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Born and raised in Del Rio, Texas, I’m a military wife with three children, three dogs & a cat.  I’ve been working with clay for a little over 3 years, mostly wheel work in stoneware and sometimes porcelain.  I make functional work because it’s personal, people touch it and use it everyday and I like that.

What Keeps You Inspired?

I listen to the best podcasts! The first one I listened to was Ben Carters, Tales of a Red Clay Rambler. Then Ben was at… I think it was NCECA, and he was presenting with Brian Jones. So at Ben’s suggestion I started to listen to Brian’s podcast, Brian R Jonescast, and he has a whole different style from Ben’s, as is The Potters Cast is different from theirs.  So I listen to Ben Carters, I listen to Brian Jones, and now I’m listening to The Potters Cast. It’s really nice because in the morning when this shop is closed, and I am just doing my work, I can blast the shows over the speakers and listen to others potters and how they work… it’s really awesome.

What are your go-to tools?

I think I like my metal ribs. Although you can get those anywhere, my favorite tool is my metal ribs. I like to smooth out the sides of my pots with my metal ribs. It’s just a basic kidney rib. I think the first one I got came in some little “pottery-making-tool kit”. I love that thing and I use it all the time.

Advice for the potter.

Don’t limit yourself. If you are not in a place like I was (in a pottery class) and you don’t have anyone to learn from or a place to learn, there are so many places that you can learn from now a’days. The books, the DVD’s, the videos online, start talking to other potters… Just don’t limit yourself. Don’t say, I can’t do that because it’s not available to me. There is so much available out there so take advantage of it.

Book

A Potters Workbook by Clary Illian

Contact

www.MudQueenPottery.com