Judy Nelson-Moore

I have worked with clay in all forms for over 50 years. My current focus is paper clay sculpture — paper clay is clay with paper pulp added, which increases its dry strength and lets me build forms that aren't possible with regular clay. It also lets me break some of the usual rules: how pieces join, how they dry, what shapes can be held.

I fire at a variety of temperatures, including saggar firing, where combustible materials packed around the piece create unpredictable surface markings during the burn. I also spend time on surfacing — building up texture, color, and finish once a piece comes out of the kiln.

On some pieces, I add mixed media — fabric, paper collage, paint, or other materials — during construction or after firing, but clay stays the backbone of every piece I make.

I usually start with a serious subject, and somewhere along the way the work often surprises me by turning humorous. That's part of what keeps me at the worktable — I never quite know what I'll think of next.

I was born in Denver, Colorado, and graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Humanities. I spent 46 years in business — mostly computer software consulting for HR and payroll systems — before moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1992, and retiring in 2003 to work in clay full time. I've studied with clay artists including James and Nan McKinnell, and I work out of Dancing Mud Studio in Santa Fe.

I stay active in the local clay community, volunteering with the New Mexico State Committee and New Mexico Potters and Clay Artists, and I regularly teach paper clay, saggar firing, and surfacing workshops, including at Ghost Ranch. My work is available through my website and studio.