About

Salida Ceramics brings the magic of clay to life through community.

Our vibrant studio offers an inclusive space where artists can explore their creativity and build connection through clay.

Salida Ceramics opened in June 2024 to be a creative space for the Arkansas River Valley’s clay artists - fostering community, expertise, and artistic exploration. Located in downtown Salida, the studio offers membership, classes, and workshops. We expanded into a 4,000 square foot studio space in November 2025.

All members and students have open studio access 24/7. We have 17 Shimpo wheels, an extruder and slab roller, various glazes and surface decoration materials, and community tools. We stock 9 different clay bodies from New Mexico Clay, and all work is fired on-site in our electric Skutt kilns.

Diversity and inclusion are central to the mission of Salida Ceramics, and artists of any background are welcome. We believe these diverse experiences and perspectives enrich our clay community.

Molly Jones

Owner

Molly is the owner of Salida Ceramics, a space she created soon after moving to the area. Her vision was to create a space where people could experience the magic of clay and build community through this creative art.

Her ceramics journey began with a class at a community studio in Bellingham, WA, where she immediately fell in love with the craft. She specializes in wheel-thrown functional pottery and enjoys experimenting with surface decoration, handbuilding, and atmospheric firings. At the studio, she shares her passion with young artists in the KIDS CLAY! class.

When not covered in clay, Molly is the head of public policy at a startup. She holds a B.S. in International Affairs from Georgetown University (though she wishes she studied ceramics) and an M.P.P. from Australian National University, where she was a Fulbright Anne Wexler Scholar.

In addition to ceramics, she loves being outside, backpacking, packrafting, cooking, reading, and playing board games.

Kristen Hodges

Studio Tech & Instructor

Kristen wears a few hats at the studio - kiln technician, class instructor, occasional studio monitor, and active member.

She specializes in slab-building techniques, where most of her work features sharp corners and geometric forms. She teaches handbuilding classes and workshops at the studio.

A licensed architect, Kristen's foundational design background influences her artistic style. While studying at Virginia Tech, she learned the foundations of ceramics from a seasoned professor. Kristen later joined a large-scale community pottery studio in Denver, where she learned "back of house" skills from experienced artists and mentors.

Kristen's day job is with the City of Salida in the planning department, though she would much rather play with mud full time. When not at work or at the studio, you can find her out embracing all the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer including hiking, camping, fishing, and skiing.

Abigail Brown

Instructor

Abigail has many years of teaching a wide range of ages and skills, and is passionate about sharing her love for ceramics. She previously taught ceramics at The Contemporary Austin Art School - Laguna Gloria for 10 years before moving to Howard, where she continues to teach, make work, and travel the country to exhibit her work in art shows.

The artist behind Abby Lou Pottery, Abigail works mainly in porcelain, making wheel thrown wares with surface work inspired by nature. She has exhibited in several group shows across the country.

Abigail received her B.A. in Studio Art from The College of Wooster, where she was a studio and teaching assistant. She received the Donald R. MacKenzie Prize in Art for work in ceramics for her senior thesis.

When Abigail is not in the studio, she loves gardening, building things, and wandering through the mountains – all of which are accompanied by a furry friend or two.