Our Story: Handcrafted on Long Island

Rom discovered pottery in 2018 after a spontaneous four-week course—and hasn’t looked back since. His architectural background fuels his love for clean lines, rational forms, and balanced finishes, while his Peruvian heritage subtly echoes in the geometric clarity of his work, inspired by Inca design.
Since 2022, Rom has been a creative guide at the studio, where he now leads our artist team. Known for his patience and hands-on support, he meets makers at every level with the same belief: understanding the method is key to mastering the craft. Though he primarily throws on the wheel, he values hand-building as an essential part of the ceramic journey.
For Rom, guiding others isn’t just about technique—it’s about sharing passion and growing a creative community. As studio leader, he ensures a welcoming, thoughtful space where makers can explore, connect, and create through clay.

Linda has shaped clay—and lives—for over four decades. Trained in fine arts and education, and holding a Master’s in Liberal Studies, she brings deep knowledge and heartfelt passion to her craft. She owned Island Pottery & Studio for 11 joyful years and has now returned to the same space to share her love of clay purely for the joy of it. Her creative journey began at age 14, and since then, she’s guided hundreds of makers across ages and backgrounds.
Though fluent in both wheel and hand-building, Linda always circles back to hand-building—drawn to its tactile intimacy and expressive potential. Her work blends serene Asian-inspired lines with earthy, textured surfaces that honor clay’s raw origins. “If the ‘hand of the potter’ shows,” she says, “all the better!”
Her approach is clear: master the fundamentals first—“learn the right way, then improvise all you like”—but from there, let each maker’s voice lead. Whether focused on functional ware or sculptural exploration (which, to Linda, is pottery’s truest form), she meets people where they are and helps them shape their vision into reality.

Sculptor and studio artist who believes the best moment in ceramics is when a maker says, “I get it!”Three-dimensional art captivated Dominic early in his college years, sparking a lifelong exploration across mediums—from wood and welded metal to heavy paper and beyond. Yet clay has remained his constant muse. As a ceramic artist, he thrives on playing with form, experimenting with shape, and blending techniques to create work that surprises even him.

But it’s in the studio—supporting fellow makers—that Dominic finds his deepest joy. Few moments compare to watching someone fall in love with clay or helping a returning creator reconnect with a long-dormant passion. Whether guiding someone through their very first centered lump or demonstrating advanced joining methods, his greatest reward is hearing a maker light up and say, “I get it!”His sessions are rooted in patience, curiosity, and the belief that ceramics is as much about discovery as it is about technique. For Dominic, the studio is a place of transformation—not just for clay, but for people.

Josephine Sanges has spent her life expressing herself through music and art. A gifted vocalist and creative spirit, she currently serves as Music Director at Notre Dame Church in New Hyde Park, where her voice continues to inspire the local community.

In 2014, Josephine expanded her artistic horizons by stepping onto the vibrant New York City cabaret scene. Her heartfelt performances and recordings quickly earned her recognition as both a performer and a recording artist.

One day, while walking through Hell’s Kitchen on her way to rehearsal, Josephine discovered a pottery studio on 46th Street and 10th Avenue — a moment that sparked a new creative journey. She began taking pottery classes and, in 2019, found her home at Island Pottery Studio, where she has been a devoted member ever since.

While honing her skills at the wheel, Josephine found that handbuilding allowed her imagination to truly flourish. Through shaping clay, she discovered a deep sense of peace and fulfillment — a space where creativity and reflection intertwine. As Thomas Merton beautifully said, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

Skylar’s connection to Island Pottery runs deep—she first walked through its doors at age 10 for Saturday hand-building class, a session she now proudly facilitates. She later joined the teen wheel group, which she also leads today. For Skylar, ceramics isn’t just a craft—it’s “the love of my life,” and she delights in sharing that passion with makers of all ages.

