Studio Notes – July 2025: Summer Workshop at Idyllwild Arts

The campus of Idyllwild Arts brimmed with clay artists during Hot Clay, an annual program that brings ceramic artists to this special place nestled within a national forest in Southern California's San Jacinto Mountains. It's a beautiful setting to learn new skills and gather with like-minded makers.

I try to invest in a workshop every year, bringing back what I learn into my studio practice. This year I jumped at the chance to participate in a week-long workshop with Christy Knox of Natural Elements Pottery. A skilled and dedicated teacher, Christy provided us with an exceptional experience full of learning and laughter.

Christy is a naturalist and her knowledge of pottery equals her interest and care for the environment. She has mastered the art of using plants to make embossing plates in her pottery. She then fires the plates and transforms them into masters for subsequent work.

Though I've often used the technique in my own work, I'll be able to take it a step further with the skills I acquired at the workshop. And the connections I made with other clay artists will last far beyond the summer.