and your own direction in creativity?

Judy Nelson-Moore:  I hope for the NMPCA to expand its role in the Arts Community, emerging as a key organization to advocate for creativity in ceramic arts. Creativity, a vital tool for personal and organizational growth, finds unique expression through clay. The tactile experience of molding clay connects artists intimately with their creations, fostering a powerful, restorative, and exciting process. The NMPCA can attract a diverse community, solidifying its position as a driving force in the intersection of art and craftsmanship and inspiring a new generation of clay artists dedicated to increasing creativity in our world.

In my personal exploration with clay, I've entered a phase where commercial motivations no longer drive my creative pursuits. This direction stems from a transformative shift in my creative journey. My focus has evolved towards a profound love for experimentation and exploration in the realm of ceramics:  alternative firing methods, alternative surfaces, unfettered shapes, unfired and mixed media combinations.  Experimenting with effects, and methods has become an intrinsic goal in itself. The works that emerge are a genuine manifestation, either flowing intuitively from my hands or taking shape from the canvas of my dreams ... My desire is to persist in crafting with energy, unbridled freedom, and share my love of clay with others.  

The Slip Trail: What a completely successful interview. I applaud your words and your thinking. Thank you so much, Judy. 

Judy Nelson-Moore: You’re very welcome. I am so thankful to you for helping me with this process. I’ve wanted to get something in the Slip Trail to make these stories known.

-       This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.   

To see Judy’s ceramic work, go to  her studio tour page at www.judynelsonmoore.com and her website at www.nmpotters.org/judy-nelson-moore

Also, to read Judy's article "The Monster From Within or How I Became an Artist," visit this link.