—Jeff Osgood P’24, Art Educator
As a chance to take a deeper dive into their study and replication of Ancestral Puebloan pottery, the Ceramics Through the Ages course traveled to Blanding, Utah to participate in the Southwest Kiln Conference. This annual gathering brings together people at the forefront of studying the historic ceramics of the US Southwest and replicating the work as a way to better understand the process used by ancient potters. Students attended academic talks, toured the Edge of the Cedars Museum, conversed with scholars and artists, and added their own creations to community kiln firings. They walked away with a deeper understanding of the iconic pottery of the region and a deep respect for the people who welcomed them to participate in the weekend of exploration and learning.
Here are some student reflections of the trip:
Keira Benjamin ‘24
John Olsen is a master at making and understanding corrugated pottery. Corrugated pottery is made by creating clay coils and attaching them to another coil by pressing and pinching the clay with your fingers. The end result is a functional pot with a texture not unlike a pine cone. I learned so much from being able to watch how John Olsen works the clay in person. There was a big difference between watching him on a video and watching him live. One of those main differences was being able to look at his work from different angles to get a better understanding of what he's doing. It was also great to be able to ask him questions and hear what other people were seeing as he worked. It was great to be in the presence of a master potter and kind, giving person.
Natalie Simpson ‘25
One experience I will bet money on that I won't forget is meeting Arturo Ramirez. Arturo is an amazing man of Hopi, Navajo, and Hispanic ancestry. One of his gifts lies in gourd decoration. He grows his own gourds and turns them into intricately painted bowls or hand-carved rattles. Arturo is a truly kind human being and values family and friends over making money off of his products. He gave hundreds of dollars worth of his art away as gifts at the conference because he wanted to. He believes that we are brought to this earth to share and pass on the information that we have gained during our lives. He is such an amazing bright human being and I want to be like him.
Harrison Fell ‘25
In the days that we were at the Southwest Kiln Conference, I think there are a few things I won't forget but the #1 thing is the community. Everyone there just had so much respect for each other; between the new people and the older, more experienced people, they all just had a mutual respect that branched out of the love for ancient pottery. These people were so willing to engage with us as young students and be inspired by our curiosity. These were hands-down some of the most kind and caring people I've ever met.
