Mary Witkop Taos Pottery at Two Graces

 Mary Witkop was more than a remarkable woman of Taos to me, she was a dear friend that I selfishly miss. Day after day she was in her studio working, mixing the local micaceous clay, building pots, burnishing, polishing, coloring and polishing some more. Carefully loading up her rickety truck to take the latest finished pots to her Pilar studio where she would fire them and add horsehair or feathers to put a unique finishing touch on her creations. She did it all herself, she resisted help, even if we just offered to carry clay or a bag of dried cow pies, she had to do it herself. That’s what being a total artist was to her, she did it all from start to finish.

a mango pink coloration with black 'clouds' and a bit of corrugated design at the neck 

Green pot with corrugated crimping and horsehair 

pinks, blues, lavenders enhance this pot with a small spout 

 Every now and then she’d come over for a visit, or after selling one of her pots I’d go to see her in the studio to pay her. Then I could choose the next pot that she would allow me to have for sale. She’d say ‘go ahead, and pick one out’ in return I’d ask her which was her favorite, she’d pick up a beautiful jewel-like pot, hand it to me and tell me why this was the one I should have.

these 2 pots are rather dark with a bit of color, much like an evening sky here in Taos, with the glittery micaceous clay creating a solar system of stars

Milky Way

an extremely rare 'black' pot

these are both 

 The high polish, the array of coloring and the cloud marks were her trademarks. When visiting a friend in Taos you can spot a Mary Witkop pot in someone’s home rather quickly, they are as unique as the most famous Pueblo potters.

Before her passing we had been talking about having a big exhibit of her work, she dreaded the idea and loved the idea. It would be an honor, and it would be a lot of work. Mary would begin working on 2 large pots for her annual contribution to the Taos Fall Arts exhibit up to 6 months before the opening! For many years she was awarded the Best of Show for her pottery in the Fall Arts exhibit until she asked the committee to start giving the award to someone else.

Solstice pot with Lawrence Herrera silverwork medallion

this pot was displayed in Mary's studio for many years where I always admired it, drawing me into it's magnificent beauty. Mr. Herrera attended the opening, I picked up the pot to show him that his name had been inscribed onto the bottom alongside Ms. Witkop's name.

a bit of carving and blue linear lines on this pot enhanced with ostrich feathers 

 In memoriam to this wonderful artist and with support from her family, we are pleased to announce the exhibition “The Pottery of Mary Witkop” opening Friday, May 25 and on display through August 24, Two Graces Plaza Gallery, 68 St. Francis Church Plaza, Ranchos de Taos. There will be an opening reception on Friday evening from 5-8PM, we hope that people will come out and share their own stories and experiences about Mary. This is our tribute to Mary Witkop, we hope you will join us. For more information about this exhibit please contact Robert Cafazzo at 575-758-4101 or at r2c2graces@gmail.com

as we had predicted many of the smaller pots have sold quickly, please contact us ASAP for availability, (there may be more pots added to the exhibit, you never know...)

IF you own a pot that you would consider selling with us, please let us know, the sooner the better!

this large smokey red oxide pot is one of the 5 large pots 

Small pot with blue spots 

all 5 of the pots at the front of this display

one of the large colorful carved pots 

 We are grateful to the Witkop and Hopper families for allowing Two Graces Plaza Gallery to exhibit and sell this beautiful body of work. 

So many people attended the opening reception last night, TGPG would like to thank all of you for making this an event we will never forget. Old friends mingled with people who had never met Mary, all awe inspired. A moment in Taos where the 3 cultures came together to once again celebrate an artist who stood among them and who we all admired.

This fall the Pilar Studio Tour will be dedicated to the memory of Mary Witkop, (the organizers came by to take photographs of the exhibit)

This unglazed Bean pot was made in a group of pottery done for a Christmas exhibit sale it is priced at 200. it is the only 'functional' pot we have available, meaning it can actually be used to cook in on the stove top or in the oven (gas or electric)

iron oxide pot 

iron oxide with a hint of green

I can hear the horsehair sizzle and burn onto this pot as she tossed it on

pot to the left with green and blue coloring Indonesia green pot

the green pot here and above were inspired by a trip to 

Indonesia where much of the pottery is colored green the pot to the left white with blue, & green seed pot

Lavender pot

a few additions
Green w/horsehair medium size medium size Blue w/feathers small Blue w/feathers

"Adoration of the Cross Ladies" medium size white w/feathery clouds
(please note this pot is unsigned and has no identification of the collaborator who carved it, therefor a very special price point)
* please note: Mary always warned not to use her pottery as a planter, she would often place a feather or leaf in a pot, nothing more than that.

