SHARON BRUSH

Sharon Brush has been a ceramic artist and educator for over 30 years. She received her MFA in ceramics from Rhode Island School of Design and her BFA in ceramics from the State University of New York at New Paltz. In 1999, she was awarded an artist residency at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana. In describing her work, Brush notes, "I have always been drawn to objects whose history is written upon their surface: River rock worn smooth from centuries of tumult; the bleached, chewed bone found on the desert floor; the bare-bones landscape of the American southwest... these things speak to me of timelessness and mystery. It is all that I don’t know, that deepens my viewing experience.” Sharon’s work is held in hundreds of public and private collections throughout the United States.  

 

SARA LEE D’ALESSANDRO

Sara Lee D’Alessandro is a life-long artist. In her own words, “Clay renders volume, mass and rich texture, offering more than a profile or silhouette. I am enthralled with its terrifying fecundity. Raw clay is a physical manifestation of the past ground by the maw of time. It is a flowing form, the embodiment of flux. Clay teaches, creation emerges from chaos, not from order. The wonderful immediacy, when working small in clay, is turned on its head when working large. The forms are more determined by the clay itself, what is structurally possible and what is not.” Sara’s home and studio are located in Cuba, NM. She is a graduate of Pratt Institute and has exhibited her work for fifty years and is in private and public collections throughout the US.

 

CARLA EMMERT

Carla Emmert earned a BA in Art Education from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1977 and taught high school as an art instructor for 12 years. In 1991, she moved to New Mexico, married, and lived throughout the southwest working as a social worker and teacher remaining connected to art through various mediums. A personal loss in 2023 led Carla to seek clay for healing. In her words, ”My journey with clay began with sculpting whimsical angels for friends facing illness and hardship. I wanted to offer something lighthearted and healing. This evolved into a personal project I call my ‘My Army of Angels’. These angels represent the diverse communities I believe will be most affected by authoritarian policies that we are now seeing. Each is a tribute to resilience, compassion, and the enduring power of art as protest and healing.”

 

GRETCHEN EWERT

Gretchen Ewert is a multimedia artist who works in clay, paper, canvas and printmaking. In clay, she is known for her magical animal sculptures which draw from her first-hand observations in the wild. She is an innovator in creating surfaces that use both ceramic and non-ceramic materials post firing. The work is hand-built mostly out of earthenware. Some other materials are bone, horn, metal leafs and gold. Ewert lives and works in Arroyo Hondo, just north of Taos. She is a northern New Mexico native but has led a peripatetic life in the world. She is in collections of nine museums including UNM Harwood, Albuquerque Museum, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. She has received a number of awards including a National Endowment '88 for her work in clay and a Pollock Krasner Fellowship for her work in paper '04-'05. Gretchen is an original member of the Taos Ceramics Center.

 

DEBRA FRITTS

Debra Fritts is one of the most respected ceramics artists nd educators in New Mexico. She is most well-known for her striking figurative work that speaks to a natural emergence, body and soul, from the clay in which she works. Director, Ray McKinnon, recognizing her extraordinary talent, featured her work in the four-season Sundance TV drama, Rectify. Equally moving are Debra’s non-figurative sculptures that are instilled with a life of their own. Debra's work is collected and exhibited by both museums and individual collectors throughout the US. She has taught advanced ceramics in the US and Mexico. Today, Debra holds workshops throughout the year that she conducts at her Abiquiu studio.

 

STUART GAIR

Stuart Gair received a history degree from Ohio University and completed an MFA from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Stuart has spent time making work and teaching at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, MT, Harvard University, and Colorado Mountain College in Aspen. Currently he lives in Athens, OH where he is a professor at Ohio University and makes work at his home studio.

 

HEBE GARCIA

Hebé García is a renowned figurative artist known for her expertise in oil painting and ceramic sculpture. Born in Miami and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she currently resides in Abiquiú, New Mexico. Her artistic work explores the complex dimensions of human nature, with a focus on the intricate investigations of both internal and external realms. She delves into the nuanced navigation of emotions, desires, fantasies, and impulses. Hebé's artwork is showcased in prestigious venues, including Nest Gallery in Abiquiú, NM; NOSA Restaurant in Ojo Caliente, NM; and Pamil Fine Arts in Río Piedras, PR. Additionally, her creations are part of the permanent collection at the Museo de Arte de Bayamón (MAB) in Bayamón, PR.  

