The Friends of Friend Assembly

Sarah

Hi Friends! I am the owner of Friend Assembly. I have been an art teacher for almost 15 years, but have been an artist as long as I can remember.

I received my BA in Art Education from Colorado State University in 2007. I then taught elementary and middle school visual arts in both Colorado and NYC working in a variety of media. In 2016, I switched primarily to working in ceramics and started teaching in ceramic studios in Portland, OR and most recently, San Francisco,CA. In SF, I taught classes at other studios, as well as managed my own studio with 10+ professional potters. I sell a lot of their work in the shop now too! The Friends of Friend Assembly :)

I have my own line of ceramics that I started making and selling in 2016 called, The Faceplanters. I have sold my work in 5 countries and with over 60 stores, including Anthropolgie and Nordstrom. Although, I no longer work with large retailers, I still sell to many smaller boutiques and right here in my own shop!

My family and I are originally from Denver, and are so happy to be back after almost 12 years away! We moved back in the summer of 2022, and opened Friend Assembly Studio & Shop at The Stanley Marketplace in November of 2022.

 It’s been an amazing journey so far and I have been thrilled to see the excitement folks have to come play with clay! Thank you for being a part of our wonderful crew of Friends! Hope to see you in the studio soon.

quynh

Howdy! I'm Quynh, and I'm the studio manager here at Friend Assembly. My journey in ceramics has been a delightful adventure, combining my Colorado roots, artistic family background, and a passion for working with children. It has also been a journey marked by a commitment to inclusivity and celebrating diverse voices.

I'm proud to call Colorado home, having graduated from East High School right here in Denver. I have five years of experience in the child care field, where I discovered my deep-seated passion for working with and teaching children. At Friend Assembly, I've been blessed with the opportunity to merge my love for ceramics with my love for teaching little ones.

In my own ceramic creations, I primarily utilize hand-building techniques. Through this process, I've developed a signature line of ceramic cowboy hats known as "Lil' Wranglers," which I proudly offer through my company, After Hours Ceramics.

My Vietnamese heritage has deeply influenced my artistic style and the pieces I create. Additionally, I draw inspiration from the rich tradition of ceramics in New Mexico, infusing my work with elements that pay homage to this vibrant culture.

I have recently taken on the role of teaching BIPOC-exclusive classes here at Friend Assembly. In my ongoing commitment to inclusivity and celebrating diversity in ceramics, this is a class I am very passionate about teaching. Please visit our workshops page to see the BIPOC specific classes available now.

Thank you for joining me on this creative journey!

gabi

Hey hey! I'm Gabi! I am a ceramic artist and teacher here at the studio! 

I was born and raised in the Denver Metro Area and received my Bachelors of Environmental Design with an emphasis in Product Design from CU Boulder in 2022. My arts foundation includes illustration, painting, and sculpture (my absolute favorite). I love teaching my wheel students how to take their pieces to the next level through the addition of handbuilt and sculptural detail. 

Outside of the studio, I like to spend time with my rescue greyhound, Stanley, practice yoga, and read as many books as possible.

shauna

Shauna has taught ceramics for 15 years to kids and adults in a variety of settings from public schools to private studios. She also has a MFA in ceramics and is a practicing artist whose work has been displayed in; the USA, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

becky

I received my BFA and my teaching certificate from Metropolitan State University of Denver and since graduating, I have been teaching at a kindergarten-8th grade expeditionary learning school in the Park Hill neighborhood. I try to integrate clay into as much of my curriculum as possible, mainly focusing on hand building techniques with all grade levels. I love being able to explore students’ ideas, playing with materials and getting messy in the Studio! When I am not teaching, I am usually heading to the mountains for a hike, a weekend camping trip or staying local to connect with friends or practice throwing on the pottery wheel.

isabella

Isabella is Big Head Ceramics! Hi! I’m Isabella. I’ve been doing ceramics since I fell in love with it in 2017! I love wheel throwing and making fun surface designs with underglaze! Lips and checkers are some of my favorite things to decorate my pieces with! I really enjoy teaching larger vessels! It’s always so rewarding seeing people create pieces they envision in their minds! Being part of the ceramic community is truly a pleasure! The community is so supportive and uplifting I’m honored to be apart of it! Let’s make some cool stuff!