This exhibit runs through August 24, 2012

Taos Lilac Festival

All photographs Robert Cafazzo copyright 2012, 

if you would like to use any of these images please ask first, thank you.

"Lilacs against Adobe"

In May 2013 The Taos Lilac Festival will take place as an annual event you will find more information as it becomes available here: http://www.taoslilacfestival.com/ 

(They also have begun a Facebook page)

 "Lilacs with clouds"

This Spring in Taos we have seen a wonderful array of colorful flowering fruit trees, apples, apricots, and a few peaches. They even survived the early Spring snows with trees now beginning to bare little green nuggets of fruit. Over the past 2 weeks the Lilac bushes and Forsythia shrubs have been in full bloom, along with Tulips, Daffodils, & Grape Hyacinth. Now the large Bearded Iris are blooming and some early Oriental Poppies in all their glory.

Along with all the flowering wild flowers, people have been saying this is the prettiest Spring they've seen in Taos in over 12 years.

 Although there may be 1,000 types of Lilacs, in Taos we tend to see 4 of these, the classic medium colored Lilac, a paler softer Lilac, a deep intense almost purple Lilac color, and a white Lilac, which most people plant as a group with the medium colored bush.

 All over Taos you'll find Lilacs blooming at this time of year, a real treat for your eyes and nose. 

 Stop and listen you may hear buzzing bees, and chirping birds, I love the sounds of the Red Winged Blackbirds as they fly from bush to bush with their trill voices calling to one another.

 Now today being May 8, 2012, and the Lilac Festival dates being May 17-June 3, 2013 I won't make any promises for next year for these dates, I say come early, the first week of May which has been prime viewing for our spectacular flowering Lilac shrubs. 

(Please note: last year very few lilacs bloomed due to an extreme lack of moisture)

 In Ranchos de Taos & Llano Quemado there are Lilacs everywhere!

 "Soft lilac coloring at the Taos Art Museum"

 I took this shot of Lilacs in the sunshine growing over a fence nearby, the house where these are located has painted purple doors and window frames!

 "Storm over Lilacs"

 Ooooh, I wonder what Lilac Honey would bee like???

 "Bunches of Clouds and Lilacs"

 "Lilac with Horno (adobe bread oven)"

 "White Lilacs with soft color" 

Are they still Lilacs if they are white?

Bring your camera, or if you forget to, snap some pictures with your smart phone!

 A vase of Lilacs on your Dining room table or on your Bureau will add a lovely fresh fragrance of the outdoors to the room. Remember to ask first if you are picking a bouquet from a bush that is not yours.

 I took most of these photographs on a 1.2 mile walk from my home in Llano Quemado to the Ranchos Plaza, there's a lovely group of bushes here by the Church and in the backyard of our store Two Graces Plaza Gallery.

As children we would suck the sweet nectar from as many of these little flowers as we could!

Get out and enjoy the lilacs!!!

The arrival of spring in Taos brings with it the blossoming of lilacs everywhere. Lilacs in springtime are ubiquitous in Taos, they are as iconic as the Hollyhocks of summer. Whether set against a Taos blue sky, an adobe wall, or draping over a coyote fence, lilacs are a much loved sight in Taos.

The artist Rebecca Salsbury James began a campaign in the 1940’s to plant Lilacs as a way of beautifying Taos Plaza. Rebecca had accompanied Georgia O’Keeffe for their first visit to Taos, remaining here throughout her life. Her home La Casa Feliz is located at the end of Bent Street, where you can still see her lilacs as they bloom each year.

