Community Voices: Notes from Mesa County

Community Connection: Three generations from western Colorado and raising the fourth 

By Ashtonn Means

I was born and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado, being the 3rd generation from the Western Slope. Growing up, my sister and I spent countless hours exploring connected lakes, wandering the riverfront trails, creating imaginary worlds in our backyard, and tending a garden that fueled our annual salsa-canning tradition. 

We were raised with strong values placed on appreciating simple days at home, local concerts, walking the farmers’ market, and fully embracing the vibrancy of the Grand Valley. 

Being homeschooled K-12 gave us the freedom to learn through nature, cooking, adventures, and community classes which led me to my career in ceramics. I was immersed in the pottery world at a young age, beginning my journey with clay at The Art Center of Western Colorado (TAC) under the mentorship of Terry Shepherd at the age of thirteen. 

Growing up in a community studio at TAC, I valued learning from a welcoming group of potters who quickly became lifelong friends and mentors. I soaked up every opportunity I had to learn and be a part of the art community. 

I was captivated by the way potters gather—pairing handmade dishes with homemade food and bringing people together. This intersection of cooking and ceramics inspired my pursuit of functional ceramics. 

Through making functional ceramics I have gained an appreciate for creating work that will be integrated into daily life through the simple moments of morning coffee and sharing a meal together with the hopes of creating work that fosters the appreciation of community and the present moment. 

Seeing the friendships and collaboration within clay studios, I knew that this was where my passion would lead me. 

I met my husband, Matthew Jones, at Colorado Mesa University in 2012 in Beginning Hand Building class. We were both ceramics majors and shared the same vision of one day opening a studio space of our own. 

Sixteen years after I first walked into the clay studio at TAC, that vision became real when a new arts marketplace opened in Fruita and we were able to start teaching pottery classes there. What began with a small group of students has grown into a vibrant clay community in the heart of downtown Fruita. 

We have watched students reach personal goals, form close friendships, collaborate, find solace, and build the kind of community connection I grew up admiring in clay studios. 

There is a beauty in sharing a meal after unloading the kiln at the end of a class session. Those gatherings hold a special place in my heart, often reminding me of the childhood potlucks at TAC, the moments that shaped me into the artist and person I am today. 

As I embarked on my motherhood journey in 2024, I found a whole new appreciation for our community and the beauty of nature that surrounds us. 

My now 18-month-old daughter, Astrid has a fiery spirit with a deep love of being outside, rain or shine. We spend many hours tending to our garden and playing in the dirt, helping at the clay studio and making friends with all the students, taking walks in McGinnis Canyon and admiring our neighbors “cluck clucks” (chickens) and “neigh neighs” (horses). 

Seeing the world we’ve built through her eyes, I’ve found a deeper appreciation for the beauty of a slower pace and the warmth of our local community. 

It is a profound honor to raise the 4th generation to cherish the Western Slope. I hope she appreciates the depth of small-town friendships, growing up in clay studios, and finding beauty in gardening, cooking, and the simple moments that life has to offer.