Investing in their community for over 35 years, Paseo Pottery’s commitment to ceramic education and the connections it can foster extends beyond the four walls of their Santa Fe, New Mexico, studio.
Studio location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
When was the studio established? Paseo Pottery was originally founded in 1991 by three Santa Fe artists, including ceramic artist Michael Walsh, who is still a guiding member of our community. The studio was originally founded as a cooperative, then in 2018, we re-imagined our structure as a community-powered ceramics studio and gallery devoted to social impact.
Business structure—co-op, nonprofit, private: We operate as a socially conscious, for-profit business with a charitable component. One hundred percent of net proceeds from our monthly pottery throw downs are donated to local charities—over $125,000 to date.
How many staff keep the studio running smoothly?
Our studio is maintained by myself, as owner and creative director, along with a small but dedicated team of four studio managers, thirty volunteers, twenty-five members, and forty students.
Do members contribute to the studio upkeep?
Our volunteers, members, and students help sustain the space through shared cleanup duties and a genuine sense of ownership.
How many members does the studio host?
We have roughly 100 active members, including studio managers, volunteers, members, and students.
How many non-member students use the space? Each month, over 100 non-member students participate in our classes, workshops, pottery experiences, painted pottery classes, pottery throw downs, and private events.
Does the studio include a gallery space or host exhibitions? Yes. Our gallery showcases local ceramic artists, featuring rotating exhibitions and an ever-changing collection of functional pottery and ceramic art. We host collaborative workshops with national and international artists and Santa Fe’s broader creative community.
What resources are available to the community beyond classes—residencies, open firings, events, etc.? We offer drop-in clay experiences, team-building workshops, monthly “Pottery Throw Downs” that raise funds for local nonprofits, private classes, raku workshops, and artist residencies with optional lodging and 24/7 studio access. We provide firing services for members as well as visiting artists, and host free educational demonstrations at community events in our studio and at off-site pop-ups such as the International Folk Art Market, music and art festivals, hotels, and private events.
What makes the studio unique? Paseo Pottery combines community education, craftsmanship, and social good under one roof. We emphasize sustainable, inclusive access to ceramics in a space that merges the feel of a working studio with the warmth of a neighborhood gathering place. Our studio offers a range of firing techniques—including raku, cone-6 electric, and cone-10 reduction—as well as participating in wood-firing efforts around New Mexico. The studio is also connected to Tumbleroot Pottery Pub, a hybrid pottery gallery, craft-cocktail bar, and maker space, creating a rare intersection of art, craft, and hospitality.
One tip/piece of advice on cultivating a thriving studio: Stay flexible and keep the mission rooted in community. People come to clay for connection as much as for technique. If the studio culture is generous and inclusive, creativity flourishes naturally.
One goal for the future: We recently received a Creative Industries Grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department to purchase new mobile wheels for our off-site pop-up pottery initiative. This program will enable us to increase participation in hands-on ceramics experiences, bringing clay to schools, festivals, hotels, and rural communities across New Mexico—extending the reach of clay far beyond our studio walls.
the author Angela Smith Kirkman is the owner and creative director of Paseo Pottery and Tumbleroot Pottery Pub in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She specializes in functional dinnerware and raku, wood, and saggar firing methods. Follow her on Instagram @angelasmithkirkman.
Paseo Pottery has been a vital part of the Santa Fe art scene for three decades. Paseo Pottery was voted best small business of the year by the Santa Fe Chamber Of Commerce in 2025. Come take a class with local artists or stock up on handmade pottery and one-of-a-kind pieces of ceramic art in our online gallery.
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Investing in their community for over 35 years, Paseo Pottery’s commitment to ceramic education and the connections it can foster extends beyond the four walls of their Santa Fe, New Mexico, studio.
Studio location:
Santa Fe, New Mexico
When was the studio established?
Paseo Pottery was originally founded in 1991 by three Santa Fe artists, including ceramic artist Michael Walsh, who is still a guiding member of our community. The studio was originally founded as a cooperative, then in 2018, we re-imagined our structure as a community-powered ceramics studio and gallery devoted to social impact.
Business structure—co-op, nonprofit, private:
We operate as a socially conscious, for-profit business with a charitable component. One hundred percent of net proceeds from our monthly pottery throw downs are donated to local charities—over $125,000 to date.
How many staff keep the studio running smoothly?
Our studio is maintained by myself, as owner and creative director, along with a small but dedicated team of four studio managers, thirty volunteers, twenty-five members, and forty students.
Do members contribute to the studio upkeep?
Our volunteers, members, and students help sustain the space through shared cleanup duties and a genuine sense of ownership.
How many members does the studio host?
We have roughly 100 active members, including studio managers, volunteers, members, and students.
How many non-member students use the space?
Each month, over 100 non-member students participate in our classes, workshops, pottery experiences, painted pottery classes, pottery throw downs, and private events.
Does the studio include a gallery space or host exhibitions?
Yes. Our gallery showcases local ceramic artists, featuring rotating exhibitions and an ever-changing collection of functional pottery and ceramic art. We host collaborative workshops with national and international artists and Santa Fe’s broader creative community.
What resources are available to the community beyond classes—residencies, open firings, events, etc.?
We offer drop-in clay experiences, team-building workshops, monthly “Pottery Throw Downs” that raise funds for local nonprofits, private classes, raku workshops, and artist residencies with optional lodging and 24/7 studio access. We provide firing services for members as well as visiting artists, and host free educational demonstrations at community events in our studio and at off-site pop-ups such as the International Folk Art Market, music and art festivals, hotels, and private events.
What makes the studio unique?
Paseo Pottery combines community education, craftsmanship, and social good under one roof. We emphasize sustainable, inclusive access to ceramics in a space that merges the feel of a working studio with the warmth of a neighborhood gathering place. Our studio offers a range of firing techniques—including raku, cone-6 electric, and cone-10 reduction—as well as participating in wood-firing efforts around New Mexico. The studio is also connected to Tumbleroot Pottery Pub, a hybrid pottery gallery, craft-cocktail bar, and maker space, creating a rare intersection of art, craft, and hospitality.
One tip/piece of advice on cultivating a thriving studio:
Stay flexible and keep the mission rooted in community. People come to clay for connection as much as for technique. If the studio culture is generous and inclusive, creativity flourishes naturally.
One goal for the future:
We recently received a Creative Industries Grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department to purchase new mobile wheels for our off-site pop-up pottery initiative. This program will enable us to increase participation in hands-on ceramics experiences, bringing clay to schools, festivals, hotels, and rural communities across New Mexico—extending the reach of clay far beyond our studio walls.
Social handles and website:
Instagram: @paseopottery | www.paseopottery.com
the author Angela Smith Kirkman is the owner and creative director of Paseo Pottery and Tumbleroot Pottery Pub in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She specializes in functional dinnerware and raku, wood, and saggar firing methods. Follow her on Instagram @angelasmithkirkman.
Paseo Pottery has been a vital part of the Santa Fe art scene for three decades. Paseo Pottery was voted best small business of the year by the Santa Fe Chamber Of Commerce in 2025. Come take a class with local artists or stock up on handmade pottery and one-of-a-kind pieces of ceramic art in our online gallery.
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