Meet the personalities and creative processes of the talented ceramicists behind the art exhibited for sale at White Mountain Pottery. 

For more information, please call us at
575.257.3644 

Tim Wierville founded White Mountain Pottery in 1975 and has been the stalwart artist and signature brand behind the store for more than four decades. During that time he literally turned tons and tons of clay into beautiful and useful vessels. Tim passed away at home in Santa Fe on Friday, September 17, 2021, and is very much missed.

Christopher Heede loves to work surrounded by nature which is what nurtures and inspires his work. In creating ceramics, or in life itself, the dichotomy of simplicity and complexity constantly inspires and challenges. His work embraces and embodies this theme. From the raku process, to a woodfire technique, to sculpture, to architectural pieces, he strives to maintain integrity in his work and make it a beautiful and timeless expression of his life and his vision.

Ken Merrick's unique pottery is widely known and collected by art lovers throughout the southwest. Each piece is a beautifully handcrafted example of functional and utilitarian art and is uniquely colored and individually signed by the artist. Ken works from Truth or Consequences, NM.

Arizona native Roger Calhoun was first introduced to ceramics in high school and has been making pottery ever since. He sharpened his skills working in production pottery houses throughout the southwest and New York. In 1990 Roger returned to Arizona and started his own business specializing in hand thrown stoneware, raku and horse hair pottery. Roger has always loved raku and horse hair because the potter is involved in the firing of every piece. “I call raku a fire dance because the artist has to be on top of all the elements involved- fire, correct temperature and proper reduction. I don't know what the finished piece will look like until I open the reduction chamber and see.” Rogers' horse hair work is known for its striking glaze and metallic oxide combinations. Roger currently lives and has his studio in Mesa, Arizona.

Inspired by the beauty in nature, from the hummingbirds that visit his backyard to the dragonflies that zoom about near the lake, Jeremy loves to combine the brilliant colors of raku with items found in nature, such as turquoise, feathers, fallen branches and crystals. Each piece is hand formed and fired in an outdoor kiln to over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit then placed in a pit with dried brush and mesquite shavings that burst into flame. The varying conditions of the raku process assure that each piece is "one of a kind."

Jacqueline was born in Cottonwood, Arizona and raised among the red rock mountains of Sedona. Her love of the surrounding countryside and its peoples is a constant influence in her work. Jacque’s sculptures largely depict the native peoples and animal life of the Southwest. Her knowledge of art has come through a special apprenticeship with her clay. All of her work is hand-molded, not built with a potter's wheel, yielding pieces that are sought after by those who appreciate the individuality of organic shapes and sizes. 

Jennifer Pottner is a self-taught ceramic artist who creates and designs a distinct line of raku jewelry and components. All pieces are hand-made by Jennifer one at a time and then Raku fired, using the traditional Japanese technique which involves fire and combustible materials. This results in beautiful, metallic colors and lusters unique to each piece that are only achievable through this process. She resides in Mason, Ohio with her husband, two daughters, one son, six cats and a dog.