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HotNotes
A look at Taos Ceramics Center's notable moments of 2024!
TCC transitions to a
501(c)(3) non-profit
It was a long time coming. In fact, the notion to become a non-profit was established upon founding the TCC in 2019. But COVID threw our plans into a tailspin just months later. In 2023, we revisited the idea and formed a nine-person board and incorporated TCC Creates Inc. Then, following 6 months of application writing, we submitted our application to the IRS and waited another 8 months for its approval. On July 1, 2024, the TCC officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization.
Why was becoming a non-profit so important to us? The answer lies in our vision of becoming the center for ceramic arts education and appreciation in the southwest. We will soon be launching a capitol campaign to raise the funds to build a dedicated educational building on our existing campus. See TCC Educational Building below for more details. This additional studio and seminar space will allow the TCC to greatly increase its educational offerings to adults of all ages, children, seniors, and veterans, and to attract the finest ceramic artists from throughout the US to lead as well as take workshops and classes. There is no other facility in New Mexico that has made that happen. This will serve to also support the Taos artist community as well as the community at large in bringing new faces, talent, and their resources to Taos.
As a result of being a non-profit, we are now able to seek a wide range of funding through public, private, and corporate grants as well as private donation. And, we are no longer required to collect sales tax in our gallery, supply store, or studio because all profits are channeled directly back to the educational component of the TCC.
If you would care to make a year-end donation to help the TCC in achieving its vision, we would be most grateful.
A sneak preview into TCC's not-too-distant future
When TCC’s realty partners acquired the residence at the rear of our campus for housing our artists-in-residence, they also acquired the vacant lot to its east. This lot is a little more than a quarter acre and is where the TCC intends to erect the TCC education building (yet unnamed) in 2026. This dedicated instructional center for students and ceramics professionals is the key to achieving TCC’s vision of becoming the premier center for ceramics education and appreciation in the southwest.
Only days ago, we received finished renderings from Henry Architects in Arroyo Seco of the proposed TCC education building. In 2025, the TCC will be launching a capital campaign to raise the funding necessary to have the facility built. We have already set up a fund that you may contribute to, online or by check, if you should be so moved. All donations to the TCC are tax-deductible and some can even be used to lower the taxes on your RMDs (if over 70 1/2). We are grateful for any help you can lend in seeing the TCC achieve this important milestone.
IMAGES: The images depict our concept for the addition of a dedicated education center on our existing campus. Plans include a studio with 11 wheels, 128 sq ft of hand building surface, 500 linear ft of shelving, a state-of-the-art glaze mixing and finishing room, 2 additional Cone 6 kilns; and on the second level, 3 private studio spaces, and a 1,000 sq ft presentation room for workshops, seminars, and artist talks.
276 bowls in support of the Empty Bowls Project!
As we have for the past 4 years, the TCC worked to support the ongoing efforts of the St James Episcopal Church in Taos to help feed the hungry in our community. Every October, at the leadership of Marilyn Farrow, St James hosts the Empty Bowls Project where ceramic bowls are donated to the
event and participants in the fundraiser pay $25 to get a handmade bowl, soup, and other tasty accompaniments. This year, the membership and management of the TCC threw, fired, and donated 276 ceramic bowls, approximately two thirds of all the bowls available for the Empty Bowls event.
ABOVE: Darien Prendergast, after just completing the epic rebuild of TCC's Nils Lou Minnesota Flattop Car Kiln in June! Wish he could have been here for its first firing.
ABOVE: Former TCC instructor and good friend, Sjoran Fitzpatrick, inspects the just rolled out wares on the Cone 10 kiln's first firing.
A cone 10 kiln that was
a long time coming!
