This year I will be a host site for the Sedona Open Studio Tour. I’ll be participating with Jason Bohnert, Jeff Heeg, and Heather Spontak on our property in Camp Verde, AZ October 29, 30, & 31, 2021. Our studio is site number 21, learn more below!

Ben Roti Ceramics is Studio #16 on the Fall Self-Guided Sedona Open Studio Tour. This site will be hosting three unique ceramic artists with both functional and sculptural work for sale. Free ceramic demonstrations will begin at Noon each day. Come visit Jason, Jeff, Ben, and Heather in beautiful Camp Verde, AZ!

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE SEDONA OPEN STUDIO TOUR

October 29, 30, and 31 2021

Given the successful and safe results of a number of Open Studio Tours around the country, we are thrilled to announce we are moving forward with the Tour on October 29, 30, and 31 – we hope you can join us! The 17th Annual Tour is a can't miss event and is sponsored by the Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition. The Tour will be open each day between 10 AM to 5 PM, and as always, is free to all visitors.

Working artists in the Verde Valley are opening their private studios to visitors, allowing attendees the opportunity to gain an in-depth look at the creative process and purchase unique works of art while enjoying the stunning scenery of Sedona and the Verde Valley. The participating studios are in Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Cornville, Camp Verde, the Village of Oak Creek, and Sedona.

For more information, please go to the SVAC website: sedonaartistscoalition.org, visit us at www.facebook.com/sedonaartistsos or contact Mike Upp at mjupp10@gmail.com.

Meet The Artists

Jason Bohnert

Jason Bohnert is a studio potter, maker, and designer based in Flagstaff, AZ. Earning a B.A. in philosophy (with an emphasis on ethics, sustainability, and intentional communities), the mindful nature of a potter’s lifestyle, grounded in the rhythm of work cycles, natural materials, renewable resources, and community engagement was a natural path to follow. While completing an MFA in Ceramics at West Virginia University, several study abroad/ apprenticeship opportunities in China and Penland School of Crafts proved formative aesthetic influences still evident in his ceramic art.

After ten years teaching ceramics, drawing, and design at NAU from 2010-2020, Jason is currently building a house, a new wood kiln, and creative compound, including an array of solar panels to offset 100% of electricity used for living and studio practice, including electric kiln firings. “After serving the University and student population for the last ten plus years, I am beyond excited to return to my studio practice full-time. I’m getting back to making pots for everyday use and special occasions, custom handmade tile, and bringing my studio practice up to speed, addressing issues of climate change and my place in it. I want to make fresh, well-crafted, guilt-free pots for my community.” - Jason Bohnert

Jeff Heeg

Jeff Heeg is a ceramic sculptor and potter, based in Phoenix, AZ. Jeff spent several years assisting Michael Frasca and Zoe Strecker in the Midwest. After relocation with his wife Stephanie to Phoenix, in 2004, Jeff became a member of the Mesa Arts Center where he found his love for the wood-fired process.

In his pursuit for wood-firing, Jeff joined the Reitz Ranch in 2018 as a studio resident, firing and building kilns for the clay center. Jeff continues to develop his sculptural and functional ceramic works in his home studio in Phoenix, Arizona.

Heather Spontak

Heather is a functional Potter who loves to create work inspired by nature. She currently travels around the United States with her sweet Australian Cattle Dog named Kaia. Originally from New York, she has since lived in various parts of the southeast and midwest. In 2012 she received her BFA from East Tennessee State University and later worked as a Resident Artist at Odyssey Clayworks in Asheville, NC.