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)