Approximately two years ago, we were donated a 30 cu ft Nils Lou Minnesota Flattop kiln owned by lifelong Abiquiu potter, Dick Loumaghi. With the help of our members and friends, we removed and stacked the kiln brick, brick by brick, and moved the 4 pallets and 200 pounds of steel to our kiln yard about an hour away. There they sat for 18 months while we completed the gas line installation, poured a cement pad and looked for someone who could rebuild and in whom we had full confidence. Finally, this spring, we reached out to our friend Darien Prendergast who we had met two years earlier managing the many kilns of the Berkley Potter's Studio. It was kismet. Darien and his young family were headed to Austin, TX in just a few weeks to view the solar eclipse. When we proposed that he take a detour back to California through Taos to build the kiln he replied, “Well sure, let’s do it!!!” The build was a seven-day venture with a little help from a few TCC folks and it was completed at the beginning of June. Summer temps had already started to reach into the high 90’s, and even 100, so we chose to hold off the first test firing until temps cooled a bit not realizing they'd last all summer. Along came Haddie Hadachek to visit the TCC Gallery in October with her 37 years firing gas reduction kilns and she said… “A gas kiln? Let’s get this baby fired up!”. She had moved somewhat recently from Minnesota to El Dorado and was “stoked” to find a Cone 10 kiln in the "neighborhood". She volunteered to bring a good bit of bisqued work to accompany what we had already created at the studio.
On December 1st, we loaded the kiln and planned to fire it on the morning of December 3rd . Upon arriving at the studio, we got out of our vehicle and immediately noticed the scent of natural gas in the parking lot. Of all days! We immediately telephoned NM Gas. They were on site in 30 minutes and had the regulator leak fixed by 10am. Shortly thereafter, we proceeded to get the enormous burners lit. We had Haddie and her friend Bob from Penasco, NM, our friend and ceramic artist Sjoran Fitzpatrick, and the two of us (Georgia and Jules) by the kiln’s side. Unfortunately, we had two hours of issues keeping the right burner from stalling out. Georgia was texting back and forth with Darien in Berkley for advice, Sjoran was racking his brain on site, Jules was repositioning the burner pilot and thermocouple over and over. Finally, by 1pm we were in business and watching the temp climb. At 9pm @ 22°F in the yard and over 2000°F in the kiln, we were left to stay warm, inches from the bricks, until she reached temperature. Cone 8 fell, then Cone 9, and finally Cone 10. A huge sigh of relief followed as the kiln’s interior glowed bright red and we shut down the burners. It was two days later when Haddie, Sjoran, Georgia and Jules gathered by the now cooled kiln to roll the car out and see the results of its virgin firing. The video below says it best.
Excitement filled the yard as more and more members got a look at the incredible firing which produced all the desirable results that potters go crazy for. Our thanks to all those who lent their expertise, encouragement, and patience. The TCC now officially has a wonderful Cone 10 kiln that we plan to fire for our members on a regular basis.
VIDEO: December 5, as the first firing of the kiln was revealed
A year of relationship- building from NYC to Aspen
TCC’s management had the opportunity to further TCC’s reach and understanding in traveling to many clay centers over the course of the year. It was our first time attending NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts), the clay world’s most highly regarded annual conference. It was held in March in the beautiful revival city of Richmond, VA, and attended by more than 6500 clay artists and industry vendors. MANY great ideas, demonstrations, speakers, and wonderful exhibits were hosted by galleries throughout the Richmond area. We established many relationships and furthered others.
We also attended the St Croix Valley Pottery Tour, an annual event in the farmlands just north of Minneapolis. It’s said that this weekend event is the 3rd largest revenue generator in the state! Dozens of potters hailing from the Minnesota/ Wisconsin/Iowa area, as well as very established potters from coast to coast, bring their wares to exhibit. The artists bring thousands of pieces to the show and leave virtually empty-handed. It was a wonderful experience to meet and re-meet so many talented artisans, and to learn of techniques not common in our backyard. While in the area, we had the opportunity to visit the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. It is a ceramics center not unlike the TCC but with many more years behind it. We were very impressed with all that they are doing and the people behind it. We also took in a wonderful exhibit of ceramics at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA).
Perhaps our most enjoyable experience was visiting Anderson Ranch in Snowmass Village, CO. This arts center hosts short-term residencies in a wide range of creative arts, as well as world-class seminars and instruction. It’s been nearly 60 years since renowned ceramics creative, Paul Soldner, chose the site and established the Soldner Ceramics Center at Anderson Ranch. While in the area, we also visited with nearby Carbondale Clay Center, in Carbondale CO, which is a community ceramics studio with a large following. And, saving the best for last, we met with Stephanie Soldner, Paul Soldner’s daughter, at the Soldner Center in Aspen, CO. Stephanie was most gracious and generous with her time and took us for a private tour of Paul’s former home, grounds and studio, sharing many wonderful personal stories of being raised there, Paul and wife Ginny’s construction of the property (a former potato field!), Paul and Ginny’s work, and his unconventional life. We were quite inspired by all that we heard and viewed. Stephanie has formed a non-profit to preserve the home and studio in perpetuity and has donated several acres of the property to remain as a natural preserve. Since visiting this summer, we were delighted to have the opportunity to show Stephanie around the TCC when she visited us this fall.
