Today we’d like to introduce you to John Vela.
Hi John, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started in ceramics in college at UT Austin. My art history degree required some amount of studio art and ceramics was suggested. The combination of art and chemistry was immediately intriguing to me. Afterward, I worked at Armadillo Clay in East Austin and learned as much as I could about equipment and materials.
I also began meeting the people who worked in clay in Texas, small individual potters, and large-scale production facilities. Clarksville Pottery, which would become Sunset Canyon Pottery, was Austin’s longtime production studio at the time and the owners and I developed a working relationship and friendship. I joined the team in 1999 and have been with the business ever since. In 2015, I bought the business and moved it back to Austin from Dripping Springs. My employees and I have been hard at work at our new location, both trying to keep orders flowing and creating new patterns and forms.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. The move back to Austin was labor-intensive and required moving a large gas furnace and fit it onto a new property. The City of Austin and the permitting system here have been tricky to navigate. Covid caused a ripple in our production and also a need to find better outlets for sales. Most recently, the freeze damaged the building, causing delays and interruptions to our process.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a production studio, we hand make our pieces either on the potter’s wheel or with slabs of clay in molds. We also make our own glazes from scratch, which allows us greater flexibility in terms of color and surfaces. We fire our products in a large, gas-fired kiln in a reduction atmosphere. This produces a very durable product with dazzling fluid glazes.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Our consistency throughout the 41 years of production is what is most important to the success of the business. Pieces that were made many years ago, we feel we can still replicate with pretty good success.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@sunsetcanyonpottery.com
- Website: www.sunsetcanyonpottery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunsetcanyonpottery
Image Credits
Jolene Settle Photography
