about me

i am a wildlife biologist, ecological restoration practitioner, and ceramic artist based in the borderlands of the Chihuahuan desert. as a Chihuahuan desert resident living in the midst of extreme drought and ecological unraveling, ceramics helps me channel climate nihilism into hope, and find common threads in connection to the soil and landscapes that hold us all in place.

my pottery portrays fleeting moments of flight and symmetry, stillness and richness, and cryptic biodiversity in areas that others may perceive as wastelands. for the past decade, i have worked as an ecologist focused on species conservation in the desert sky islands (the Madrean Archipelago being the namesake of my studio). these desert mountains are the main inspiration for my art, as they constantly remind me of the importance of connected landscapes, the illusion of borders, and the fragility of the ecosystems of which we are all a part.

academically, i hold master’s degrees in fish, wildlife, and conservation ecology and geospatial information systems. this contributes to me seeing the world as a landscape ecologist; a series of connected networks of habitat types, unique for each species. i try to portray these connections in my art and hope my work inspires connection to the natural world and the hidden topologies within it.

in 2025, i am focusing on larger vessels to communicate themes of erosion, seed banks, estivation & resiliency, as well as telling stories of desert ecosystems through alternative firing techniques.

-rachel