OUR INSTRUCTORS
Hickory Clay takes pride in bringing highly skilled instructors with decades of experience to our students. Each brings their own creativity and artistry to the craft.
DANIEL KARVASALES
Daniel brings over 25 years of throwing technique to the studio. He has mastery of throwing techniques, and excels at creating precise and visually balanced vases. His work has a delicacy, precision, and pristine quality to it.
He teaches our intermediate throwing, advanced vase making, and off the hump workshops. Daniel is a co-owner of the studio. He designs most of Hickory Clay’s glazes and has a passion for subtle, matte glazes.
Daniel’s Instagram
ASHLEY HINTON
Ashley is trained as an architect and studio artist. She is known for her minimalist, small necked vases. She also has a passion for bright colors, crawl glazes, and sourcing wild clay, and she uses that knowledge to teach our glaze design classes.
She teaches with hands on examples and finds her teaching work tables covered in dozens of test tiles and examples. Ashley is a co-owner of the studio and available for private lessons.
KEISHA
“Quiche” is the nickname I use when I am speaking to myself with kindness, something I’ve always struggled to do. Quiche Ceramics is an expression of values that I’ve worked hard to cultivate: growth, connection, and curiosity. I hope when you slow down, pour yourself a cup of coffee, water a plant, or sit down to a homemade meal, you experience them as small expressions of kindness to yourself.
CATHY NILAND
Cathy’s wheel-thrown ceramics are focused on function and finish. She sees each utilitarian piece she makes as a canvas to explore repetitive themes through carving and pattern work. Many pieces have a tactile quality that encourages handling. She has explored themes of repetition in other mediums, such as drawing, since 2011.
Cathy holds a BFA from Pratt Institute with a concentration in drawing and extended studies in ceramics. She studied conceptual video and installation art at Central Saint Martins in London for her semester abroad.
WILLIAM KUENNE
Bill has a passion for trying anything and everything. He largely works on the wheel to create stunning vases and forms, and then will alter them uniquely. Imagine rusty glaze to create cast iron chains on an urn, altering a cylinder to create a pitcher, or creating texture from scratch.
He works with students hands-on to draw out their creativity and ideas. Every idea should be tested and none are too small!
Bill’s Instagram
JERRY BOLD
Jerry studied ceramics at the university level and has strength in teaching functional wheel throwing as well as abstract hand building. His work focuses on design of patterns and the layering of different clay types and colors and is both geometric and natural.
He is able to succinctly and clearly communicate throwing techniques to build beginner students’ skills and confidence. He works with advanced handbuilding students to draw out creativity and encourage their continued skill building and creativity.
Jerry’s Instagram
MONIQUE TODEBUSH
Monique brings her Japanese heritage to her ceramics practice with delicate details and precision. She is inspired by how people use ceramics in their lives, and how the detail of each piece can create a warm and inviting experience. Each piece is a study of its own and considered individually. This thoughtful approach infuses a welcoming spirit to her work.
She teaches our flameware classes along with specialty handbuilding, origami, and Ikebana classes.
Monique’s Instagram