The Art Box

The Art Box – Episode 324 – Arist in Residence – Meet Taylor Ford

Welcome to our lucky thirteenth episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council. In this episode Box, we’re joined by Taylor Ford, the 2025 Artist-in-Residence at the Tuscarora Pottery School, and the heart of this spring’s session. Along with her loyal pup Ruth, Taylor keeps things running smoothly, welcoming guests, guiding students, and keeping an eye on both the critters by day and the ghosts by night that roam this legendary high desert outpost.
Taylor shares what it means to live and work on the Tuscarora property full-time, what fuels her own studio practice (including the corner where Steve proudly snapped a black-and-white photo of her at her wheel), and how she manages to keep the studio cheerful, grounded, and full of momentum. She may not be related to President Gerald Ford, but she’s got a story about that too. Warm, funny, and always in motion, Taylor brings a unique energy to a place already steeped in legacy and creativity.

The Art Box – Episode 323 - Pottery and Presence: Kerry at the Wheel

Welcome to our twelfth episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council. In this episode of The Art Box, we welcome Kerry Holscher, an electronic engineer and pottery student from Boise, who made her first visit to the Tuscarora Pottery School during the spring 2025 session. While new to the Tuscarora experience herself, Kerry is no stranger to its legacy, all of her children studied pottery with Jerry Hendershot in high school and have each made their own creative journeys to this desert retreat.
Now it’s Kerry’s turn at the wheel, bringing both her technical mindset and artistic curiosity to the high desert studio. In our conversation, she reflects on what it’s like to step into a space so meaningful to her family, how engineering informs her approach to clay, and why it’s never too late to embrace the joy of making. It’s a beautiful story of connection, craft, and coming full circle, one generation (and now another) shaped by the spirit of Tuscarora.

The Art Box – Episode 322 - From Field Notes to Clay Notes: Mandie Carr at Tuscarora

Welcome to our eleventh episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council. In this episode of The Art Box, we sit down with Mandie Carr, a USGS scientist who moved from the warmth of Florida to the high desert winters of Boise, Idaho, and discovered pottery as a way to navigate the colder months. Mandie joined the spring 2025 session at the Tuscarora Pottery School, bringing with her a methodical, inquisitive approach shaped by her scientific background.
At the time of our conversation, Mandie was still waiting to see her pieces emerge from the soda kiln, but she had already filled pages with notes, carefully tracking each form, firing detail, and glaze combination. It’s a conversation about precision, patience, and the quiet satisfaction of learning by doing, all set against the backdrop of Tuscarora’s creative rhythm.

The Art Box - Episode 321 - Learning Together: Summer & Corbin’s Pottery Adventure

Welcome to our tenth episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council. In this heartwarming episode of The Art Box, we’re joined by Summer and Corbin Kisner, a mother-and-son duo who attended the spring 2025 session at the Tuscarora Pottery School. At just 10 years old, Corbin brought youthful curiosity and a fearless approach to clay, while Summer, still relatively new to pottery, came eager to learn, building on the skills she’s been developing at Jerry Hendershot’s Parched Earth Studio in Boise.
Together, they share what it was like to step into the rhythm of Tuscarora’s creative flow as a family, finding joy in the quiet desert setting, the challenge of the wheel, and the supportive artist community. It’s a lovely glimpse into what happens when generations create side by side, full of laughter, learning, and lots of clay-covered hands.

The Art Box – Episode 320 - Lydia Faust: Learning the Craft, Living the Community

In our ninth episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council, we chat with Lydia Faust, a graduating Eagle High School senior with a passion for pottery and a strong sense of community. Lydia attended the spring session at the Tuscarora Pottery School, where she stood out not only for her dedication at the wheel but also for being the last to leave the kiln firings and among the first to roll up her sleeves for clean-up duty.
A future Boise State University student, planning on a double major, Lydia shares how her time in Tuscarora deepened her appreciation for the creative process, and how the mentorship of her high school art teacher, Julie Shelton, also attending the session, has shaped her artistic path. It’s a conversation about learning, showing up, and the quiet power of commitment in a space where clay, community, and personal growth are deeply entwined.
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The Art Box – Episode 319 - Wheels Within Wheels: Evan Besoushke on Art and Engineering