 

NATHAN GODDARD

Nathan was born in Grand Rapids, MI and has lived  and traveled widely throughout the USA, Europe, and Japan. He received a BFA in Studio Art and Land Art from the University of New Mexico and his MFA at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. In 2007, the State of Michigan commissioned him to design and develop the Governor’s Award for Arts and Culture. Nathan is past Programs Coordinator at Red Lodge Clay Center. He has taught numerous ceramic courses and workshops at all levels and was Adjunct Professor of Studio Art Ceramics at Wofford College, and Lander University in South Carolina. In 2015-16, he was Kiln Yard Technician in Skælskør, Denmark at Guldagergaard. Nathan has made Red Lodge, MT his home where he enjoys mountain skiing, hiking, and land exploring. Nathan exhibits his work regionally and nationally.

 

SAZUKI GORO

Born in Aichi in 1941, Suzuki Goro is a contemporary ceramic artist famous for his Oribe, Shino, and Kiseto wares. Stylistically playful, Suzuki's artworks tap into the pictorially decorative side of Oribe-yaki. The geometric and organic designs on a burnt orange field coupled with areas of rich green glaze are all hallmarks of his works. Despite this, Suzuki resists a complete characterization, as he constantly experiments with color and form. Indeed, his oeuvre consists of both Shino and Oribe wares, mastering both in highly decorative capacities. Suzuki works in both sculptural and functional capacities. His art is experimental, and showcases a youthful and quirky approach to Mino and Seto ceramics.

 

ELIZABETH HUNT

Elizabeth Hunt is a most extraordinary artist that gives form to one’s inner thoughts of life’s eccentricities in a manner and depth that cannot help but elicit a smile. Much can be explained by her unusual childhood growing up in the exotic Kingston, Jamaica culture from the time she was six months old. At ten, her parents divorced and she moved to a Detroit suburb. Subsequently, Elizabeth moved to other areas that left her with a sense of restlessness. Fortunately, she found Santa Fe and is now the Ceramics Program Director at the Santa Fe Community College. Elizabeth notes, “My process of working reflects my belief that life events are random and uncontrollable. Unexpected encounters and seemingly unrelated coincidences fascinate me.” She continues, “Everything is interwoven and connected; any given thing affects any other given thing.”

 

MATTHEW KROUSEY

Matthew Krousey received his BFA in ceramics from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities in 2008. He served for 9 years in the military and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Krousey's ceramic vessels and sculptures have been exhibited locally and internationally, including an exhibition at Sanbao Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen, China. He has received numerous awards including a 2023 Artist Initiative Grant, 2021 and 2018 Essential Artist Award, and a 2014 Jerome Project Grant. Growing up in a rural region of Minnesota he has a deep connection with the land and its native flora and fauna. Matthew is a fifth generation Minnesotan and his work is largely inspired by a childhood spent in the forests, prairies, and waterways of the central part of the state.

 

BECKY LLOYD

Becky Lloyd ‘s work uses sgraffito, a centuries old technique, to create very intricate patterns and designs. Each piece of hand thrown porcelain is coated with a black terra sigillata slip. She then uses a very sharp knife to cut into the slip exposing the white porcelain underneath. Becky graduated in 1990 from Beloit College in Wisconsin with a B.A. in Studio Art. During her studies, she met Steve Lloyd, the love of her life and partner in clay. They married and eventually moved to rural Minnesota to raise their two daughters, and later moved to western North Carolina. Their collaborative work includes awards from the American Craft Council Shows in Baltimore and Atlanta and Best of Show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. In 2014, Steve passed away suddenly. Devastated by the loss, Becky is still putting her life back together continuing to carry on the work that they so lovingly shared.

 

BONNIE LYNCH

Bonnie Lynch lives and works in both Santa Fe, NM and remote west TX. The minimal, spacious, desert environment of both locales has long inspired and informed her work. Lynch’s quiet vessels, are each formed by hand from the building of clay coils that are then smoothed to a stone’s surface. Each piece transitions from clay to ceramic in a process known as saggar firing. Lynch’s frequent travels to Africa and Japan have deepened her practice and resonate with her aesthetic focus on beauty and the contemplative. Lynch has exhibited widely, including at the Louvre Museum, Paris, and exhibitions in Santa Fe, New York, Houston and Japan. Her work is part of numerous foundations and museums as well as other notable private collections in the United States and abroad.

