Cedar Mesa Pottery
333 South Main (Route 191)
Blanding, Utah, 84511
Phone: (435) 678-2241
(800)
235-7687
Website: http://www.cmpottery.com/
Hours of Operation:
Monday thru Friday; 8am to 5pm
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| Joe B. Lyman, Owner |
Warning! When
entering Cedar Mesa Pottery, via the gift shop, be prepared for a visual
assault of the most beautiful Native American pottery collections. Alright, now that you have been fully warned,
let’s take the tour. Cedar Mesa Pottery is
located in Blanding, Utah with its beginning around 1981; owned and operated by
local, Joe Lyman. The work of his
crafts people enable the factory to present to the world both Navajo and Ute
artistry. The glass and wooden display
cases hold unique pieces signed by each artist; collective pieces so skillfully
done that your fingers itch to touch.
Distinctive grey and black pieces containing true horse hair (a personal
favorite); ceramics that resemble authentic etched wood; mesmerizing colors; striking
designs based on themes.
The tour of the factory first brings you to the
“closeouts and seconds” section; lovely pieces that simply did not make the cut
through quality control. Packing and
Shipping comes next; aisles of plastic wrapped pottery ready to be picked,
packaged and shipped to shops, trading posts, residential homes; even San Juan
County’s own Welcome Centers carry Cedar Mesa Pottery. All pieces are available at wholesale and
retail pricing; opening an account is quick and easy.
Packing
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| Follow the Footprints. |
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| Casting. |
All visitors to the factory are encouraged to take a map
and descriptive guide which explains the various processes of pottery
making. Cedar Mesa uses a perfected
mixture of clays from New York, California, Tennessee and Texas which is called
“slip”. The slip is poured into various
molds until the correct thickness is reached; the balance is poured out and
recycled. The Kilns come next; pieces
are fired within gas kilns at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, for three to five
hours. Sealing is a cooling off period
of several hours to ensure the pieces do not crack or warp. After a twenty-four hour waiting period, the
pieces have any excess clay removed carefully with sponges; the pieces are now ready
to meet their individual artists.
Kilns and Sealing
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| Cleaning. |
Watching the artisans is fascinating; how each one can
paint and/or etch each piece quickly, yet so skillfully. Animal figures emerge: deer, elk, moose,
bear, eagle, buffalo, raven and wolf (again, a personal favorite). Themes vary from natural settings (forest,
desert) to monumental locations (Monument Valley, Mount Rushmore, Devil’s
Tower); petroglyphic designs; and the famous “End of the Trail” featuring the
lone brave on his horse.
By the end of the tour, you will very likely have a
shopping list in your mind. Back inside
the gift shop, there will be so much more to tempt you; candles, dream catchers,
Kachina dolls; and the t-shirt collector has not been forgotten either. Definitely, if visiting San Juan County,
stop into Blanding, visit Cedar Mesa Pottery, and take the factory tour; you
will be amazed!
Mary Cokenour
