Background: I am a second generation, born and raised, Las Cruces native. I began working with clay in high school and immediately fell in love. I gained some excellent experience with different methods of working with clay through numerous courses in high school and into college. I originally wanted to major in studio art with an emphasis in ceramics but ended up switching to geography. I then dropped out after a few years to be a stay-at-home mom. This transition put my love for ceramics on hold for a little over a decade. I began taking open studio type classes at the beginning of 2022 which ignited my passion for ceramics once again and inspired me to begin throwing again at home. In March of 2023 I sat down to throw a plate and set it on the table to dry. My cute, but often ornery Maine Coon named Coconut decided he needed to leave his paw print on my plate. This happy mistake became the inspiration for the name of my studio and Cocos Beans Studio was born.

Today: I have successfully started a career as a fulltime home studio artist doing what I am passionate about. It is my hope that people will be able to see my love and passion for producing beautiful and often functional pieces of art, as each piece is unique in its own right. My most recent body of work includes exploring lots of colorful glazing techniques, creative uses of texture, and exploring the use of macrame and ceramic pieces to make wall art. I am an active member of the Potters Guild of Las Cruces and have been involved in Empty Bowls fundraiser for El Caldito the last two years and was a co-chair for the 2024 Fire and Fiber Show where I entered my first ever show piece. This past summer I began teaching Sip’N’Slab classes that have been a lot of fun to teach and will continue to offer more classes in the coming months. Come see my work in person by either contacting me to arrange a time to visit my home studio, or you can find me occasionally at the Farmer's and Craft Market of Las Cruces located on Main Street, downtown. You can find a small collection of my marbled clay pieces for sale at The Local Nut. I also recently became a member of Agave Artists Gallery with many of my functional and decorative pieces available for purchase at 2250 Calle de San Albino in historical Mesilla, NM. Hope to see you soon!

- Amber Ransom (Artist/Owner of Cocos Beans Studio)

Website: https://cocosbeanstudio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocosbeanstudio/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090487290880