Ekin Balcıoğlu is a visual artist and editor, and the owner of Old Bones - Gallery for Clay and Textiles in Arroyo Seco, NM. Ekin is also the cofounder and editor in chief of Hamam, a print magazine focused on the art and culture of bathing and letting go. She writes for Taos News. Ekin holds an MFA in Studio Arts and an MA in Visual and Critical Studies from California College of the Arts (2016) and a BA in Fashion Design from Central Saint Martins (2013).

My journey with clay began as a child during a trip from Oklahoma to Colorado to visit my grandparents. At Four Corners, they took me to a hogan where a woman was creating traditional Indigenous pottery. Captivated, I went home and began mimicking her work with red clay from our yard, crafting pinch pots in a mud hole by the side of the house.

I first encountered the potter’s wheel as a high school freshman in Kansas. Shortly after, we moved to Missouri, where I started working in a production pottery studio at age 16. Firing a 50-cubic-foot kiln twice a week and spending hours at the wheel daily, I developed a deep respect for the craft. By 20, I was apprenticing with Dennis Thompson, working alongside him for a decade, and I’ve been making pots ever since.

My work draws inspiration from East Asian pottery traditions, focusing on simplicity, balance, and timeless forms. I experiment extensively with glazes, layering celadons, temmokus, shinos, and iron-based finishes to create depth and character. My expertise lies in high-fire reduction and gas firing, and I also build my own kilns, ensuring every step of the process reflects my connection to the craft.

Clay has been a lifelong passion, rooted in curiosity and sustained by dedication to the art of pottery.