Alex Chapa - Moonstone'd Pottery

Concluding a ceramics class in college, Alex Chapa founded Moonstone'd Pottery, a one-woman, small-batch ceramics shop, in 2016, amidst a shift in perspective and a newfound love for the process. Hand-thrown in her home studio, Chapa's signature ceramic aesthetic and functional design can be found in every piece of Moonstone'd Pottery.

Growing up in South Texas, Chapa comes from a family of artists, including her late uncle, who founded the Aurora Arts Theater. While most of Chapa's life has focused on theater, her brick-and-mortar-less pottery shop has illuminated Chapa's other artistic strength. Embedding her creativity and art in the roots of the community through her functional, one-of-a-kind pieces.

"I love everything about pottery - the process behind the art itself, the ability to create beautiful pieces of art with just your hands and a natural rock, and of course being able to share your personal love for art with the community," Chapa shares.

For The Bend Shop’s Summer Collection, Chapa introduces an exclusive new piece in the form of chip and dip bowls! Brought about with an organic, personal touch, Chapa says the process of making the chip and dip bowls took a total of two weeks from start to finish. Thrown as two separate pieces, Chapa cuts, and hand molds each bowl to fit within the other. 

"I first start off with the bigger bowl and determine how wide and tall the walls needed to be. Next, I throw three different-sized smaller bowls to see which fits best with the [larger bowl]," shares Chapa. "What I love most about this chip and dip bowl design is that it's two pieces thrown separately to make one unified work of functional art."

Chapa attributes her inspiration to experiment with this new shape and design from taking Zoom workshops with a few of her favorite potters during quarantine. Which also allowed her to develop and become more comfortable, adding hand-building into her throwing skills.

By: Jessie Chrobocinski