In our eighth episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council, we chat with Evan Besoushke, a recently graduated high school student with a creative spirit and a scientific mind. Before heading off to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah, Evan chose to spend part of his spring at the Tuscarora Pottery School, diving hands-first into the world of clay and artistic experimentation.
We talk about what drew him to pottery, what it felt like to be the youngest member of the workshop, and how this experience has helped shape his perspective on design, structure, and creativity. Whether building with clay or someday with concrete and steel, Evan is already finding ways to bridge the practical with the artistic. It’s a conversation about curiosity, transitions, and the value of stepping into a creative space, especially when you’re about to build a future from the ground up.

The Art Box – Episode 318 - Catalyst & Clay: Casey Gurr on Creative Collaboration

In our seventh episode of The Art Box recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School thanks in part to a grant by the Nevada Arts Council, we sit down with Casey Gurr, one of the spring session instructors at the Tuscarora Pottery School, whose passion for art and education runs deep. A former high school art teacher and current leader at Catalyst Arts Collaborative in Boise, Idaho, Casey brings a thoughtful, community-centered approach to his work, whether he’s at the wheel or building creative networks back home.
We talk about what it means to teach in a place like Tuscarora, where landscape and legacy shape every studio moment. Casey shares his perspective on balancing personal artistry with mentorship, and how collaborative spaces like Catalyst are helping sustain and uplift the next generation of artists. It’s a rich conversation about creativity, teaching, and the quiet magic that happens when artists gather in remote places with open minds and muddy hands.

The Art Box - Episode 317 - Creative Company: Daejah, Aileen, and the Art of Just Being There

In this episode our sixth during our Tuscarora trip funded by Nevada Arts Council, we take a lighter, more personal turn as I sit down with Daejah, who joined us at the Tuscarora Pottery School not as a student, but as part of the extended creative family. Her father, Casey, was one of the instructors during the week, and Daejah came along for the ride, bringing with her a sense of calm curiosity and the easy energy of summer.
She was joined by her best friend Aileen, and while neither took to the wheel, they made the most of their desert retreat: swimming, exploring, chatting with artists, and simply enjoying the rhythm of life in Tuscarora. In this relaxed conversation, we talk about what it’s like to be surrounded by working artists, the quiet charm of the place, and how creative spaces can feel just as welcoming—even when you’re not the one covered in clay.

The Art Box - Episode 316 - Teaching Inspiration - Meet Julie Shelton

In the fifth episode of our Tuscarora Pottery School series, made possible in part by a generous grant from the Nevada Arts Council, we sit down with Julie Shelton, a dedicated art teacher from Boise, Idaho. Julie’s time at Tuscarora was both a personal creative retreat and a professional development opportunity. As she reconnected with her own artistic practice, she also explored new techniques and ideas to take back to her classroom and share with her students. It’s a heartfelt conversation about the dual role of being both artist and educator, and the power of stepping away to return renewed.
Surrounded by the quiet beauty of Nevada’s high desert, Julie found fresh energy in the studio, new approaches to clay, and a renewed sense of purpose. Our conversation touches on the power of lifelong learning, the balancing act between teaching and creating, and the magic that happens when artists step into unfamiliar spaces to grow. It’s a reflection on mentorship, exploration, and the threads that connect art, education, and community.

The Art Box - Episode 315 - From Clay to Community: Leadership at Tuscarora Pottery School Meet Cody Breese Thomas

In the fourth episode of our special series recorded at the Tuscarora Pottery School, made possible in part by generous support from the Nevada Arts Council, we’re honored to sit down with Cody Breeze Thomas, President of the school and a passionate advocate for the arts. As a thoughtful steward of this storied Nevada institution, Cody shares his perspective on what makes Tuscarora more than just a pottery school. It’s a place of creative renewal, deep community, and quiet transformation, where clay, history, and human connection converge in the high desert.
Our conversation touches on the school’s enduring mission, its deep roots in the high desert, and the exciting vision Cody and the board are shaping for its future. Whether you're a potter, an artist, or simply someone drawn to meaningful places, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the stewardship, storytelling, and spirit that keep Tuscarora’s kilns burning and its creative heart alive.