Our Growing Studio Team

Hey friends, Sarah here. It's about time I posted an update about our sweet studio crew! As many of you know, a little over a year ago I moved from Portland to Hood River, a small town about an hour away. This has been an exciting and challenging transition for this little business, but it's coming along well!

Throughout 2022 our Portland studio has been winding down from being our main production studio to being a part time production space for three of our team members. Sam, Peter, and Kendall make up our Portland team, each pursuing their own work and passions while working with Wolf Ceramics part time. Continuing to have them producing ceramics during our gradual transition to Hood River has been invaluable!

Shortly after moving and finding a studio space in Hood River, I was joined by Joey Rose, a long time studio team member and one of my oldest and dearest friends. It's been a blast to get to know this new home together and to have the opportunity to work so closely. Joey Rose makes this place run smoothly and I don't know what we'd do without her! 

This past spring, we posted two job openings and eventually decided to hire three folks to join our team. Skylar and Daisy are focussed on wheel throwing, and Kate works closely with Joey Rose, mostly in the world of glazing. My role shifts around as needed these days, with about half of my time spent at the potter's wheel, and the other half jumping around to whatever other administrative or glazing needs we might have.

So, as it happens, we are now, for the first time, an all female team here in Hood River! Cool!

 

Before moving on to some fun facts about each team member, let me just say...

I am SO incredibly grateful for this team. I love my job only in part because I am totally obsessed with making ceramics. On the days when the work of making ceramics feels tedious and exhausting, I am reminded that one of the most fulfilling aspects of my job is the fact that I get to do this work with a group of wonderful people! They help me to learn and grow every day, both in my technical skills and my human skills. Getting to work with and to lead this team is such a privilege.

I'm excited to share more updates about our current projects soon. Lots of exciting things to come!

JOEY ROSE

A glaze and shipping extraordinaire, Joey Rose's shrewd attention to detail and efficiency are integral to operations at Wolf. She studied at OCAC with a concentration in fiber and metal arts which she developed into a business, designing and creating accessories and leather goods that incorporate fur, animal bone, fiber, and metal. Joey Rose started at Wolf handling shipping and now she is a jill-of-all - working on glaze, production scheduling and studio management. Find her work here.

 

SKYLAR

Skylar started in pottery two years ago after taking a job in a small community studio as a tech. She would spend evenings working on the wheel, moving on to teach introductory wheel classes, with the goal of working in production. Skylar joined us last winter as a thrower and has also taken on projects off the wheel, working with our website and making tools for the jigger. She is passionate about functional art.

 

DAISY

Daisy recently completed her BA at Bennington College with a concentration in environmental science and visual art. There she fell in love with ceramics while taking a course centered around wheel throwing and atmospheric firing. Daisy enjoys making functional work in her personal practice and in her role as production potter here at Wolf.

 

KATE

Kate joined our team this summer, making the move from Queens, New York to Hood River. She has both a BA in Art and Design from Alfred University and a Masters of Science in Historical Preservation from the University of Vermont. Kate has worked with clay for over a decade, making primarily hand built work. She is bringing her expertise to finish work here at Wolf, as well as her bright attitude and wonderful pup Lupa. See Kate's work here.

 

SAM

Sam studied at the University of Oregon in their ceramics program and joined us in 2020 as a production potter. He keeps his hands busy - throwing for Wolf while also producing his own functional and sculptural work from his Portland studio.  Sam's rich knowledge of material and knack for solving technical problems keeps the studio running smoothly.  

 

KENDALL 

(Oh Kendall, we need a photo!)

Kendall received her BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling and art therapy. Kendall has worked in production for six years and maintains a personal practice that emphasizes atmospheric firing. You can view Kendall's work here and here.

 

PETER

Peter is pursuing a graduate degree in art therapy at Lewis and Clark. A skilled potter, Peter has been throwing with Wolf for two years. Peter’s personal work is primarily sculptural, exploring form and memory. His work can be viewed here.

 

SARAH WOLF

Founder and creator of Wolf Ceramics. Once a solo studio potter and now the happy leader of a team, Sarah splits her time between production, design, and all the nitty gritty logistics of running a business. She enjoys making goods that will be well used by her friends and community, and she values time spent in the mountains just as much as a day’s work in the studio. Sarah loves running her own business because it allows the freedom to constantly try new ideas, knowing that some will succeed and some will fail, and that’s ok!