The Throw Clay LA Team - Meet our Studio Staff

Owner and Studio Manager

(he/him)
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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

(she/her)
 
Aidan Marie Flynn is a ceramicist, printmaker, and prospective jack-of-all-trades from Northern Michigan. She graduated with a BFA in Printmaking from Pratt Institute in 2022, and often combines handbuilding, throwing, and mold-making with printmaking techniques in her ceramic work. At Throw Clay LA, Aidan teaches both one-time and 6-week courses, and loves helping students troubleshoot projects!  

Website

Instructor/Studio Mentor
 
Danny hails from Fargo, North Dakota where his interest in throwing
began in high school. He went on to study at St. John's University in
Minnesota.

As a Throw Clay LA Team member, Danny teaches all skill levels; from our beginner wheel classes to our popular Clay Drinking Vessels and Throwing Big.

Danny’s work challenges the status quo and explores the limits of what’s possible in clay, asking questions like: “How thin can a piece be made?” or “How much clay can one person throw?”. His current body of work reimagines familiar, often overlooked items: a rusty tin can, a mother with a hand on her hip, a white cloud drifting by.

In addition to teaching and making his own work, Danny runs Ellery Stoneware, a dinnerware and décor brand named after his late grandfather. The company partners with chefs and restaurants to create custom pieces that stage and elevate their food.
 
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Website

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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.

Supervisor, 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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Studio Mentor, Instructor

(she/her)
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Arabella, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a multidisciplinary artist. She studied art in college both locally and abroad, and then attended special effects makeup school. After graduating, she pursued both her passions in sculpture and in body art. She now splits her time between teaching pottery at Throw Clay LA and working as an independent tattoo artist. Arabella’s work is heavily inspired by ancient Greco-Roman imagery. Spanning across multiple mediums, she explores ways in which decorating our bodies is connected to adorning ceramic vessels. 

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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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