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.

Born and raised on Long Island, Adele first touched clay at age eight during sleepaway camp—and though she didn’t know it then, the seed was planted. At 16, a high school pottery class reignited her passion, and she continued working with clay throughout summers while earning her BA in Psychology (with honors) at SUNY Albany.
What began as a hobby deepened into a lifelong vocation. In March 2013, a friend asked if she’d heard of Island Pottery & Studio. Curious and seeking a new creative home, Adele visited—and instantly felt it: warmth, inclusion, camaraderie, and community. She never left.
Soon after, she began sharing her practice in both wheel and hand-building at IPS, while also creating and selling her own work. Ever curious, she regularly attends workshops to explore alternative throwing and firing techniques, constantly refining her craft.
Now married and raising two children in Hewlett, Adele pours her heart into every piece she makes. “All of my work is one-of-a-kind stoneware,” she says, “handmade with love and care. I cherish each piece—and hope you enjoy using it as much as I enjoyed creating it.”
At Island Pottery, Adele isn’t just an artist—she’s part of the studio’s soul.

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 has spent her whole life expressing herself through music and art. Locally, you can hear her sing at Notre Dame Church in New Hyde Park, where she serves as Music Director. Seeking to expand her artistic horizons, she jumped into the NYC cabaret scene in 2014, where she’s gained recognition as a performer and recording artist.

One fateful day while walking through Hell’s Kitchen to rehearsal, she happened upon a pottery studio and couldn’t help but be drawn inside. She enrolled in classes there but needed more frequent access to the wheel than commuting from Long Island allowed.

Thankfully, in 2019 she found Island Pottery Studio—a creative home much closer to her heart and hands. While continuing to develop her skills on the wheel, she eventually found hand-building to be the medium where she could bring her most inspired ideas to life. Shaping clay brings a personal satisfaction that’s hard to put into words.

To quote Thomas Merton: “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” In both song and clay, she does exactly that: creating not just art, but meaning.

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.

John’s pottery journey began long before he ever touched clay. By trade, he’s a chef with a degree in culinary arts. In 2021, he and a team opened a restaurant. After day after day of long hours, he decided he needed a change of pace. At the time, he was creating knives as a blacksmith—and thought to himself, “If I can make the tools to cook, why can’t I also make the plates?”

He started taking pottery sessions and was instantly hooked. He had a knack for explaining his process to others—so naturally, he became a creative guide at the studio. Throwing on the wheel became effortless, with a focus on repetitive throwing and large-form vessels. You can recognize his work through organic lines and subtle obscurity, blending thrown forms and hand-building.

For John, sharing the process is as enjoyable as making itself. He wants everyone to experience that sense of pride in creating something with their own hands. Pottery isn’t just an art form to him—it’s an escape, a meditation, and a place where the earth under his fingertips moves with the world around him.

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.

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.

Tina is a seasoned potter and creative guide with over two decades of experience in ceramics. Equally skilled in wheel throwing and hand-building, she brings deep technical knowledge and a passion for shared making to every session. Whether facilitating workshops, ongoing studio time, or private creative hours, Tina tailors her support to makers of all ages and skill levels.
She believes pottery is as much about patience and presence as it is about technique—and she loves walking alongside others through the joyful, sometimes messy process of making. At the studio, Tina fosters a supportive space where creativity and confidence grow side by side.

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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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.

Dawn has been a vital part of Island Pottery & Studio since 2014, beginning as a dedicated maker and long-time volunteer. Through hands-on immersion in every stage of the ceramic process, she developed deep expertise—especially in the critical art of kiln loading.
Today, Dawn meticulously arranges hundreds of pieces for firing, ensuring each one reaches its full, beautiful potential. Her careful eye, technical skill, and unwavering commitment make her indispensable to the studio’s success. Above all, Dawn’s passion for pottery is matched by her steadfast dedication to the creative community she’s helped nurture for over a decade.