The Potters Cast

I am a new teacher of clay. A little over a year ago Jennifer and I opened a new community studio here in Vancouver, Washington called Clay Works of Vancouver. Because I wasn't a teacher, I went a good chunk of the year watching others teach all the classes. I started doing our one-off classes, Take It For A Spin, and Clay for Two classes. These are basic one-time events that are there just to dip the toe in the water and have fun. But then I was asked by a person if I would be willing to teach a beginner class. I said with total confidence that I would totally do it for her. And then I actually had to do it. So I asked for some advice from y'all. This episode is some of the advice I received. https://ThePottersCast.com/1256

Amy Noel is the owner and potter behind Wabi Scotia Pottery in Nova Scotia. After years of working part-time with young children, she turned her passion for clay into a full-time business. Today, she creates functional pottery, teaches classes, and has expanded her studio to include kiln rentals, helping others discover the joy and confidence that come from working with clay. https://ThePottersCast.com/1255

Kim Johnston is a South Australian graphic designer and part-time ceramicist. Drawn to clay as a way to step away from the screen and reconnect with a more hands-on creative process, Kim creates functional ceramics that celebrate everyday rituals. Through her work, Kim is exploring her artistic voice while building her ceramics practice. https://ThePottersCast.com/1254

Jeffery Liang, a Taiwanese-American based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California is the founder of Spiffy Pottery Studio. With a background in fine arts and industrial design, Jeff's strong desire to create is at the heart of his work. Hand-made pottery perfectly combines these two passions. Jeffery's journey into ceramics began in 2018 when he became a student at City College of San Francisco - Fort Mason Center. Jeffery quickly realized that pursuing ceramics was a path he wanted to develop further. A few months later, Jeffery began working at several pottery studios, both in San Francisco and his hometown of Taipei. In 2022, Jeff decided to take the leap and start his own venture, leading to the establishment of The Spiffy Studio. https://ThePottersCast.com/1253

Hunter Vargo started Hucks Pottery shortly after a life changing crash while speed flying his parachute. As Hunter went through recovery tea had become a huge part of his daily routine. As it became apparent that Hunter's physical body wouldn't allow him to return to flying professionally it was time for him to pursue another interest. Teaware! https://ThePottersCast.com/1252

Nathaniel "Nate" Miller went full-time as a potter in 2026 after twenty years of filmmaking and video editing. Nate's Burbank, CA studio makes handcrafted functional ceramic housewares with a playful taste of science fiction and futurism. https://ThePottersCast.com/1251

Naomi Peterson creates cute objects that invite consideration beyond the inanimate. Naomi mixes bright colors and soft patterns with hard materials to investigate the emotive potential of functional things. Using her traditional ceramic background as a lens to view material and process, Naomi builds forms layer by layer, often integrating analog and digital methods. Naomi is a full-time ceramic artist based in Houston, TX. https://ThePottersCast.com/1250

Nicole Kluba is the owner of Kluba Ceramics and lives in the town of Seagrove, North Carolina. Seagrove is a small, rural town which also happens to be the pottery capital of the US. Nicole has grown up in Seagrove and has been exposed to pottery not only in the community, but in her family as well. Before Nicole began creating pottery full time in March 2024, she worked in emergency services for four and a half years until she left at age 23 to pursue pottery as a career. https://ThePottersCast.com/1249

Joe and Emilie Bott are the owners and operators of The Tilted Kiln and the creators of Clay Con West, which they founded in 2018. Joe and Emilie are passionate about bringing the clay community together through creativity, education, and connection. When they are not working in the studio or organizing events, Joe and Emilie enjoy spending time with their family and sharing their love of ceramics with others. https://ThePottersCast.com/1248

Esther Drone is a potter and ceramic artist based in Langford on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Esther has facilitated a variety of groups as a pottery instructor. Esther's work is predominately functional and is currently available in a variety of shops in the Greater Victoria area. https://ThePottersCast.com/1247

Ceramics has granted Madison Smith the unwavering power to transform a simple pile of dirt into an external force of her subconscious. Madison creates sculptures to connect to her disorderly childhood and construct wares to spread joy. Madison's overall themes include the magic of childlike wonder and the undeniable reality of the life she has been forced to reckon with. https://ThePottersCast.com/1246

Jordan Gale is a ceramic artist working at the intersection of sculptural and functional pottery. Jordan's embrace of organic textures attempts to blur the line between utility and expressive form. Born and raised in Eastern Iowa, Jordan attended the University of Iowa, where he was introduced to pottery. Jordan currently lives and works in Portland, Oregon. https://ThePottersCast.com/1245

