Sueños y Raíces: An Exhibition of Annebrije Pottery Studio’s First Ceramic Residency
Story by Abigail Vela
Edited by Nina Alegre
Arriving at the Annebrije Pottery Studio on January 10, it was amazing to see the number of people present for the “Sueños y Raíces” exhibition. They were all gazing at the beautiful ceramic pieces elegantly displayed atop white pylons, some of which were covered in sand and fabrics or adorned with spiritual tools such as crystals, sage and palo santo. A few of the ceramic pieces also served as candle holders, with lit white and black candles enhancing the inviting energy present.
The artists Melissa Cortes Santiago (she/her) and Marlon Rocael (he/him) walked around conversing with their friends, families, and community about the work they had created. Cortes’ pieces felt as though they were crafted by the ocean and earth itself, while Rocael’s surreal and gothic influences were ever present through the intricate designs connecting his pieces. Both artists were part of Annebrije’s first artist residency, a feat for a ceramic studio that opened a year ago in February 2024!
Cortes and Rocael shared their thoughts and experiences working with the Annebrije Pottery Studio in Brownsville.
Influences and Experiences of Annebrije’s First Resident Artists
“There was something about the creativity that my [ceramics] professor at the time gave me: the opportunity to feel free to do whatever I could do,” Rocael shared. Rocael began his ceramics journey in 2022 at UTRGV, experimenting with incense bowls and gradually creating more vases, dinnerware and flower pots.
“There’s something about the [Gothic] style itself that fits into not just my personality but onto the type of vibe that I want to give out to my work,” Rocael stated. Rocael’s Gothic patterns and artistic influences largely stem from the art and covers of CDs, such as Slipknot’s “Volume 3: Subliminal Verses.”
Rocael’s pieces are also a personal representation of his spiritual journey and, as noted in his artist statement, “melding art and spirituality became Marlon’s healing practice.” Spiritual symbols like the evil eye are seen in his pieces, such as the three bowls titled “Abundance, I give you.” The intricate details and cohesiveness in the form and dark colors he chooses throughout his collection help them stand in an ethereal world of their own.
Additionally, Rocael was inspired by the gothic designs seen throughout cathedrals, as is seen by his piece “A gift from my heart,” inspired by the censer, a tool traditionally made of metal and used for ceremonial purposes by priests. “When I was creating that censer, it was probably the most difficult piece I had ever created during my residency,” Rocael said.
Cortes’ journey into ceramics started differently from Rocael’s. Instead of learning it at a university, she took a six-week course in May 2023 at Hands in Art Studio in Mission.
“There was something about clay and just working on the wheel, and also, the space in the community just drew me to keep going,” Cortes said. She almost didn’t apply to the residency program and was intimidated by the Brownsville drive (she drives from Rio Grande City), but after encouragement from her peers and loved ones, she went for it.
“I’m really drawn to nature just because I think that it’s really simple and beautiful at the same time,” Cortes mentioned.
“And so, I wanted to bring some of that into my ceramics. The pieces that I have are kind of based on different nature scenes and different aspects found in the natural world.” Cortes also shared how she would take photos of particular textures and forms found in the natural world on her Polaroid camera, using them as inspiration to create her pieces.
An example would be “Cicatrices de la tierra,” inspired by a photo she took of cracks found in the mud and dirt.
Another piece that stood out from the residency was a vase covered in ceramic barnacles named “Reclaimed by the Sea,” inspired by, in her words, “all this trash that goes to the sea. Eventually, life grows on it.”
Cortes’ pieces not only invoke a sense of nature through the connection to the sea and the earth but also highlight the beauty of the all-encompassing natural world through her use of natural colors.
Learning to Teach at Annebrije Pottery Studio
Rocael and Cortes learned how to teach community members by leading the studio’s workshops and classes. “I think the biggest thing I learned and probably what I’ll take away from [this residency] is teaching,” Cortes shared.
Rocael expressed that teaching was at the forefront of the residency experience, “[It was] our first introduction of teaching new students who [want] to learn how to do ceramics for the first time as a hobby or as a career.”
“When I first started teaching, I felt like I was not the best teacher. I was definitely lacking. But, as time went on and I started doing more and more classes, I grew a lot in that sense,” Cortes shared. “During my residency, I actually started teaching six-week courses, which is sweet for me because that’s kind of how I started and how I got my initiation into clay. And several of my students from those six-week courses have gotten memberships at our studio. Seeing them grow and knowing that I initiated their journey is really great.”
Growing Demand for Ceramic Residencies in the Rio Grande Valley
More art residencies are popping up in the RGV art scene, as well as educational programs and opportunities that teach ceramic arts at local studios and academic institutions like STC and UTRGV. However, the number of residency programs available for local ceramic artists is hard to come by.
“I think just ceramics, in general, is not very accessible, not just here in the Valley, anywhere you go, but especially here because if you want to learn how to throw on the wheel, you need an actual wheel and […] you’ll need a kiln which can go up to, I don’t know, $10,000,” Cortes mentioned. “[Most] people can’t just go and buy a kiln and go and buy a wheel. So, it is really hard to learn and being able to know those resources and then give them back to people, like [teaching] […] can also be really difficult.”
One of the last known ceramic residency programs was offered in 2022. In collaboration with Trucha and Carla Hughes Art Gallery, they created the Rio Grande Ceramics Residency (RGCR), which gave resident artist Souther Recio the “mentorship, space, materials/equipment and stipend […] to develop work focusing on their experiences with self-acceptance as someone who identifies within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum.”
Recio now runs and operates Cactus Valley Art Studio and Supply Store in the same space Carla Hughes Art Gallery used to be in Harlingen. At Cactus Valley Art, Recio exhibits galleries, sells new and used art supplies, hosts a variety of workshops and queer craft nights, and of course, teaches ceramic classes centered around celebrating queerness, sexuality, and play!
“I don’t know how it started, but somehow it’s becoming a comeback that art is now becoming such an important role for the culture in the Valley here,” Rocael shared. In his experience, Annebrije Pottery Studio has also helped revive the art scene in Brownsville. Cortes added that in the year and a half she’s been working with ceramics, she hasn’t seen another ceramic residency like this.
In addition to Cactus Valley Art and Annebrije Pottery Studio, studios offering ceramic workshops and classes include Hands in Art Studio in Mission and Clay Valley Studio in Harlingen.
Serendipitous Ceramic Opportunities in Brownsville
Cortes and Rocael are a testament to the growing interest in ceramic residencies in the Rio Grande Valley.
“I know there’s a lot of studios that want to grow in that aspect, and I think that would be really beneficial because working with clay, just working with your hands in general, is a very therapeutic thing,” Cortes shared.
“Sueños y Raíces” showcased the unique skills, personalities, and passions of Annebrije Pottery Studio’s first ceramic residency artists. Annebrije Pottery Studio is currently undergoing its second ceramic residency. With the announcement of their next resident artist, Andres Alejandro Rangel, on February 7, the studio continues to inspire the community to sign up for their first class, membership or turn their ceramic dreams into a career.
As Cortes mentioned, “I never thought about pursuing ceramics as a career or to do it for more than just a hobby. So, this was a really interesting opportunity to do that and grow more. I like to say that it was a little bit of serendipity, kind of like a happy accident.”
