Mick Gill Pottery

                                                 My Story

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I've been a potter now for over 40 years. I'm hoping to have built my last studio here in Howard, Colorado, where I've spent most of my life .  This mountain valley has finally been discovered along with the trout laden river running right through it; the Arkansas. Being outdoors has been a huge part of my life as an artisan, a citizen and it continues that way today.

  I recall in the early 1980's, having just graduated from college with a Fine Arts degree in ceramics, and  attempting to make a living off the sale of my clay work. It was then that I discovered that the Colorado mountains offered an inexpensive refuge from Denver, the big city and trying to support myself. I was always seeking out the back country anyway.  Artists living on a slim margins, could wander up and down the countless rivers and streams, with the myriad and vast landscapes that our mountains offer. Hiking, backpacking and fly fishing became an obsession, and with the exception of a little gas and food ...it was almost free. I am so grateful that our vast Colorado public lands exist for all Americans to explore.   

  I moved to Salida, Colorado in 1986 and built my first studio on E street in the heart of downtown. I quickly discovered to value of the sleepy little place. Well, the sleepy was to awaken in the 30 or more years that have past. Now, it's a thriving, creative community with artisans, restaurants and that same beautiful river running right through it. I have no regrets of how I built and spent my life, just trying to keep engaged with all the amazing people that come through the studio. It can hopefully be seen in the passion I have for how I live and what I make with my hands. I hope you enjoy the work.