When I was a professional potter I lived, breathed, and dreamed about pottery. Beginning as an apprentice and eventually mastering the wheel I developed a deep understanding and appreciation of the ceramic arts. I am privileged to be able to share this passion with you, trading as Mayta Clay. Throughout the 80s and early 90s I was an active member of the artistic community in Baltimore, MD where I sold my work in art shows and galleries and even opened a pottery store. In 1992 a friend convinced me to use my experience and artistic skills to effect the lives and attitudes of our citys youth. So I accepted a position directing an experimental art and education program for the Maryland Committee for Children, where I spent most of the next ten years. In 2000 I took advantage of a parttime job offer that, unknown to me at the time, would eventually make Mayta Clay what it is today. A company hired me to photograph the progress of a multifaceted project on the Nicaraguan Pacific coast. I wanted a tan in winter; it was a perfect situation. Only I didnt expect to fall in love the country, its people and its pottery When my liaison in Nicaragua found out I had an interest in ceramics she immediately insisted on driving me two hours to a quiet little village, nestled in the hills between two sleeping volcanoes, to a spot that literally wasnt on the map. Today the village of San Juan de Oriente is rapidly adapting to the modern world, but it wasnt always so. The cobblestone streets and dirt paths lined with pastel colored adobe houses made walking around the town feel like stepping through an unseen door into the past. It was intimidating and wonderful at the same time. Like a treasure hunter I somehow felt that a determined look beyond the surface of this dusty, pueblo would yield some hidden gems. I was not disappointed, the pottery and talent I found was truly overwhelming. Since then I followed my heart and sense of adventure back to visit these unique artisans many times. Somewhere along the line I decided it would be great to be able to work with these talented artists and took the first steps to bring this artful pottery back to America. However, of paramount importance was that the venture be sustainable and worthwhile for all concerned. The potters and their families have been very gracious, often inviting me into their homes to talk about bringing their art to a wider audience. Also of importance is the continuation of their ceramic tradition, which has become one of the strongest links to the preColombian heritage of the Nicaraguan people. The potters are still using designs and techniques handed down from one generation to the next, reaching back centuries before Europeans ever set foot in the New World. They painstakingly make one delicate piece at a time and dry it in the tropical sun. The fact that this village of less than 3,000 people produces such extraordinarily talented artists is a testament both to their skill and to the ancestral gifts left by generations past.

Address: 110 Painters Mill Road, Suite 11 Owings Mills, Maryland 21117
Telephone: (410) 236-5155
Website: http://www.webnett.com/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/mayta/web_store/web_store.cgi