Tohono O'odham Connections:
Clay Handbuilding Workshop
with Elizabeth Ortega
Saturday, Nov 21st 2026 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Made possible by the Arizona Commission on the Arts Lifelong Arts Engagement Award and the generosity of the Leon Polk Smith Foundation
Elizabeth (Lisa) Ortega has been creating traditional O’odham clay works her whole life, using techniques passed down from her grandmother and practiced in her family for generations. She will share clay that she respectfully gathered from the Baboquivari Mountains, near her home on the Tohono O’odham Nation. In this workshop instructor Lisa will provide clay and show you how to create ha'a (a small clay bowl or olla). Lisa will also provide uṣabĭ (a black paint made of mesquite sap) for clay decoration. Lisa will collect the ha'a and fire them in the traditional O'odham way, with cholla branches.
How To Get Here & What To Bring:
Transportation - Roads out to the Sanctuary can be rough. High-clearance vehicles are highly preferable, and carpooling from the Kafe is strongly encouraged!
Tools & Materials - All tools and materials are included - feel free to bring your own tools as well. Instructor Lisa will collect completed pieces at the end of the workshop to fire them. Your fired pieces will be returned at a later date, to be determined and communicated via email after the workshop.
Food & Drink - Kate and Ted will provide sandwiches, Prickly Pear juice, and homemade Mesquite chocolate chip cookies. Feel free to bring an extra bag lunch or personal snacks.
REGISTRATION & SCHOLARSHIPS
Cost: $30 (Pay on-site with cash/check or register online starting October 1)
Please make checks payable to: Land With No Name Sanctuary
Reserve Your Spot: Register online by clicking the button below. If registering online is challenging, please contact Kate Hodges at 520.975.1965 (Call/Text) or email katelonghodges@gmail.com.
Need a scholarship? Fully funded spots are available. Please call Kate to inquire at the number above. Class size is limited so call Kate to sign up.
Online Registration opens October 5th.
10:00 AM - Meet at Kestrel Kafe: 10390 S Sierrita Mountain Road, Tucson AZ 85736
10:15 - Caravan to The LWNN Sanctuary, 8 miles from Kestrel Kafe
11 AM - Gathering on the Land & Clay Hand building Instruction: Part 1
1:00 PM - Lunch & Reflection Time
1:30 - Clay Hand building Instruction: Part 2
3:00 PM - Lead caravan departs back to the main road
Please RSVP with Kate Hodges at: 520.975.1965 or totheland@gmail.com