Frank Willet
"A true master of his craft, Willett has continually produced pottery made with an unerring sense of beautiful form, good design and superb craftsmanship.
Frank Willet
Santa Fe
2013 Recipient, Individual Artist
Potter extraordinaire Frank Willett has made a living as an artist for more than 60 years. "A true master of his craft, Willett has continually produced pottery made with an unerring sense of beautiful form, good design and superb craftsmanship," said nominator James Marshall, associate professor of art at Santa Fe Community College. "He devotes each and every day to the production of some of the finest, most highly crafted functional pottery in today's environment of handcrafted pottery produced in this country." In 1971, Willett established Santa Fe Pottery, a working studio where he produced and sold his own pottery and mentored fledgling potters, who went on to forge their own careers in ceramics. Willett sold Santa Fe Pottery in 2003 but has continued to make one-of-a-kind pieces in his home studio. Noted as a New Mexican artist who has worked with clay, while remaining true to himself and his artistic vision, Willett continues to be a role model for his fellow artists. Willett was one of the original founders of New Mexico Potters and Clay Artists in the early 1970s and has participated in cultural exchanges with Kazakhstan and Korea.