Our mission is to create a third place that centers healthy community, respect, and curiosity

A third place is built by the people who show up for it. Third Place Pottery is what it is because of the care and positivity our members and staff bring every day, and we’re so thankful to have such a talented and welcoming team helping us grow this community!

Interested in working with us? We don’t currently have open positions, but feel free to reach to hello@thirdplacepottery.com and we’ll keep you in mind as positions become available!

Meet the team

Zach

Studio owner

A young man with glasses and a white t-shirt is smiling while working with clay on a pottery wheel.
A young man with glasses and a white t-shirt is smiling while working with clay on a pottery wheel.

Zach’s journey into pottery began when he experienced a lengthy knee injury that kept him from his sports community. Looking for other hobbies that had the potential for strong communities, Zach remembered a pottery class that he had taken at Kirkland Arts Center several years prior. Another intro to pottery class series later and many hours and relationships built, Zach with the support of the community and friends opened Third Place Pottery.

Megan

Studio Manager

A smiling woman wearing glasses, a gray baseball cap, a red and black plaid shirt, and a gray jacket standing outdoors on a sunny day with a grassy hill and three people in the background.

Megan is originally from New York and has lived and worked in Berlin, Germany, and Nome, Alaska, before settling in Seattle in 2024. She's had her hands in clay in all those places; she loves how ceramics studios are a reliable way to find community and connection across wildly different locations. She previously taught at and helped manage a community college ceramics studio in Nome, and most recently served as the general manager at Yu Tang Ceramics in Seattle. She is passionate about supporting artists at all stages of their practice and especially loves teaching beginners. In addition to her work in ceramics, she is an accomplished journalist who has written about archaeology, the environment, and space for a range of publications, including Popular Science, National Geographic, and High Country News.

You can follow her clay explorations on Instagram:@mal_de_terre.

Claire

Assistant Manager

Black and white photo of a smiling woman with curly hair, wearing a striped shirt.

Claire began ceramics in a community studio in Burlington, Vermont, and before even setting foot in Seattle, knew that participating in ceramics again was a must. She enjoys all parts of the clay process, but especially trimming and working with underglaze. As the Work Exchange Program Manager, Claire is committed to making pottery more accessible and allowing for Work Exchange members to learn more about the components of running a ceramics studio. Outside of the studio you can find her biking, knitting, or whipping up something in the kitchen. ​

Emily

Lead Instructor

A young woman with long, wavy blonde hair, styled with dark streaks, smiling and looking to her right. She is wearing a dark sweater and a necklace with a crescent moon pendant, standing against a textured wall with purple lighting.

Emily is a ceramicist and UX researcher with a passion for teaching and creating functional, ergonomic pieces that are both useful and nice to look at. Emily’s worked with a lot of creative mediums, but fell in love with wheel throwing as a uniquely meditative, mindful practice. She specializes in beginner-friendly instruction and loves designing and refining curriculum and content so that it’s easy to understand, approachable, and fun. Outside the studio, you’ll find her figure skating, playing a hockey game, taking circus classes, or crushing a fantasy book.

Erin

Instructor

A smiling person with glasses making a peace sign in front of shelves filled with ceramic supplies in a pottery studio.

Outside of the studio you can catch Erin breaking it down on the dance floor at concerts or going on runs around U-District. She studies Interaction Design at UW and loves to make teapots and vases.​

Khanh

Instructor

Young woman with black hair, glasses, and a floral skirt leaning against a tree with autumn leaves in the background, daytime

Khanh is an explorative individual with a wide range of interests who has dedicated her life to pursuing them. She discovered pottery about two years ago and sought a more in-depth, hands-on experience, leading her to The Clay Corner. Taking a significant risk, she moved across the country from Boston to Seattle to immerse herself in the world of clay. In addition to her passion for pottery, Khánh loves building community, climbing, and being outdoors, making Seattle the perfect place to keep her engaged and inspired.

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Visit Khanh’s website to see her portfolio: my creative arc

Rye

Instructor

A smiling man with a mustache and tattoos on his arms, wearing a backwards black cap and a green long-sleeve shirt with a button neck, sitting in front of a kiln in a pottery studio.

Rye is a ceramicist based in Seattle, WA dedicated to creating inclusive learning environments for all within the arts industry. His work focuses and explores functional wares, not only as tools or utensils that work for us but as objects that we can intentionally treasure and engage with in our day to day. His work varies from mugs and vases to tile work with his current focus being hand painted illustrations and image transfer to clay bodies. He teaches wheel throwing with a strong emphasis on collaboration, exploration, and skill-sharing, aiming to enhance teaching and learning experiences for everyone. His goal is to foster growth and inspire creative projects both in the classroom and the broader community.​

Shaw

Instructor

A person with short brown hair, wearing a black tank top and a brown shoulder bag, smiling outdoors with a modern building and glass windows in the background.

Shaw is a ceramic artist based in the Pacific Northwest. They have been making ceramic sculptures for the last 7 years, creating environmentally adjacent formations out of clay. Their most recent works are abstract sculptures based on nature, its formations, and natural designs. They are interested in how erosion through water and wind affects the environment around us and results in forming beautiful arrangements.

They graduated from Whitman College with a BA in Studio Art and minors in Dance and Sociology in 2025. They studied abroad in Florence, Italy, with Syracuse University’s Florence Studio Art program for four months in 2024. 

They are currently exploring creations that resemble nature, the abstract, and the intuitive.

To see Shaw’s work, visit their website: https://miashawcastrina.com/

Additionally, follow their work on Instagram: @miashawceramics

Naomi

Kiln Tech/Instructor

Young woman with red hair holding a green glazed pottery mug and an empty pottery bowl, smiling at the camera.

Naomi is a ceramic artist who has worked with clay for over six years. She fell in love with the medium the moment she sat at the wheel and is especially drawn to throwing large, functional forms designed to be used and enjoyed every day. Glazing is one of her favorite parts of the process, and she continually experiments with layering techniques and color combinations to explore the subtle variations and surprises that emerge from the kiln. Naomi values time in the studio as both a creative and communal space, and she enjoys talking about clay and helping others build confidence in their own creative practice.