Yoon Hee Kim is a Korean ceramic artist and educator based in the United States. Through Yoon Lab Ceramics, Yoon creates contemporary Moon Jars inspired by Korean heritage and nature. Yoon teaches wheel throwing internationally and online, helping potters create taller, stronger forms while sharing the mindfulness found through making. https://ThePottersCast.com/1244

Jordan Munro. founder of High Country Art, is a ceramic artist based in rural Yellowhead County, Alberta. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Munro creates wheel-thrown pottery decorated with hand-drawn and screen printed imagery inspired by animals, landscape, and rural life, fired in a natural gas kiln. https://ThePottersCast.com/1243

Wade was born in Nashville, Tennessee and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan by former opera singers. Wade earned a BA from Western Michigan University and an MFA in ceramics from Michigan State University. Wade has exhibited internationally and received the NCECA Emerging Artist award in 2018. He teaches at The University of Alabama. https://ThePottersCast.com/1242

Michelle Grimm approaches clay with curiosity, experimentation, and patience. Shaping by hand, Michelle explores diverse glazing and firing techniques, often incorporating organic materials and research. Embracing unpredictability, Michelle's work balances control and surrender. The resulting vessels—both functional and sculptural—are original forms that reflect a connection to nature, history, and the elemental forces of making. https://ThePottersCast.com/1241

Jacqueline Wei is a Los Angeles–based architect and part time ceramicist. Jacqueline established Wei.ware in 2018 as an extension of her architectural voice. Influenced by brutalism, Jacqueline's ceramic work explores structure and sensory experience through intentional studies of form, scale, and texture, translating architectural ideas into tactile objects. https://ThePottersCast.com/1240

Karyn Gabriel is a San Francisco Bay Area artist with a BFA from the University of Michigan and post-baccalaureate studies in ceramics at Oregon College of Art and Craft. Grounded in pattern as a visual language, Karyn's sculptures are inspired by structural references from architecture to textile construction. Pared down, elemental forms expose a slightly brutal beauty while emphasizing the interplay between surface and structure. https://ThePottersCast.com/1239

Bethany Yorgason is a ceramic and resin artist inspired by the natural world. With over a decade of experience in pottery and about 5 years with resin, Beth found it so profoundly interesting and amazing to preserve nature through incorporating real flowers, insects, and organic textures into her work. Beth loves creating pieces that are slightly unsettling, but in a way that you can't help but see the beauty in it —each one completely unique. https://ThePottersCast.com/1238

Michelle "Meesh" Ramadan is a potter chasing joy, color, and expressive play in clay. After recently moving from her home studio in Melrose, MA to Montpellier, France, Michelle is navigating the adventure of rebuilding her ceramics practice and letting curiosity lead the way. Michelle loves teaching, throwing big bowls, tiny vases, and sculpting whimsical pinch-pot sculptures. https://ThePottersCast.com/1237

Shelby Trahan is the owner of Jacques' Pottery Shop in her hometown of Welsh, Louisiana. Shelby graduated from McNeese State University in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Art and opened her studio the following July. Shelby creates mostly functional dinnerware pieces. Shelby is passionate about using her studio to bring clay to others. https://ThePottersCast.com/1236

Rob and Debbie Rivett are a collaboration between thrower and artist making contemporary wheel thrown porcelain slipware. Rob enjoys the challenges that throwing with porcelain present and seeks to emphasize the characteristics of the clay by creating sleek, flowing forms which become a canvas for Debbie to paint on. Debbie brings her love of walking and appreciation of often overlooked areas of grass land to life in her lively landscape paintings. Using a combination of brushwork and Sgraffito, Debbie's experiments with slip see her using it in a unique and painterly way which captures the swaying grasses of the field margins in England. https://ThePottersCast.com/1235

Carter Pasma is a potter and educator currently working as the studio manager at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Carter earned his BFA in ceramics from the University of Wisconsin–Stout, and his MFA in ceramics from Utah State University. Carters's work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, in 2022 he was recognized as one of Ceramics Monthly's Emerging Artists of the Year. Carter's ceramics practice and educational insights have been featured in multiple issues of Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated, where he was recently highlighted on the cover. https://ThePottersCast.com/1233

Elisa Dalle Molle began pottery during a challenging time, finding calm and connection through clay. After moving to Ireland in 2020, Elisa launched a sea-inspired ceramics business. Though now working full-time, Elisa continues creating and teaching pottery as a self regulating practice, sharing its therapeutic power with others through mindful, creative classes. https://ThePottersCast.com/1232

