Getting started making Southwest pottery can seem daunting. This video will help you connect with all the resources you need to start in Southwest pottery, the tools, materials and the skills. Below are links to some of the resources I talk about in the video.
TOOLS
Gourd scrapers and polishing stones:
Pukis:
MATERIALS
Low fire clay:
Iron oxide for paint:
SKILLS – SELF PACED
Online video classes:
My blog:
Tony Soares YouTube channel:
Clint Swink's book:
SKILLS – WORKSHOPS & CONFERENCES
Andy Ward (me):
Cherylene Caver:
Kelly Magleby:
SW Kiln Conference:
#southwestpottery #coilpottery #pottery
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NOTE: This description contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. While this channel may earn minimal sums when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in NO WAY obligated to use these links. Thank you for your support!
Cool video! I’ve never tried making Southwest Pottery– but after this video I might have to try! So cool. ๐
Thanks! Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Dude! You rock Andy Ward.. my family and I are living as ancient as we possibly can and I just want to say thank you so much for sharing this information with us for free and being so humble, open, and honest. Utmost love and respect from northeastern Arizona!
Thanks. Come down to Tucson and I’ll show you some good places to dig clay.
Very informative. I love your videos. I had never heard of Southwest pottery before but it’s really interesting. Maybe you could, someday, make a video talking about the meaning of the motifs used in its decoration. Congrats for the great work !
I get questions about the meaning of designs frequently but I am not qualified to interpret designs.
I’ve recently come across the tip to use the metal dome of a mason jar to scrape the inside of a pot. And to swirl marbles inside the pot to burnish it
Good tip, thanks for sharing. Maria Martinez likes to use the metal lids from baking soda cans.
Can you show how to make navajo pottery
No, sorry. I will leave that to the Navajos.
Thank you for making these videos. You helped me start my pottery journey.
I’m so glad!
Thank you for your excellent, informative, and inspiring videos. I have watched a bunch of them. I just took a ceramics course here in Virginia and have some low fire white clay and white porcelain slip left over, but want to be able to fire at home without a kiln. Can I use the clay and slip I have for your surface firing or do I need to order clay and slip from the New Mexico supplier you recommend? If so, which slip is similar to the one you collect? Which of your online classes would you recommend given my skills and location? Any students in Virginia making ancient SW pottery? Thanks so much.
Your low fire clay will probably work although your porcelain slip may not mature at low temperatures. Maybe just start with the coil pottery class unless you think you will need more help with outdoor firing. I don’t know of anyone specifically in Virginia but really people watch my videos all over the world and I have mailed gourd scrapers to every corner of the country so there may be some out there.
You need wayyyyy more subs, you give really great information!
Agreed, tell your friends!
I’m really enjoying your videos, thank you for creating such a valuable resource!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching.
new mexico clay is out of stock
Sorry about that, they have been out for a long time too. You can use a regular bowl and just cover the interior with a piece of cloth. Or make your own, I have a lesson that is free if you sign up for my email newsletter https://ancientpottery.how/subscribe/
I’m only a few seconds in but I got to say I love the energy in this video ๐ฅฐ I love all your videos but sometimes you seem kind of sad/ distracted, I can definitely tell in this one you’re having a really good day๐ I hope you have a lot more of them. love you videos, awesome work, keep it up, you’re amazing ๐ฅฐ
The truth is I am a super introvert, so it is often hard to get out of my head and connect with the camera (viewers). I need to be in the right frame of mind and it’s pretty hard to force that. Thanks for the encouragement.
@Andy Ward’s Ancient Pottery totally understandable and would never ask you to force anything I after I got done watching the video I realized you just got your new shop set up that is definitely super exciting ๐ฅฐ I can’t wait to have a shop of my own someday ๐
Just an idea I know the YouTube shorts are a big thing right now I’m a Creator as well and try to make some I know it’s not as fun as making a whole video but a short on how to make a gourd scraper would be amazing ๐ฅฐ I have a gourd that’s ready to cut I’m just unsure of how to cut it so I’m hesitant ๐ ๐
Here is the video you are looking for https://youtu.be/DXYveoyXznM I tried shorts, they didn’t work for me, besides they can’t be monitized, I don’t make a ton on YouTube but it does help pay the bills around here.
@Andy Ward’s Ancient Pottery oh wow yeah I’m new to YouTube so I don’t know a whole lot about it and I don’t have a thousand subscribers yet and I’m not making any money off of it LOL ๐ thanks so much for the link I’ll go check it out super excited ๐ love your videos I grew up out in Arizona not far from Tucson I live on the east coast now, and I’ve never wanted to go back there more than I do now just for pottery LOL I wish I would have took more advantage to my access to all the natural resources while I was there ๐ฅฐ๐บ I was wondering is there a place to contact you directly๐ค๐ I would love to send you a care package of some clay and minerals from the East Coast ๐
@Francesca dominguez my mailing address is down in the dooblydoo in more recent videos. You can email me using the contact form on my website https://ancientpottery.how/contact-us/
I didn’t even think to check the doobly-doo ๐ will do thanks again ๐