 

ERIC MARCUS

Taos Pueblo artist, Eric Marcus, has been working with clay for as long as he can remember. He comes from a family with a rich history and tradition as potters. Eric started out making clay pipes about 10 years ago. All along, he would “help out” his mother, the famed Pueblo potter Angie Yazzie, with coiling. Over time, he picked up additional techniques that are necessary in refining one’s hand building practice. As time passed, he stepped out and began making his own magnificent work and has today developed his own following and style working with micaceous clay. Eric’s work can be found next to his mother’s in many fine galleries in northern New Mexico.

 

JAMES MARSHALL

James Marshall received his MFA in 1979 from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  He has been an exhibiting artist for the past 50 years and has works in public and private collections nationally and internationally. Additionally, James has been widely published in books, magazine and newspaper articles. His current gallery representation includes Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, William Campbell Contemporary Art, Ft. Worth, TX, Duane Reed Gallery, St. Louis, MO. James has taught at Santa Fe Community College for the past 25 years while serving as Program Head of Ceramics. He is now Professor Emeritus and continues to teach classes at the college.

 

KEN MATSUZAKI

Ken Matsuzaki was born in 1950 in Tokyo, Japan. He studied at Tamagawa University School of Fine Arts, Tokyo and received a degree in Ceramic Art. In 1972 he moved to Mashiko to pursue an apprentice to Tatsuzo Shimaoka. At the end of a five-year apprenticeship, Ken established his own studio and kiln near Tatsuzo Shimoka in Mashiko. His kiln came to be known by the name Yuushin Gama. The piece being shown at the TCC Ceramic Piece show is noted as the first piece to come out of his new kiln.

 

LORNA MEADEN

Lorna Meaden has lived in Durango, Colorado on and off for almost 30 years. Having originally moved from the Chicago suburbs to attend Fort Lewis College, she has had many adventures in the local art scene along with intermittent moves seeking education, artist residencies, and international travel. After receiving a BA from Fort Lewis in 1994, and an MFA in ceramics from Ohio University in 2005, she completed artist residencies at the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts and Anderson Ranch Arts Center. She has been visiting faculty at San Juan College in Farmington, NM, Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, and Fort Lewis College in Durango. Some of what she considers her most fulfilling work has been teaching and learning abroad including time spent in Jamaica, Nicaragua, Nepal, Italy, and most recently Bali, Indonesia. Lorna is currently a full-time studio potter. She teaches workshops and shows her work extensively both nationally and internationally.

 

ANDREA PICHAIDA

Andrea Pichaida, is no stranger to New Mexico ceramics. Until 2024, she was the president of the NM Potters and Clay Artists Association (NMPCA), the largest ceramics organization in the state. A native of Santiago, Chile, Andrea moved to Santa Fe in 2010 where she lives with her husband, David. While still in Santiago, she chaired the sculpture department at the Catholic University from 1994-2010. Since moving to Santa Fe, Pichaida has taught ceramic workshops and private classes, while dedicating the majority of her time to the development of her work. She has been the recipient of numerous awards of distinction. Her work has been featured in Ceramics Monthly magazine and is part of prominent collections in the US, Chile, Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, and the Vatican.

 

GRETA RUIZ

Greta Ruiz grew up near Guadalupita, in Northern New Mexico. She began working with clay in 1980 at Santa Fe Preparatory School, in Santa Fe, NM where she developed a lifelong love for clay and an interest in hand building. She continued studies in Claremont, CA with David Furman at Pitzer College, then traveled to Japan in 1984 for a year to study Japanese Art History, Fine Art and the Japanese aesthetic. Upon her return to Claremont she spent a year studying with Paul Soldner, where she learned more about combining texture, color and shape to create integrated forms. In 2000 she joined Santa Fe Clay and began taking classes and workshops where she explored several hand building styles. She continues to live and work in Santa Fe, NM.

 

HITOMI SHIBATA

Hitomi Shibata, a Japanese ceramic artist residing in Seagrove, NC, earned her Bachelor and Master of Education in Fine Art, Ceramics from Okayama University. Her artistic journey began in Shigaraki, a distinguished and historical pottery region in Japan, where she cultivated her skills and acquired substantial experience. In 2001, she was awarded a Rotary Foundation Scholarship to study at University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. After relocating to Seagrove with her husband, Takuro Shibata, in 2005 they established a pottery studio utilizing local clays and Japanese-style wood kilns. Her work, which merges tradition with modern design, reflects her dedication to craft and sustainability. Shibata co-authored "Wild Clay" in 2022 and was recognized as a member of the International Academy of Ceramics in 2017.