Richard Wright has made pots for 30 years. Living in Lenoir North Carolina, Richard is a full time potter. Previously a Physical Therapist, Richard continues to use his hands but in a more craft centered way. Richard's work is considered Catawba Valley traditional pottery, where the potters use native clay with an attention to form. Richard lives with his wife of 29 yrs, has 3 children, and lives in a home from the 1800s. https://ThePottersCast.com/1231

Chloe Abla Baigent is a self-taught ceramicist based in Tasmania, Australia. Combining her horticultural career with her creativity in clay, she designs and builds unique homewares including hand basins, tiled furniture, decorative wall art, and garden sculptures — all inspired by the natural world and a commitment to sustainable living. https://ThePottersCast.com/1230

Melisa of MWY Pottery is a cancer physician, researcher, ceramic artist, and immigrant. As a side saunterer (like a side hustler, but without the hustle), she handbuilds resistance art to advocate for human rights and justice for all. https://ThePottersCast.com/1229

Lucy Be is a full-time potter based in the Northern Rivers of Australia, creating ceramic tableware rooted in tradition and layered with intricate patterning. Informed by a BA (Hons) in Ceramic Design from Central Saint Martins, Lucy's work evokes whimsical nostalgia and has been shown in Australia and the United States. https://ThePottersCast.com/1228

Living and working in Beacon, NY, Jessica Bottalico completed her BFA at MICA and MFA at Rutgers University. Jessica's exhibitions include Schweinfurth Art Center, Super Secret Projects, J Cacciola Gallery, Bronx Community College, Zurcher Gallery, Causey Contemporary, Proto Gallery, and Abrons Arts Center. Jessica teaches art to Middle and High School students. https://ThePottersCast.com/1227

Noah W. Smith is an artist, educator, and community leader based in Portland Oregon. Noah creates work focused on material expression and experimentation in electric kilns, making naturally inspired functional works. He is also the owner of Heirloom Ceramic Studios and the current President of the Oregon Potters Association. https://ThePottersCast.com/1226

Julianna Dunning & Torrey Dasmann were potters at the Ceramic Showcase and they were sharing their booth and it proved to be very helpful for the both of them. In this conversation we talked through the pros and cons of their teaming up for their booth. https://ThePottersCast.com/1225

Ceramic Showcase, put on by Oregon Potters Association, is by far one of the largest ceramic focused shows in North America. It spans 3 days and is attended by well over 10,000 people who all come to see thousands of ceramic works by hundreds of potters. Today we have a discussion with various potters about the booth. Every potter that is out there setting up for shows and fairs and the like will understand many of the thoughts of these Showcase artists. https://ThePottersCast.com/1224

Andrew Sartorius is a wood and soda fire potter living in Germantown, New York. Andrew grew up in West Virginia, found his passion for clay working in rural Japan, and completed an apprenticeship and MFA in The Hudson River Valley. Andrew is the Program Director at The Oki Doki Studio. https://ThePottersCast.com/1223

Bex Walker is a UK-based potter and founder of Throw to Fire. Bex creates wheel-thrown ceramics from stained clay, characterized by a contemporary aesthetic that blends simple elegance with everyday functionality. Bex also teaches other makers about branding, marketing, and selling ceramics sustainably. https://ThePottersCast.com/1222

Anthony Carrillo began his pottery journey in San Diego, CA and is now apprenticing with Simon Levin in Illinois. Anthony's past year has been centered around wood firing, kiln building, and developing a comprehensive body of work. Anthony has assisted in two train kiln builds and helped design and build two small wood-soda kilns. Anthony's playful altered forms display expressive gestural movement and applied textures that interact with the atmosphere in the kiln. https://ThePottersCast.com/1221

Former textile engineer and yoga teacher, Carine Belloc discovered her calling in ceramics inspired by feminine cycles, seasons, and nature. Creating handmade ritual objects, Carine invites women to reconnect with their sacred rhythms and inner power. Carine's creations encourage an authentic, joyful life in harmony with the cycles of life. https://ThePottersCast.com/1220

Joris Link is a Netherlands-based ceramic artist known for his refined craftsmanship and contemporary approach to slipcasting porcelain. Joris' work blends traditional and modern techniques, creating sculptural pieces that emphasize texture, balance, and subtle detail. Through experimentation and precision, Joris explores form, material, and the quiet beauty of ceramics. The resulting works are in constant dialogue with the moulds that gave them their shape. https://ThePottersCast.com/1219

