Coco has been a working Artist since the mid nineties – creating, teaching and inspiring.
Coco has been working in clay since 1991 and began teaching at a local elementary school while working on her degree at Cal State Long Beach.
In 1996, she received her BFA in ceramics and then began her career as an Artist. Creating a work space/studio in her fathers garage, Coco started her first small business “In Pop’s Garage”. From this small space, she created pottery and sculpture, and was able to teach one on one pottery lessons.
From 1997 to 2000, Coco worked at Corinth Ceramics Studio in West Los Angeles teaching wheel throwing. Gathering skills and knowledge, Coco opened her own studio in 2000, “Santa Monica Mudd Ceramics Studio”.
In 2006, Coco created a sister business, which was named appropriately “Malibu Mudd”. This became her mobile pottery business, allowing Coco to reach out to larger groups, particularly private parties and local schools in the Santa Monica, Malibu school district, while continuing to run her studio in Santa Monica. Coco has also been active with helping children work through ADHD as well as adults who suffer from Dementia and Alzheimer’s decease.
In 2011, Coco closed the Santa Monica Mudd Studio to focus on her Malibu Mudd Studio. Teaching after school classes and morning classes to adults, Coco also opened her studio for an adolescent program for teens with mental and emotional issues. Clay has proven to be a remarkable way to express ones thoughts, fears and desires, while building confidence and self worth. This has been a rewarding journey for both Coco as well as her students.
Coco’s passion for design and architecture influence the work she creates, particularly from the mid-century era and the works of artisans who proceeded that era.
Coco takes inanimate objects from the past and brings life to them by recreating them out of clay. These life like sculptures are sentimental and symbolic to Coco and her family’s history. They become past memories of an era that people can relate to, as well as reflect upon.
In much of Coco’s work, she is able to fuse her love of sculpture with her love of function.