After graduating from SUNY Purchase in 2024 with a BFA in Sculpture and double minors in Psychology and Sociology, she returned to IPS with fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm. Her personal work blends functional pottery with sculptural expression, often inspired by nature, dynamic lines, and inventive forms. Always curious, she draws inspiration from online trends and her own imaginative experiments—most recently exploring slip casting and multi-colored clays.
Whether on the wheel or building by hand (or combining both into “functional sculptures”), Skylar thrives on creative exploration. The studio has long been her home away from home, and she’s thrilled to help shape its future.

Sara discovered pottery a few years ago when she and her best friend decided to try something new—and it quickly became a passion. What began as a casual hobby soon turned into a creative escape, where Sara found joy in the rhythm of the wheel and the meditative focus that comes with shaping clay. She specializes in wheel-thrown pottery and is currently exploring hand-building to expand her creative range.
She describes her process as “going with the flow,” letting ideas and challenges guide her rather than sticking to a single style. For her, every piece—whether perfectly smooth or a little offbeat—has its own beauty and meaning. She loves reminding makers that “everything you make is always something; it’s all in how you view it.”
After learning at Island Pottery Studio, Sara is now proud to share her practice alongside the very artists who first inspired her. When she’s not covered in clay, you can find her binge-watching horror movies or studying speech pathology in college. Down-to-earth, caring, and full of humor, Sara creates a welcoming space where everyone can relax, have fun, and find their own artistic rhythm.

Erica holds a B.A. in Visual Arts and Education from CUNY Queens College and an M.A. in TESOL from Hofstra University. By day, she’s an ENL (English as a New Language) teacher on Long Island; in the studio, she’s a dedicated ceramics artist at Island Pottery, where she’s been sharing her practice since 2019.

Her artistic heart lies in hand-building and painting with underglazes—a space where color, texture, and form come together in joyful experimentation. She also brings experience in wheel throwing and glazing, but it’s the tactile freedom of hand-building that fuels her creativity most.In the studio, Erica cultivates a space that’s inclusive, collaborative, and full of encouragement. Whether working with children or adults, she believes everyone deserves to feel seen, supported, and inspired. Her approach blends structure with openness, guiding makers to build skills while honoring their unique voices.

For Erica, clay is more than material—it’s a medium for connection, expression, and discovery. She loves watching people light up as they transform ideas into tangible form—and she’s committed to making the studio a place where curiosity thrives, one pinch, coil, and brushstroke at a time.

After 32 dedicated years as an elementary school teacher, Diana retired in 2020, leaving behind a career defined by curiosity, connection, and care. In retirement, she craved a new creative outlet. Though she had always enjoyed painting, clay held a quiet allure. In 2021, she stepped into Island Pottery, tried the wheel for the first time—and was instantly captivated.
Today, she thrives on the challenges of the potter’s wheel: the focus required to center a lump of clay, the delicate balance of pulling walls evenly, and the freedom to explore new forms and decorative details. Each session brings discovery, whether through technique, glaze, or the quiet rhythm of making.
For Diana, pottery has become more than a hobby—it’s a second act of learning, expression, and mindfulness. Just as she once nurtured young minds, she now nurtures clay with the same patience, attention, and hope. And every day, she learns something new.

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Mallory is a potter specializing in wheel throwing. She originally took to ceramics as a means of artistic expression and meditation. After a long hiatus from the craft, she enrolled in an evening wheel course and immediately felt back at home in the studio. 10 years later, she enjoys sharing her passion through teaching. Mallory is particularly fond of designing vases and ceramic jewelry.

Daja’s journey with ceramics began during her final year of college, where a single elective sparked a lifelong passion. She initially fell in love with handbuilding, dedicating her time to creating large, intricate coil vessels. In 2014, seeking a creative home to continue her exploration after graduation, she joined the Island Pottery studio family as a workspace member.

Over the years, Daja’s practice has evolved into a versatile mastery of both handbuilding and wheel throwing. Her eclectic style is deeply inspired by her experiences living abroad and her profound love for animals and nature. She finds the greatest creative joy in bridging techniques—often sculpting realistic wildlife elements onto wheel-thrown forms or using textures found in nature to enhance her pieces.

