A creative space
where art does the healing.
Our Mission
An accessible creative space for artists and neighbors alike.
We exist so that artists and community members can explore ceramics and the visual arts, develop real skills, and share their work through education, collaboration and exhibition. Whether you have a degree or have never touched clay, there is a seat at the table.
Founded and run by Debbie Mendoza in Hope, New Mexico.
Healing through making
Art therapy and open studio time led by a Certified Art Therapy Practitioner and retired RN.
Real instruction
Classes grounded in a BFA in studio art and a lifetime of working in clay, paint and fiber.
Community access
Hourly rental, memberships and open studio sessions so the space belongs to everyone.
Fair & affordable
Sliding-scale therapy sessions, and gallery consignment that returns 70% to the artist.
What We Offer
Six ways to use the studio.
Everything under one roof: a working ceramics studio, an art studio, a retail gallery, classes for every age, community access and the supplies to keep you going.
Ceramics studio
Clay work areas, wheel throwing and hand-building, slip casting with plaster molds, and kiln firing services for work made here or elsewhere.
Art studio
Space and instruction for painting, drawing and mixed media, plus fiber arts — macrame, crochet and knitting, one-on-one or in groups.
Art gallery
A retail space showing ceramics, paintings and sculpture, with ongoing representation for local New Mexico artists.
Classes & programs
Pottery and painting classes, workshops, special events and youth art programs — offered in person and virtually.
Community studio access
Hourly studio rental, monthly memberships and open studio sessions, with tools and kiln firing included.
Supplies & bisque ware
A small shelf of the things you actually run out of: clay, brushes, underglazes, small tools and bisque ware ready to paint.
The Gallery
Original work from local artists.
Ceramics, sculpture, mixed media and paintings from New Mexico artists — plus bookable studio time and sessions. Artwork ships nationwide; studio services are scheduled by email after checkout.
Nothing in this category right now. The gallery rotates as artists bring work in. Try another category, or send a note and we will tell you what is coming next.
Art Therapy & Fiber Arts
The quieter side of the studio.
Two offerings that are less about producing a finished object and more about what happens while you work.
Art therapy sessions
$100 per hour
One-hour sessions with Debbie Mendoza, CATP, available in person at the studio or virtually. No art background required — the materials and the pace are set up for you. A sliding scale is available for low-income clients with proof of income.
- Virtual or in person
- One hour, materials included in studio
- Sliding scale with proof of income
Fiber arts instruction
One-on-one or groups
Knitting, crochet and macrame taught the way they were taught to me — hands on, at your speed, with a project you actually want to finish. Good for beginners, kids, groups and anyone returning to a craft they set down years ago.
- Knitting, crochet & macrame
- Individual lessons or group sessions
- All ages and experience levels
Pricing
Clear numbers, no surprises.
Studio access includes use of our tools and kiln firing. Artwork is individually priced; supplies and bisque ware are priced by size.
Owner · Artist · CATP
Meet the Owner
Hi, I’m Debbie — thirty-five years a nurse, a lifetime an artist.
“I love art and have seen the amazing healing benefits it provides.”
I am originally from Louisiana and have lived in New Mexico since 1976. I grew up in Moriarty, a small town east of Albuquerque. I started with drawing and fiber arts when I was about seven years old, moved on to painting, and then to clay work in high school.
I finished nursing school in 1991 at what is now CNM — Albuquerque T-VI when I attended — and worked in many areas of nursing across my career. I always planned to have my own studio once I retired.
In 2017 I returned to the University of New Mexico. I took as many art courses as I could, learned about art therapy from a classmate, changed my major and applied to the College of Fine Arts. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in studio art, and was featured in the UNM paper and interviewed by the local news as “an aspiring graduate” in 2020.
I retired from nursing in 2024 and now live in Hope, New Mexico, a town of about 110 people. The studio is what comes next — a place where the healing I spent a career chasing happens with clay and paint instead.
BFA, Summa Cum Laude
Studio art, University of New Mexico
CATP
Certified Art Therapy Practitioner
35 years
Registered nurse, retired 2024
Studio FAQ
Everything you might want to know.
Studio access, classes, therapy sessions, firing services and shipping.
Have a different question?
Send a note or call the studio — Debbie reads and answers every message personally.
Ask DebbieNot at all. Classes and open studio sessions are built for complete beginners as much as for experienced makers. If you have never centered clay or held a brush with intent, that is a fine place to start — you will get real instruction from someone with a BFA in studio art and a lifetime of practice.
Hourly rental and monthly memberships include studio access, use of our tools and equipment, the clay work areas and wheels, and kiln firing. Clay, glazes and other consumable materials are sold separately at the studio.
Art therapy uses the process of making — not the finished product — to work through stress, grief, transition and healing. Sessions are one hour with Debbie Mendoza, a Certified Art Therapy Practitioner and a registered nurse of thirty-five years. No artistic skill is required or expected.
Yes. Sessions are $100 per hour, and a sliding scale is available for low-income clients with proof of income. Reach out and we will find a rate that works.
Yes — kiln firing is offered as a standalone service. Small firings are $25 and large firings are $80. Drop your work off at the studio and we will load, fire and let you know when it is ready to collect.
Art therapy sessions, art instruction and many classes can be scheduled virtually as well as in person. Hands-on ceramics work naturally goes better in the studio, but drawing, painting and fiber arts translate well over video.
Local artists are welcome to show and sell here. Work is taken on consignment with a 70% / 30% split in the artist’s favor. Send a note with a few images of your work and we will talk about space and timing.
We ship original artwork nationwide, packed carefully for the trip. Studio time, memberships, firing services and therapy sessions are scheduled rather than shipped — we follow up by email after checkout to set a date.
Have a different question?
Send a note or call the studio — Debbie reads and answers every message personally.
Ask DebbieCommissions & Bookings
Have something
you want made?
Commissioned ceramics, a pet or family portrait, a custom address plaque, a class for your group or a standing studio membership — tell us what you have in mind and we will map out the timeline and cost together.
Get in Touch
Let’s find you a seat in the studio.
Booking a session, asking about a class, showing work in the gallery or commissioning a piece — start here and Debbie will get back to you.
- Emailtheartsofhealing.online@gmail.com
- Phone(505) 459-5001
- StudioHope, New Mexico
“My hope is that everyone who walks in finds something in the work that puts them back together a little.”
— Debbie Mendoza