Art has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Texas and educated in the Northeast gave me insight into many different aspects and expressions of fine art. It only took one ceramics class to get me hooked when I was fourteen. For many years after, I dabbled with ceramics on an occasional basis but mainly focused on painting. My first few years of college I would paint university inspired portraits and sell them locally to pick up a few bucks. It wasn't until I discovered the University (University of Mississippi) offered an entry level ceramics course. It was convenient enough for me to simply walk across the street from the business school, where I was studying at the time, to the fine arts building where I ended up spending most of my evenings during studio hours. That initial ceramics course led my class schedule to have a ceramics class for my duration of college. I began my professional ceramics education under Ray Brown, who taught the basics and fundamentals of throwing and different firing processes. Mr. Brown continued to mentor me throughout my college career including a handbuilding class where I took much inspiration from his past seminars from other artists. I then joined the Mud-Daubers, a student funded ceramics organization based in the art school, led by the head of the ceramics department, Matt Long. It was under Mr. Long where my work was pushed to limits I did not know I was capable of. Mr. Long opened up the possibilities of atmospheric firings such as salt firings, soda firings and wood firings. These atmospheric firings brought my work to a completely new echelon of quality. It brought variation in color to surfaces along with different textures. My favorite of these atmospheric firings was in the wood kiln. The wood kiln was not just a firing process but an event that everyone in the class participated in and brought a sense a community together with everyone involved. These wood firings were special to because the ash that would accumulate on pieces would turn into green glass as the kiln was brought to a high enough temperature to melt the carbon in the ash. Most of my firings are now relegated to an electric kiln but I am currently in the process of exploring pit firing and bringing those pieces to market. 

The name Hidalgo Bluff Ceramics comes from our family’s ranch name, “Hidalgo Bluff Ranch”. HB, as I call the property, is where I began practicing ceramics outside of an academic setting. After many months of commuting back and forth from HB to Houston I decided to permanently move operations to my home in Houston where throwing and surface treatment will occur. Electric and pit firings will still take place at Hidalgo Bluff Ranch.

I hope you are able to help me on my journey to bringing my pieces to anyone who might enjoy them. Please reach out to me on my contact page if you have any further questions about my academic background and on any future work to come!

Thank yall- Will C.