Petra Stoppel
ceramics
Northern New Mexico
Fine Arts & Crafts Guild
P.O. Box 28065
Santa Fe, NM 87592-8065
call / text: 505.501.1102
Holly Stults
M-F 11a-4p
email: info@artsandcraftsguild.org
Petra Stoppel
Born to the noble Julie and Joel Stoppel, in northern Michigan woods where the moss grows thick, and the snow falls 365 days a year. Petra emerged on cold day; her parents were uncertain of where their new baby's life would take course. Unbeknownst to them, they chose a cute, normal-seeming baby-name "Petra". Little did they know, this would shape the clay of young Petra's artistic life. As this name means "stone" in myriads of modern languages.
Petra's first sculpture was a clam (GAY) she made in pre-k. She then went on to obtain two B.F.A.s one in History and the other in Fine Art, where she took one introductory wheel course. After that, she trained as a scenic painter and worked for some of the most prestigious theaters including the Santa Fe Opera.
Northern New Mexico Fine Arts and Crafts Guild
We are a New Mexico nonprofit corporation, a project of the T.O.M. founded in 1965, a 501(c) organization.
Copyright © NNMFACG 2022. All rights reserved.
Design produced by Wise Goat Studios LLC for NMFACG
When COVID-19 shut down the 2019 opera season, Petra was cripplingly depressed, living in her boyfriend's studio apartment with no windows but if it had windows, it would've overlooked Walmart. She began potting again. She slowly filled their one-room cave with the prototypes that would become the designs she sells today. Overwhelmed by the towers of pots in their apartment, the modern-day Adonis/local business owner pushed Petra to post her pottery for sale online.
Petra's work is inspired by feminine themes, colors, and forms. If you look closely, there is a butt on every pot -- be it literal or conceptual. Her work stands in opposition to the old guard of potters, that value thumb caps. Petra Mudworks is spunky, sparky and snarky which an extra dash of feminist whimsy.
It started with little subpar cups, and rapidly got bigger and better. Petra's discipline and desperation throughout the pandemic led her to create the booming online business she runs today. It really is just her, in her new two bedroom apartment, all day with her dog Rupert slinging epic pots. By January 2023, her following exceeded the bounds of Instagram making this online store a necessary new space to explore Petra Mudworks. Enjoy!
