About Us
Our Team
I have been rooted in Ouray, Colorado since 2014, where I have lived, played, worked, and grown in this tiny mountain town community. I began my pottery journey in 2017 while attending nursing school as a way to balance the demands of school and caring for others with creativity and making. In 2020 I founded my own business, NINAZUMA Pottery. Over the years, I have hauled my wheel and kiln into a variety of studio spaces, offering clay pieces, lessons, and memberships. I feel deeply fortunate to have been able to create a dream studio space in the corner of my friend’s metalwork studio (Skol Studios), where Ouray Clay and Co has been since January 2025. I am deeply passionate about creating with my hands and making this art form welcoming and accessible to all who are interested.
It is also in clay that I would like to creatively celebrate my roots as an Okinawan-American while also honoring these beautiful mountains, vast deserts, winding rivers, and expansive oceans that surround and inspire my daily life. When I’m not in the studio, I spend my time outside with my husband and our critters, cruising around on the hiking and biking trails with my friends, and being an active member of Ouray Mountain Rescue Team.
Becca ニ奈 Doll-Tyler
Hi, I’m Natalie: dietitian by trade, clay enthusiast by happy accident, and fully convinced that getting your hands dirty is a legitimate form of therapy.
I started working with clay while pregnant, which feels fitting in hindsight, growing life in one hand and shaping it on the other. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep appreciation for the rhythm, patience, playfulness, and imperfection that pottery invites.
By day, I run a nutrition practice, helping people rebuild their health in a way that feels grounded and sustainable. And by night (or whenever I can sneak away), you’ll find me in the studio, covered in clay, letting it pull me out of my head and back into my body. It’s where I go to play, to reset, and to remember that not everything needs to be optimized.
In the in-between, I’m usually with my family, being present for the little things and building a life that feels as good as it looks. I also love to write, read, climb, paddle, garden, cook, commune, and follow whatever feels creative, a little messy, and worth my attention.
Natalie Forster
I’m Cait! While relatively new to the pottery game, it has taken me no time at all to fall in love with the craft.
With a Master’s degree in Ecology from Western Colorado University, I like to utilize my extensive knowledge and love of plant species throughout Colorado as inspiration for my ceramic decoration.
My art is heavily influenced by the work of illustrative botanists such as Jane Colden, and I use pottery as a medium to continue blending the lines between art and science. While my main goal is to highlight the botanical beauty that can be found along the western slope, I also strive to bring awareness to the importance and fragility of the alpine landscapes in Colorado!
On my free time, you can find me stashing cool rocks in my pocket, drinking a summit beer on top of any local 14er, and foraging for mushrooms.
Fun Fact: In high school, I won an Ipod Nano for 50 cents from an arcade game, and I have been chasing that high ever since.