The Throw Clay LA Team - Meet our Studio Staff

Owner/Studio Manager
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Founder of pottery studio Throw Clay LA, John has brought to life his vision of a relaxed and fun clay community in the heart of DTLA. Born in California and raised in Portland, OR, John has been working with clay for over 12 years and teaching for 10. As a key member of the Throw Clay LA Team, he focuses on creating a studio environment that is a welcoming and friendly place to create. His artistic style engenders textures on large cylinder forms.
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Instructor/Studio Mentor
 
Danny hails from Fargo, North Dakota where a potter in his family sparked his interest in throwing early in high school. He continued his education at St. John's University in Minnesota. As a Throw Clay LA Team member, Danny teaches our popular Clay Drinking Vessels and Throwing Big.  His artistic focus encompasses both wheel and handbuilding techniques. Also a singer, he finds all creative endeavors appealing. His pottery forms have strong lines and abrupt changes in direction. Wood firing is his favorite firing technique.
 
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Instructor/Studio Mentor
 
Born and raised in Beijing, China, Peiwen Gao now calls both Beijing and Gainesville, Florida home. With a background in science and a passion for the arts, Peiwen has long blended creative projects with scientific pursuits. After discovering ceramics during a handbuilding class in college, she fell in love with the medium and has continued to explore it alongside her photography practice. Peiwen enjoys both wheel throwing and handbuilding, creating functional work with thoughtful intention. An avid surfer and skater, she looks forward to weaving elements of those passions into her art. Now based in Los Angeles, Peiwen is excited to see how the city's energy will inspire her future creations.

Instructor, Studio Mentor
 
Virginia, a North Carolina native, grew up appreciating handmade pottery. In college, a clay project led her to earn a BFA in Ceramics from the University of North Florida. Her work merges throwing and handbuilding techniques, creating pottery that harmonizes form and function. As a member of the Throw Clay LA Team, she brings a wealth of experience and fervor for pottery. Initially captivated by atmospheric firings, her move to Los Angeles sparked a new exploration of gas and electric kilns and intricate surface decorations. At Throw Clay LA, Virginia inspires and guides others on their ceramic journeys.
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Studio Mentor, Instructor
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Bella, from Los Angeles, has been sculpting since childhood. She expanded her skills through wheel throwing classes locally and in Greece, and studied sculpture in college. Her artistic journey continued through special effects makeup school, where she learned to design prosthetics for film. Bella’s artistry blends various mediums into cohesive pieces, integrating fabrication techniques like life casting and mold making. Alongside her main passions of painting and sculpting, Bella also practices as a tattoo artist, creating intricate designs that reflect her diverse artistic interests. Inspired by art history, her work explores themes of feminism and mental health advocacy, aiming to raise awareness through creativity. As a valued member of the Throw Clay LA Team, Bella enriches our community with her diverse artistic talents.
 
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Instructor/Studio Mentor
 
Native to Koreatown in Los Angeles, Ambar found a small local studio where she learned the basics and developed her interest in wheel throwing by practicing nonstop. Five months into it, she began teaching and changed the direction of her life into one that is focused on artistic expression. She creates functional pottery that express political and social messages – commentaries on police misconduct, racism and feminism. Looking to spark conversation while creating community among like-minded people who also believe in justice, changing structures that abuse their power, and ending state-sanctioned violence, Ambar is passionate about sharing her pottery knowledge. As part of the Throw Clay LA Team, you will find her style is thoughtful, thorough, and easy to understand in a diverse city where English is a second language for many.
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Instructor/Studio Mentor
 
Aidan Flynn, a valued member of the Throw Clay LA Team, hails from Northern Michigan and discovered her passion for ceramics in a high school experimental glazes class. She reignited this passion while pursuing a BFA in Printmaking at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Blending handbuilding, throwing, and casting techniques with influences from printmaking, Aidan’s work reflects a dynamic interplay of form and surface. Artistically, she explores the realm of functional yet whimsical pottery, drawing inspiration from trinkets, tchotchkes, and garage sale finds to create pieces that challenge perceptions of everyday objects and invite joy in the unexpected.​

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Instructor
 
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Marlon took a ceramics class in college and fell in love with the process and chemistry of pottery. For the past seven years, Marlon has been teaching wheel and handbuilding while also working as a studio technician and production potter. His art explores movement and shapes, manipulating clay with his fingers to create expressive sculptures. Currently, he is developing a series focused on textured glazes. As a key member of the Throw Clay LA Team, Marlon brings his expertise and passion to our community.
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Glaze Artist, Studio Mentor
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Natalie was born and raised in the LA area and is a graduate from CSULB with a BFA in Ceramics. During her study she focused on abstract sculpture inspired by themes in nature. As part of the Throw Clay LA, she meticulously formulates custom glazes tailored for studio use in the Throw Clay LA glaze kitchen. Natalie is currently living and making work in Long Beach, CA.
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Instructor, Studio Mentor

(she/they)

Bailey, originally from Camarillo, California, has been immersed in ceramics for over a decade. She developed a deep appreciation for ceramics and its community after witnessing the lively annual Holiday Sale at Moorpark Community College. Spending several years honing her skills in wheelthrown and handbuilt techniques at Moorpark, Bailey then transferred to Cal State Long Beach, where she earned her BFA in Ceramics in 2020. As a key member of the Throw Clay LA Team, Bailey's artistic focus centers on creating sculptures and handbuilt works that depict images or scenes of the home. As an innovator on the Throw Clay LA Team, she developed and now leads our well-known handbuilding curriculum.
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