If you have experienced the wonderful Silver City CLAY Festival in the past two years, perhaps you have met our member of the month. Susan Mach's ceramic oeuvres may also have been visible in a storefront window, too. It's great to hear from another Silver City clay artist. 

How did you first get interested in clay? 

As an art student at UC Santa Barbara, my emphasis was in printmaking, specifically screen printing, but I also admired work coming out of the ceramics studio. I was curious about how the two media might overlap. I took one semester of ceramics while at UCSB, caught the bug and studied more after graduation through junior colleges and workshops since I knew I wanted to add ceramics to my high school teaching repertoire.  A stint in the Peace Corps (Kenya) working with women’s income generating projects, one of which was a group working in clay, also gave me experience in local clay gathering, building and firing methods.   

 

"Squash Blossom" wall piece.  By Susan Mach, photo by the artist. 

Describe your studio.  

My retirement gift to myself, after 30 years of teaching, was to have a studio built next to my home in Silver City. It’s a very simple, rectangular space that’s filled with all my curiosities for working in clay: bits of textured this-n-that’s, forms collected for hand building, decorating tools and colorants, resource books, sketchbooks filled with ideas from recent days to years gone by. It’s a very eclectic mix of precious goods that inspire me and help me create the diverse work I do, which is also on display in the studio. 

 

"Wren Dish." By Susan Mach. Photo from the artist. 

Describe your “work”.   

My work is very diverse. People often walk into my studio, look around and ask if this is all MY work. I display pieces that I created as examples while teaching along with my current work. Many of the older works show examples of various building and decorating techniques and I find I still love that diversity. I wanted my students, especially advanced students in both Art and Ceramics, to be introduced to as much as they could absorb. Along the way I realized how much I was teaching myself as I searched for what I wanted to offer them. The mixing of ideas from other media often shows up in my clay work.

Describe any work you do that promotes “clay community."

I’ve been organizing the Silver City CLAY Festival market for the past two years and will continue in 2026. It’s been a great way to meet ceramic artists from around the Southwest and share in their experiences. (Shameless promo: Don’t hesitate to contact me if you’re interested in vending this year!)

The clay community in Silver City is small enough that we all know each other and can be in touch as a group very quickly. That group was very generous when asked last year to donate towards a silent auction to benefit CLAY Festival’s market. 

Being represented by Diana Ingalls Leyba Gallery in Silver City has also introduced me to the Youth Mural Project that Diana has run for years. I’ve only been in her gallery for a year, but look forward to being introduced to more “community” through her work.

"Tack Ware Vase. Yucca Platter. Herring Vase." By Susan Mach. Photo from the artist. 

When you are not working in your studio, what do you enjoy?

When not in my studio, I enjoy walking the open land around my home, cycling (tame trails!), reading, visiting with local friends/artists, foreign travel and just relaxing at home with my partner and pets.

Do you play music in your studio? If yes, what do you listen to?

I often work without music playing in my studio. One door is usually open to listen for birds, deer and other visitors, and to keep an eye on my dog, Nelson, who often supervises me. I do, however, have a good friend living in Washington who, monthly, sends me CD’s of any and every type of music imaginable. It’s always educating to listen to what he sends!

What other pottery do you have in your home?

My pottery collection includes mostly functional pieces from workshop instructors, NCECA trips, foreign travel and local ceramic artists. I’m also the savior of old family dish collections!

What caused you to join NMPCA? Describe involvement with NMPCA, and how many years you have been involved. 

I joined NMPCA after meeting Jenna Ritter, who was a vendor in the CLAY Festival market two years ago and also took part in the annual festival exhibition. She’s a great promoter and a kind, interesting person. This is my second year as a member and was excited to participate in last year’s Celebration of Clay exhibit at Light Art Space in Silver City. I look forward to participating in more NMPCA events.

Working in studio, Blankets at Night. Photo from the artist, Susan Mach.