At the recommendation of a TCC member, we visited the Morean Center for Clay in St. Petersburg, FL, while visiting family in the area. We had never heard of it, and yet, they are the third largest clay center in the US. When we arrived, one of their residents was setting up their end-of-residency show in the gallery. It was stunningly creative. We then took a self-guided tour through the facility to find it filled with artists, their private studios, and shelves of wares for sale. This is a center not to be missed if you find yourself anywhere in the area.
We also had an opportunity to visit the iconic Greenwich House Pottery in Manhattan (both locations) and Brooklyn Clay in Brooklyn on a 101° day in June (not recommended at that temp!)
ABOVE: A powerful exhibit in process of installation at St. Petersburg's Morean Center for Clay by Dakota Parkinson, artist-in-residence. No illusion, this was a very large piece suspended on chains from the ceiling.
TOP: The work of Virgil Ortiz from the Cochiti Pueblo in NM on display in one of many satellite exhibits at NCECA.
ABOVE: A wonderful sculpture by Takuro Shibata on exhibit at one of the many galleries for NCECA.
ABOVE: TCC Manager, Georgia Epstein, posing next to a powerful ceramic sculpture by Atlanta's Sunkoo Yuh on exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA).
ABOVE: Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, CO
ABOVE and BELOW: Stephanie Soldner at the Soldner Center in Aspen, CO, provided us with an unforgettable and most inspiring tour of her father's home and studio.
The TCC educational program was in full swing
ABOVE: Sam Takeuchi of Santa Fe asking questions of Jim Romberg at his artist talk about Raku in July.
More than 300 accomplished and aspiring clay students attended 24 classes, workshops, private lessons, and artists talks in 2024 with some coming from as far as the states of Washington and Florida.
The TCC hosted several sold-out workshops that included Jim Romberg’s “Deconstructing Raku”, “The Vessel as Sculpture” led by the incomparable Sharon Brush, Abby Salsbury’s “Surface Decoration in Clay,” and Montana’s Nathan Goddard, “Creating Expressive
Forms & Underglaze Monoprint Transfers” partially sponsored by Speedball Arts. And finally, Mary Cay of Aurora, CO, brought consciousness and solutions to every ceramic artist’s question of “what to do with your glaze waste?” In this fascinating hands-on workshop Mary introduced all who participated to the option of reclaiming the waste and turning it into useful glaze material. Thank you to all who participated in furthering their ceramics knowledge!
ABOVE: Mary Cay (3rd from right) led a fascinating workshop in November to explore utilizing glaze "waste".
ABOVE: Participants buzzing around the Raku area in Jim Romberg's workshop during June.
ABOVE: Montana's Nathan Goddard led a fun-filled workshop in August to a very enthusiastic group.
Artist-in-Residence program enters 3rd year
In May, our first two artists-in-residence, Sara Jensen from Carbondale, CO and Sarah Bartolotta of Hudson Valley, NY, had a 10-day exhibit at the TCC Gallery entitled "Vantage Points" as their residency was nearing its conclusion. The work was striking and the opening was well attended with people traveling from throughout the US to view the exhibit.
In July, we welcomed a new resident, Maura Gaven, a ceramic artist from Portland, ME, and in October, Cecilia McGinnis, a recent graduate from Furman University who went on to work for Odyssey ClayWorks in Asheville, NC, before joining us at the TCC. Maura has concentrated on her exquisite sgraffito work since her arrival at the TCC and taught several classes for us. Recently, she received an offer to study in a graduate program in New Zealand and will be leaving the TCC at the end of December to take advantage of this opportunity. Cecilia came to the TCC a week early from Asheville, just a few weeks after Hurricane Helene had devastated the area. She is contributing a great deal to the TCC in the classroom and in the studio while dedicating much of her time working on her wheel throwing. At the first of the year, Owen Moon will be joining us for 2025 after completing his MFA in ceramics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He received his BFA from Alfred University. We look forward to welcoming Owen, our 5th resident artist!
