When traveling through Saguache County be sure to stop in the town of Saguache at Meerfeld Stoneware. Enjoy the warm hospitality; unique and exciting pottery and paintings, and sample the best coffee for miles around. After the long drive, it’s a great break that’s rewarding and satisfying.

Meerfeld Stoneware features the ceramic work of Blair Meerfeld and the paintings and drawings of Marty Mitchell. Both artists find inspiration in their immediate environment. Blair grew up in the San Luis Valley. He credits the architectural forms of valley water towers and adobe structures for a resource in the forms of his functional vessels. His pieces integrate native clays and minerals in their clay bodies and slips. When salt-fired, these clays acknowledge the colors of the region, from deep russet reds and warm buff shades that echo local soils, to the piercing blues of the valley skies.

Marty’s imagery is taken directly from the locality of Saguache. She works “en plein aire,” on site, in watercolor, oil pastel, and soft pastel. These images often get reinterpreted on a large scale in oil on canvas, the smaller images acting as an information resource. The intense light of the valley offers structural information about the subtle directional shifts of the planes of the valley floor, and provides an infinite variety of color and texture play that becomes the basis of, her imagery. “I tend to focus on ordinary, easily overlooked situations for my subject rather than attempting to capture the “sublime,” which is a tradition in American landscape painting.  There is so much wealth of color and atmosphere here that a grand subject would be overkill,” she says.

Blair and Marty are professional artists, each with 30 years experience in their respective media. Blair’s work routinely is included in group exhibitions and has won awards in the prestigious Colorado Clay juried exhibitions several times.  He was selected for a 1999 Visual Arts Fellowship by the Colorado Council on the Arts and teaches workshops and juries shows throughout the region.

Marty taught art and art history at the college level for 8 years and now teaches drawing courses for Colorado Mountain College in Salida. She shows regionally and nationally in group exhibitions.

Blair and Marty’s work has recently reached an international audience with a 2-person show at the University of Pau in France in March of 1999, and another scheduled for the spring of 2000 in Japan.

“After all our journeys, it’s always great to come home to Saguache and to meet the wonderful folks who stop by our gallery They not only become regular customers of our pots, paintings, and coffee, they ultimately become our friends,” says Marty. Drop by the gallery at Meerfeld stoneware and experience some very fine art, a great cup of coffee, and enjoy welcoming and friendly hospitality

Meerfeld Stoneware is located across the street, (highway 285,) from the town park—555 8th Street-in Saguache. (719) 655-2882.

blair005@centurytel.net