The annual Taos Lilac Festival, scheduled for May 15-17, 2020 was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. One of the sponsors for this event is the Los Jardineros Garden Club of Taos, who encourage gardeners in Taos to plant more lilacs. Here is the link to their Map for Taos Lilac Garden locations: https://www.taoslilacfestival.com/map/

Lilacs have a typical blooming period of up to three weeks. Many of these brilliant bushes and hedgerows of blossoms can be found while driving the side roads of Taos. 

Here is my route suggestion of a scenic and safe drive for viewing lilacs in the Taos Historic District:

Start at the northern end of Salazar Road, head to La Loma Plaza at Valdez and Ranchitos Road, drive on to La Loma Street. Drive over to the next block onto Valverde Street, there are also some lovely lilacs in bloom on Geronimo Lane near the Hanuman Temple. On Valverde Street you’ll pass behind the Taos Library and Town Hall to reach the Taos Living Center where you can see from the road beautiful lilacs in bloom. 

From Valverde St. cross over Camino de la Placita to Lund Street, there you’ll also find Lilacs in bloom on Theodora Street, Sierra Vista Road, and Hinde Street. 

The Sierra Vista Cemetery (505 Paseo del Pueblo Norte) is awash in lilacs, park your vehicle and stroll around to see for yourself. Lilacs are commonly planted in cemeteries as they need little, to no upkeep. Lilac colored clothing was considered proper mourning attire, the flowers were worn as a sign of a lost love.

Drive north on Paseo del Pueblo Norte turning left at the stoplight onto the northern end of Camino de la Placita and keep an eye out for all the lilacs in bloom that you can see from the roadside until you arrive at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Once again park and walk around to see the gardens there. Continue driving up ‘Placitas’ turn onto Ledoux Street and right not Ranchitos Road then up on over to Quesnel Street where you’ll see the Couse Meadow and more lilacs all around you.

Cross Kit Carson Road to Morada Lane up to the Mabel Dodge Luhan Home (240 Morada Lane), from the large parking area you can view hedges and rows of more lilacs in bloom. Back onto Kit Carson Road drive east, quickly turning left onto Las Cruces Lane, where you will see some of the very best gardens proudly on display. Back to Kit Carson Road heading east drive to the Thom Wheeler Studio Gallery (939 Kit Carson Rd.). From here, turn back towards Taos until you reach Burch Street turn left here, right onto Los Pandos, then right onto Montoya Street and left back onto Kit Carson Road notice more lilacs at the Couse-Sharp Historic Site (146 Kit Carson Rd.). Turn north onto Paseo del Pueblo Norte to see the lilacs at Kit Carson Park & Cemetery, the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House (227 Paseo del Pueblo Norte) and the El Pueblo Lodge (412 Paseo del Pueblo Norte). 

As lilac season begins to fade in late May, many areas are past their prime. Lilacs on Bent Street are usually worth seeing, most have now faded. This route is meant to show you lilacs in bloom right now in the Taos Historic District.

Lucy McCall, a Taos herbalist and Associate Instructor at UNM said, “People are just coming into consciousness of foraging for edible flowers, herbs, and plants. I’ve used lilacs as a febrifuge to reduce fever by steeping lilacs in warm water to make a tea. Not too hot or you’ll lose the lovely aroma. They also have astringent qualities. Lilacs used as a flower essence open up all the chakras for those who practice Kundalini.” Aromatherapy usage of lilacs also helps to ward off depression, creating an uplifting emotional and spirituality quality.

Lilac flowers may also be used to make a simple syrup to enjoy as a refreshment with sparkling water or they can be made into a vodka based beverage much like a homemade limoncello.

Here is my recipe for a delicate and not too sweet,

Lilac Shortbread Cookie

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter

1/4 Cup Powdered Confectioners Sugar

1 Cup Flour

2 Tspns Blueberry Syrup

1 Tspn Vanilla

1/4 Cup Dried Lilac Flowers

Cream the Sugar and Butter

Add the rest of the ingredients, adding the Lilacs last

Roll the dough out between sheets of Parchment Paper to 3/8 inch thick

Use a simple cookie cutter or slice into wedges

Place onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet

Bake in the oven at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they begin to brown at the edges.

British artist David Hockney has said: “Do remember they can’t cancel the Spring.”

I hope this encourages you to go out for a drive, roll your windows

down and take in the scented air of Lilacs blooming in Taos.