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE PHOTO GALLERY
 Elizabeth Hunt's exhibit, "Cast of Characters", in February took the breath away from all who viewed it. |  One of several ceramic "toys" that were part of Elizabeth Hunt's exhibit. |  Abby Salsbury's "Continuum" was a joyful show of Abby's latest work. |
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 Andrea Hegeman's April/ May exhibit brought the spring season to life with her ceramics and prints. |  "Vantage Points" showcased the work of TCC's first two artists-in-residence, Sara Jensen and Sarah Bartolotta. |  Kathleen Huntington-Ferguson unveiled her marvelous collection of imaginative eggs in her showing of "Hatchlings". |
 "Poetics of Time and Atmosphere" was a most dazzling display of Jim Romberg's atmospheric ceramics. |  "Night Sky", one of the many beautiful raku vessels in the Romberg exhibit (and it's still available in the gallery!) |  It was an honor to host the "Celebration of Clay" exhibit representing 65 artist/members of the NMPCA |
 Janeen Maas' work "Sing a Song" (foreground) at the "Celebration of Clay" was a real draw with its 4 & 20 blackbirds! |  COMING 2025: A special exhibit this summer, the figurative works of Albert Bensusen. |
One inspiring show after another at TCC Gallery
The TCC Gallery had a wonderful 2024, exhibiting the works of several accomplished artists. We kicked off the year with Elizabeth Hunt’s revealing show of ceramic figures and drawings that surprised and fascinated all who viewed. Many know Elizabeth as the chair of the ceramics department at Santa Fe Community College but her work had not been shown in years. From there, we exhibited the creative ceramic sculptures of Chilean born Andrea Hegeman in a show called “Blossoming”. Her floral themes made for a wonderful show to welcome early spring. Alongside Andrea’s work were the magical “Hatchlings” of Taos’ Kathleen Ferguson-Huntington. These fantasy eggs, created years prior, tickled the hearts of all who saw them. Next up were the powerful raku works of renowned artist Jim Romberg who had recently returned to live again in northern NM. Jim’s
“deliberate” use of raku’s atmospheric firing created works, free standing and wall hung, that simply awed their viewers. Jim offered a well-attended artist talk and is still working with the TCC in hosting raku firings on our campus. Next up was TCC board member and Taos favorite, Abby Salsbury. It was our first show of predominantly “functional” pottery and we had a difficult time keeping Abby’s joyful works on the pedestals. Everyone is looking for a reason to smile! In October, we were fortunate to again host the Celebration of Clay in this, the NMPCA’s (New Mexico Potters and Clay Artists) 50th anniversary year. Sixty-five of their members from throughout New Mexico exhibited in this wonderful show that attracted viewers far and wide. Congrats NMPCA! And finally, we are currently showing the works of our members, instructors, and friends of the TCC Gallery in our Annual Holiday Show. Don’t miss it!
Coming up in 2025: Andrea Pichaida, Marcia Oliver, Lee Akins, Bonnie Lynch, Greta Ruiz, and the late NY sculptor, Albert Bensusen, and more. Stay tuned!
Our hearts and help went out to Asheville
In October of 2023, TCC management visited Asheville, NC, to establish relationships with ceramic artists as well as educational facilities and tool makers in the area. We succeeded in cultivating some lasting friendships and seeing some remarkable ceramics work. As you can imagine, it was devastating when we learned of the destruction that ensued as a result of Hurricane Helene this summer. We heard one story after another of studios, homes, and businesses being washed away or in 8 feet of water. No electricity, no roads, no potable water. Thankfully, no one we knew was physically injured but many suffered the emotional and financial consequences of either losing or having to rebuild their workspace or home. TCC quickly set up the TCC Asheville Relief Fund and collected more than $10,000 in donations to pass through to CERF+, the chief relief center for the Asheville artists. We will continue to collect donations through 2024.
We have received many unsolicited financial donations since becoming a 501(c)(3) in July for which we are most grateful. We also received several donations of property, most notably from Norman Aufrichtig when he and his wife, Danna, sold their Taos home and Norman’s clay studio of many years to move closer to their family in Santa Fe. They donated much of his equipment and tools that will eventually be used at the TCC educational building. We welcome your donations to the Educational Building Fund or the TCC General Fund. THANK YOU to all who have contributed!
A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON TO ALL OUR MEMBERS, INSTRUCTORS,
SUPPORTERS, COLLECTORS, AND FRIENDS OF THE TCC