Mica mugs are magical. This listing is for one mug, made by me in my pottery studio near Taos, New Mexico. They are priced according to size. I have sold all my mugs in stock, so please allow 2-3 weeks to make, dry, burnish and fire twice.

Thank A gift from Clay Mother, each mug is made from micaceous clay from the Land of Enchantment, Each mica mug has a smooth sparkling surface that feels good to hold. The handles are roomy, easily a three or four finger grip. Hold your mica mug next to your heart to feel the warmth of this amazing clay body.

Mica clay is said to make food and beverages taste better. These mugs are burnished and left unglazed to give you the full benefit of drinking from pure mica clay, which is naturally alkaline. Because of its alkaline qualities, mica clay balances the acids in foods, which is key for a healthy diet. Drinking from mica mugs and eating meals from mica pottery has changed my whole approach to food.

Sizes:
Small, about 3.5" tall, 3" wide at rim. Volume: about 8 - 10 oz. $60
Medium, about 4" tall, 3" at rim. Volume: about 11-14 oz. $70
Large, about 4-5” tall, 3" at rim. Volume: about 15-16 oz. $80
X Large, about 6-7” tall, 3.5” at rim. Volume: about 17 - 20 oz. $95

A recent customer wrote this about her mica mug: " I love this mug! It's beautiful to look at, feels perfect in the hand and great to drink from! Carefully packed and quickly shipped."

More feedback from a customer: "Got the beautiful mug yesterday! I opened the package when we were all sitting around the table, opening mail, doing end of day stuff, etc. and there was this little collective "awww" from the family when I held it up. It was really spontaneous and funny to see the reaction. Thank you so much for adding another bit of joy to our house."

About my process:

I throw and trim my mica pots on my potter's wheel, then meticulously burnish with a smooth rock and a soft cloth to create a lustrous semigloss surface. This burnishing of the surface takes the place of a glaze. No glaze is applied, making these pots naturally chemical-free. My clay supplier reports that this clay is “Certified lead, arsenic and cadmium free.”

After the pots are fully dry, I fire them in my small kiln to 1800°. A second firing in a wood pit fire creates the "fire clouds" or smoke patterns. I make offerings and prayers with blue corn and tobacco at every stage of the process of creating a vessel. Each cup I've made seems to require from 4 - 6 hours of tender loving hands-on care, from clay to fired pot. It is signed with my potter's name Patch, (a name I was given at UC Santa Cruz when I first learned to throw pottery back in the sixties) and Taos, NM.

Caring for your mica pot: I have "seasoned" each mug with a coating of olive oil then baked it in my oven at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Seasoning increases the life of the pot, seals it, and makes cleaning easier. Handwash only, with hot water and a scrubby sponge to clean. A natural seep or dampness underneath it may occur. I recommend using a coaster or saucer. I choose not to place my mica mugs in a microwave, with respect to Clay Mother.