Pottery Wheel and Ceramics Classes + Open Studio

Raffaela has a BA from Marymount Manhattan College in stage management but has always been drawn to the ceramic studio. After years working for indie theatre companies she turned her focus to ceramics and never looked back. Her company, Sunken Orchard Ceramic was founded in 2018. Primarily using slabs, Raffaela impresses antique lace, inherited from her great-aunts, to create hand built pieces for the table and home, because any day can be a special occasion. She is thrilled to join the team at the JCC Manhattan.

Anya is a local artist and designer who graduated from Parsons School of Design with BFA in product design. Anya deeply enjoys working with children to explore creativity at a young age and providing a loving, artistic space where art can be used as a language for expression. As a ceramics instructor, Anya brings not only her expertise in ceramics, but also her unwavering enthusiasm and nurturing approach. Under her guidance, children embark on an exciting journey of self-discovery, learn valuable artistic techniques, and develop a lifelong love for ceramics.

Ava has been working in clay for over 20 years and has taught at the JCC for more than six years. She brings a whimsical and gentle approach to clay and her classes, empowering her students to believe in themselves from day one. She studied sculpture at The Art Students League and became interested in ceramics while living in Arizona and New Mexico, where she studied at the Sedona Art Center and Coyote Clay & Color. Ava’s work is mostly handbuilt, with extruded forms that she transforms into whimsical lamps.

Amy rediscovered pottery in 2010 upon making a career change and taking a six-month work hiatus. The studio community embraced her and clay became a new and exciting medium to work with. Amy prefers to fire her work using gas reduction, salt, and wood, due to the rich colors and textures and unexpected results. She works with multiple clays at any given time because they produce vastly different results. She focuses on form, which is key to her functional pottery, since handles need to be comfortable, lids need to fit, and bowls and plates need to stack. Her favorite works include sets and items that have multiple parts and pieces.

Isabelle is a French potter trained the old-fashioned way, with different ceramic artists. She is influenced by ancient ceramics and drawn by the harmony between the form and the mineralization created by the kiln fire. She is fascinated by artifact restoration and archaeology. Her work revolves around simplicity and humility.

Nick is a proud queer artist and ceramics instructor residing in New York City. After pursuing a career in theatre for nearly a decade, Nick found himself drawn to the creative and healing space that ceramics can provide. Throughout his journey, he has been a student, instructor, studio technician, and studio member in multiple spaces throughout the city. When teaching, Nick constructs an inclusive space where students feel inspired to harness their creative energy. He is known for the vitality and engagement that he brings to his teaching, establishing a community built on collaboration and the joy of discovery. In his personal practice, Nick creates a wide range of (predominantly) functional wares that celebrate form and color while highlighting his fluid curiosity for the process of clay.

Laurence is a self-taught Swiss artist specializing in ceramics and oil etching. Her work is influenced by Pre-Colombian, Mesopotamian, Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Modernism, and Outsider arts, resulting in tactile, curvilinear introspective abstract sculptures with organic shapes. Groux’s intricate oil etchings further explore line and shape, creating delicate embellishments that inspire visual curiosity through their dynamic forms. Elle’s art has been showcased in exhibitions across New York, Switzerland, and Philadelphia, and is part of collections in several countries. Currently, she is developing two new series: “Healing Circles” in drawing and sculptures inspired by Abstract Nouns—concepts like Love, Fear, and Hope that cannot be sensed physically.

Yasmin is a ceramic artist with a multidisciplinary background, working in both functional and sculptural handbuilding techniques. Her work embraces organic forms and textures that encourage reflection on connection, nature, and history. I love sharing my knowledge and help others explore the creative possibilities of ceramics.