After graduating in 2014, Hopper spent a year in her hometown saving up to buy her own ceramic supplies, kiln and wheel. However, fate intervened, and Taos Clay Studio offered Hopper a residency in their program.
"Everything just kind of happened. Diane Cole, my [ENMU] ceramics instructor, contacted me about the residency and said I should apply," said Hopper.
Taos Clay Studio's residents reap many benefits, along with the support and opportunity to develop their personal work. The residency pays artists to teach ceramics classes, sell their work in the gallery, and lead many projects.
Hopper loves pottery and the technical challenge of throwing on a potter's wheel because it takes an amount of focus that she'd never had to achieve in any other line of work.
Hopper's favorite aspect of her residency is the community. Surrounded by those with similar interests to make good conversation, she enjoys finding people to bounce ideas off of.
She explains that the people are so eccentric and amazing. Hopper said, "I absolutely love that in Taos you'll run into a completely different and unique person you've never met before."
With the huge culture and history for art in Taos, Hopper's work strays from the traditional Taos Pueblo and Native American influence.
"I am influenced by Classical Greek forms and art; Greek-era ceramic vessels and artifacts, Greek goddesses, strong women, giant handles and figure painting." She mixes Greek and contemporary art to form her ceramic style.
Last month, Hopper hosted her first solo exhibition in the Taos Clay Studio. The goal of the show was to introduce her to the Taos community, and to mark the half-way point of her residency. She filled the gallery with close to 500 pieces of her own pottery that took her six months to create.
Hopper said, "It went really great! A lot of people and new faces showed up, and I sold a lot more than I thought I would. Even my high school art teacher attended and bought a piece!"
The selection included functionality and fun colors with jars, plates and dessert bowls.
On her Facebook page, Erica Hopper Ceramics, Hopper posted a picture of a tradition that started at ENMU's ceramics lab to help her prepare for the show. Each time the gas kiln was fired, the instructor and the work study students that helped load the kiln would make kiln gods.
Kiln gods are once-fired little figurines that are meant to protect the kiln and make sure the firing goes well. Being a bit superstitious, Hopper makes two kiln gods for every gas firing and fires them with all her wares.
"I prefer to make the figures based on an animal I've recently seen… Usually, it ends up being my dog Anakin," said Hopper.
With the residency and shows, she is hoping to build up her portfolio to apply for post-baccalaureate programs so she can get into a master's program. She wants to enter the educational system as an art teacher or professor because she realized how important a good instructor is.
"I am so grateful for faculty like Diane Cole at ENMU," said Hopper. "They offered me so much assistance during college, and helped out with recommendation letters after."