 

TAKURO SHIBATA

Takuro Shibata, a Japanese ceramicist currently residing in Seagrove, NC, earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Applied Chemistry from Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. After graduation, he apprenticed under Hozan Tanii in Shigaraki, a historically renowned pottery village. In 2005, he became the director of Starworks Ceramics in NC, where he has dedicated himself to local clay research and the establishment of a clay-making facility. At his residence, Takuro and his wife, Hitomi, founded their pottery studio, Studio Touya. He actively participates in exhibitions, conducts lectures, and teaches workshops. He is also the co-author of the book Wild Clay. As a member of the International Academy of Ceramics, Takuro has been featured in national and international media, publications, and conferences.

 

NISHIHATA TADASHI

A native of the centuries-old ceramic region of Tachikui celebrated for producing Tanba pottery, Nishihata Tadashi (b. 1948) comes from a long line of distinguished ceramic artists, going back to the middle Edo period. His work reflects his mastery of these ancient techniques as well as his keen sense of refined modern aesthetics, making him one of the contemporary masters of Tanba ware. Nishihata has brought new energy and a spirit of modernity and attention to this hidden spot between Osaka and Kyoto.

 

SAM TAKEUCHI

Sam Takeuchi, famous for his black square top hat and widely known as a lone wolf, graduated from Waseda University in Tokyo with a degree in architecture. After multiple graduate schoolings, Sam opened an architectural office in NYC and practiced more than 40 years designing and constructing residences, restaurants, banks, business offices and museums. Sixteen years ago, Sam moved to Santa Fe, NM and designed and built his current house, gallery and tea room. His interest in ceramics started when he was at university and apprenticed with Mr. Sakuma in Mashiko, Japan. Sam’s interest never dwindled and has continued to create ceramics. Throughout his life, he collected numerous ceramic works throughout Japan and the world. Sam notes, “I have been blessed with so many talented individuals in many fields. Unimaginably generous and kind creative people who have shaped my fortunate paths of personal and professional life.”

 

KIM TREIBER

Born and raised outside Chicago, IL, Kim first visited Taos, NM in 1971, and settled there in 1983. She is a ceramic artist, musician, and farmer. Her ceramic studies began at Arizona State University, with an emphasis on Native American Studies. In ceramics, hand building, wheel-throwing, high fire and micaceous clay inspire her work. Kim was honored with Millicent Rogers Museum’s “Best in Show” in 2021. Kim often incorporates earth elements, vines and leaf designs into her work, inspired by nature’s influences and hopeful elements of renewal. Working with the land and her affinity with clay have been a constant source of meditation, harmony and gratitude, providing the opportunity to live close to Mother Earth and raise her family in Taos. Kim is an original member of the Taos Ceramics Center.

 

MINSOO YUH

Minsoo Yuh was born and raised in Seoul, Korea. She earned her BFA and MFA in ceramics from Hongik University. After completing her education, Minsoo relocated to the United States and has since been working with clay. Currently based in Athens, GA, Minsoo thrives as a full-time studio potter while teaching workshops and classes. She presents her work through gallery exhibitions and pottery tours nationwide while actively participating in art residencies both in the U.S. and abroad. Minsoo's practice is a reflection of her journey of self-examination and personal growth, exploring humanity, nature, and life through the inspiration derived from the intrinsic qualities of clay and nature's elements.

 

SHERYL ZACHARIA

Sheryl Zacharia was born and raised in New York and lived in Manhattan most of her adult life. Except for a brief period at Southampton College where she majored in painting she is primarily a self taught artist. As a young adult, she pursued a career as a singer-songwriter. She performed in the NYC club circuit for 15 years and is a published songwriter. Missing her visual arts roots, she began working in clay that started her on a new artistic path. She has exhibited both locally and nationally. Her pieces have been widely published and are in numerous museum and private collections. Most recently, she won an award for a piece in the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts Ceramic Biennial and it was added to their permanent collection. She completed an extended residency at The Museum of Arts and Design in NYC. Sheryl considers herself a diehard New Yorker, but moved to Santa Fe, NM 10 years ago. She now resides and works in both cities.