Daja firmly believes that everyone possesses an inner artist; it is simply a journey of finding the right medium. For her, that medium is clay. She brings this philosophy to the studio, where she loves sharing her technical knowledge, creative passion, and artistic joy with her son and the broader pottery community.

Ava’s connection to Island Pottery began at just seven years old, when she joined Saturday hand-building sessions. What started as a childhood hobby quickly grew into a lasting love for ceramics. As she got older, she continued developing her skills at the studio, eventually moving from hand-building to the pottery wheel and expanding the ways she could explore and create with clay.

Her creative path later took her to the Culinary Institute of America, where she studied Baking and Pastry and earned a degree in Applied Food Studies. Although her education led her into a different creative field, Ava never lost her connection to ceramics or her love for making things by hand.

Today, Ava has returned to the place where her journey with clay first began—this time as an instructor. Her experience in both ceramics and the culinary arts has strengthened her appreciation for craftsmanship, experimentation, and the process of transforming simple materials into something meaningful.

Ava especially enjoys hand-building for the freedom it provides to explore form, texture, and individual expression. Whether she is working with clay, baking, or experimenting with another creative medium, she finds joy in the hands-on process of making.

Returning to Island Pottery is especially meaningful to Ava. She is excited to share the creativity and encouragement that inspired her here as a child, while helping a new generation of makers build confidence, explore their imagination, and discover their own love for clay.

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Olivia holds a BA in Studio Art from SUNY Old Westbury, with a minor in Global Studies. Her relationship with ceramics began in high school and continued through college, eventually bringing her back to pottery with a renewed sense of curiosity and purpose. She is especially fascinated by the history of ceramics and the presence of clay throughout human civilization, including creation stories in which humans themselves are shaped from clay. This connection between material, history, and the human experience continues to inspire her work.

Her current ceramic practice explores femininity, nature, ritual, and symbolism through contemporary forms. Drawing inspiration from the female form, moon jars, and imagery found in nature, Olivia moves comfortably between wheel throwing and hand-building, continually experimenting with form, texture, and meaning.

As an instructor, Olivia is passionate about creating a welcoming and encouraging environment. She loves being a personal cheerleader for students as they find their own creative rhythm, build confidence, and experience that special moment of realizing, “Wow, I really made that with my own two hands.”

Olivia can often be found at Island Pottery juggling several projects at once or sketching ideas for her next piece. Outside the studio, she enjoys exploring galleries, spending quiet time at teahouses, researching traditional crafts, and dreaming up her next artist residency abroad.

From the front desk of our studio, Julie shapes our community with warmth, care, and a steady hand.
After ten years in business and in the field of medicine, Julie found her creative home in clay—quite by accident—when she discovered Island Pottery Studio twelve years ago. She’s been shaping, learning, and growing with clay ever since.
Today, Julie is the first friendly face you meet when you walk through our doors. She warmly welcomes makers, answers questions in person or by phone, and provides essential administrative support with care and ease. Her calm presence and can-do spirit help keep the studio running smoothly—making everyone feel seen, supported, and ready to create.

Merging Armenian heritage and Southwest inspiration into serene, blue-glazed ceramic stories.
Donna began her pottery journey in 2013, just after Island Pottery & Studio first opened its doors. What started as a creative outlet quickly became a profound means of emotional expression. Through clay, she channels her inner world into a diverse range of ceramic forms—each piece shaped by memory, place, and feeling.
Her aesthetic weaves together two powerful influences: her Armenian heritage and the sun-drenched landscapes of the American Southwest, where she lived for a decade before settling in New York. This rich cultural tapestry emerges in her work through organic textures, symbolic motifs, and a signature palette of tranquil blues—glazes she chooses to evoke calm, clarity, and connection.
Whether crafting functional ware or sculptural vessels, Donna approaches each piece with intention and quiet reverence. For her, pottery is both meditation and storytelling—a way to honor the past while staying present in the making.