Erin Shafkind is an artist, writer, and educator living in Seattle, WA. Erin studied art and earned a BA and teaching certificate at California State University, Humboldt and received an MFA from Lesley University's College of Art and Design in Boston. Erin has been teaching art in Seattle Public Schools since 1998. These days Erin hand-builds and throws on the pottery wheel using stoneware and porcelain and occasionally works with earthenware clay bodies. Erin writes about art and artists for national magazines and local galleries. https://ThePottersCast.com/1218

One of the great things ab0ut NCECA what happens after NCECA is shut down for the day. All around the city potters have gotten together to do their own special events... Popups! And they are so much fun. This popup was called Not My Hobby Popup and it will give you a flavor of the night life popups. https://ThePottersCast.com/1217

Ella Watson and Rainy Bray set out on a mission to make glazes more accessible... Founded by studio owner Rainy and glaze scientist Ella, Five Glaze combines creative vision with scientific precision to deliver dry batch glaze systems that make custom color development accessible, affordable, and exciting for potters at every level. https://ThePottersCast.com/1216

One of the main attractions at NCECA every year is the vendor hall in the main hall. Every potters dream tool and tools we've never even dreamed of. So many amazing resources! This year I decided to interview a few of these vendors. https://ThePottersCast.com/1215

Dr Cathy Franzi is a ceramic artist based in Canberra. Cathy's science background inspires her approach to representing plants and the environment. In 2015 Cathy was awarded a PhD from the Australian National University School of Art & Design, the culmination of four years of intense research into the intersection of ceramic studio practice, botanical science and printmaking. https://ThePottersCast.com/1214

Neeti Gokhalay Kheny is a ceramic artist and former graphic designer whose practice is inspired by nature, particularly the ocean and its fragile ecosystems. Drawing from shells, corals, and anemone-like forms, Neeti creates sculptural works marked by intricate ornamentation and architectural sensibilities. Neeti's work explores reverence as resistance, inviting reflection on ecological fragility, conservation, and our evolving relationship with water and shared responsibility. https://ThePottersCast.com/1213

Anshula Tayal is a Portland-based ceramic artist creating functional pottery for everyday use, with each piece serving as a canvas for storytelling. Inspired by Indian art and architecture, textile traditions, and regional folk forms, her wheel-thrown and hand-built work explores surface decoration as a way to share cultural narratives. https://ThePottersCast.com/1212

Caryn Newman creates functional stoneware and porcelain ceramics with a focus on timeless, accessible design. Caryn trained in traditional Japanese production techniques during a two‑year apprenticeship with Richard Bennett at the Great Barrington Pottery in the 1970s. Caryn later co‑founded Crow Hill Pottery in Abbot Village, Maine, and established Willowood Pottery in 2012. https://ThePottersCast.com/1211

Diego E Armentano is an Argentine ceramic artist and potter based in Buenos Aires, where he lives and works. Diego practice operates within contemporary ceramics, combining functional and sculptural work to explore clay as territory, landscape, and scale, grounded in material thinking and conceptual inquiry rooted in making. https://ThePottersCast.com/1210

Brian and Naomi Menkis are husband and wife potters who make wheel thrown, functional, and beautiful forms for daily enjoyment. Firing in both oxidation and wood/soda kilns they explore the receptivity of clay to the mark of the potter – from its ability to take the subtlest impression of a delicate flower to the way it records the path of a flame through the kiln. https://ThePottersCast.com/1209

Tracie Griffith Tso works in her studio at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Featured works include a hand-built koi pitcher with maple and bamboo painting on rice paper; a stoneware bamboo pomegranate platter with birds symbolizing longevity, resilience, and abundance, cone 6, electric-fired; and a brown stoneware giant panda teapot with bamboo blossom and sculpted detail, cone 6, electric-fired. https://ThePottersCast.com/1208

Amber Faktor is the sensitive-souled ceramicist behind Sunfish Studio.  Over a decade ago Amber traded city life for clay, coastlines, and the grounding rhythms of island life.  When Amber is not making pots, teaching workshops, or mentoring fellow tender-hearted makers, she's likely puttering on her little homestead beside the sea. https://ThePottersCast.com/1207  

Diamando Koutsellis is an Australian artist with a 30-year career in public art, exhibition practice, and community collaboration. Working nationally and internationally with diverse and marginalised communities, she creates inclusive, site-responsive artworks. Diamando now leads The Australian Ceramics Association, producing The Journal of Australian Ceramics. The organisation supports over 1,500 members by connecting, elevating, and promoting Australian ceramics, while Diamando continues her own active arts practice. https://ThePottersCast.com/1206