FCS Clayworks Instructors

KAY BERNIER

Kay has a collective 30+ years of experience in ceramics and has been teaching for 12. She has always been a maker and enjoys the thoughtfulness ceramics requires of her. She enjoys finding new forms and functionalities to explore. Her practice hones in on the design and function of a piece, and is then defined by the iterative process of making and remaking until the design, form and function all fit together to make a piece complete. She has taught all over the Dallas area in studios and privately since 2011.

KELLY MCDONALD

Kelly McDonald has been working in clay for almost three years. In this short time, pottery has become both a deep passion and a welcome escape from daily life. She finds comfort in the vast range of possibilities presented by the craft of ceramics. There‘s always something new to explore, which means that her relationship with clay is also always changing and growing. Kelly looks forward to ushering others into the craft she has come to love so much.

DANIELLE wILLIAMS

Danielle Williams is a ceramic artist and instructor based in McKinney, TX. She began her journey with clay in 2017 when a casual hobby turned into a passion. Inspired by her strong Black heritage, she founded Strong Roots Pottery in 2020. Danielle started teaching in 2022 at Glaze Ceramic Studio, where she currently is a resident artist. Danielle creates informational videos online to share her love for pottery with a wider audience. She enjoys building in-person relationships through her classes and connecting with aspiring potters worldwide via social media. Her goal is to spread the transformative power of pottery both locally and globally.

Rachel Reynolds

Rachel received her BA at Stephen F. Austin State University in Sculpture/ Ceramics and then continued on to receive a Master of Liberal Studies from SMU concentrating in Art and Cultural Traditions. With over 20 years of experience in both creating and teaching ceramics, Rachel believes that ceramics is a medium that offers endless opportunities for self-expression and creativity. She strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment where students of all skill levels can discover their artistic voice. She emphasizes hands-on learning, guiding students through the process while encouraging them to experiment, take risks, and embrace both successes and failures.

LISSET BELL

Lisset has been chasing clay most of her life, taking every class she could to get access to this resource heavy medium. She has been making colorful pottery from her home studio for two years and is ready to share her passion with the world. Her practice is focused in finding her unique voice by blending sculpture with functionality and classic forms adorned in bright colors and contemporary imagery. She strives to hold on to her Mexican roots and long history of pottery back home while blending it with her distinctly American experience.

Examples of ben's work:

BEN STATSER

Ben Statser is a ceramic artist and educator living and working in Dallas. After earning an MFA in ceramics from the University of North Texas in 2021, he began teaching with Dallas College where he’s currently a ceramics instructor at the El Centro campus. Ben has also taught ceramics classes at various community studios around DFW. Drawn to the transformative nature of clay, the medium is often used in his work to reflect personal experiences of growth and transformation of identity. Ben is passionate about clay and the community it brings together, hoping to spread the excitement ceramics holds through teaching the medium.

Melissa Fiskaldo

Melissa Fiskaldo is a ceramic artist and educator based in Plano, Texas, with roots in Pennsylvania where clay has been her passion since childhood. With nearly 2 decades of experience in wheel throwing and hand building, her pieces celebrate the simple beauty of everyday moments, transforming ordinary objects into cherished vessels that foster connection with others and within ourselves. Her studio is located at Glaze Ceramic Studio in the McKinney Cottonmill in McKinney, Texas where she is a resident artist and instructor. With a bachelor’s in Art Education and 15 years of teaching ceramics, Melissa is dedicated to cultivating a supportive and inspiring learning environment where students of all levels can explore their creativity and find joy in the pottery process. Life is stressful enough, let’s laugh and create more often together!

Nicole Bernard

Nicole Bernard is a lifelong artist, professional communicator and founder & chief maker of NB Makes, a Dallas-based ceramic jewelry, tableware and art culture brand that believes a good life is worth making. Nicole’s colored porcelain pieces are a daily reminder that a little beauty and fun is always within reach.

Amy Henson

Amy Henson is a ceramic artist and educator living in Garland. Amy has been wheel throwing and hand building clay objects for 18 years, and exhibits her work locally and nationally. Amy earned her BFA in Studio Art from Southern Methodist University in 2007, and her MFA in Ceramics from University of North Texas in 2022. She has been teaching in ceramics since 2021 at UNT, first as a graduate student and now as adjunct faculty, and since 2022 at the Brookhaven campus of Dallas College. Amy has also taught various workshops in the D/FW area. Her current work focuses on maternal feminism and animal forms translated into hand-built sculptural vessels. Amy enjoys working with beginners and established makers alike. She demonstrates a diverse array of methods to encourage experimentation, and supports students’ ideas and hands-on execution to build their confidence and skill.”

Dominique Gillam

After taking a college ceramic class as an elective, Dominique soon fell in love with the art form. Currently, she is working towards her Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Arts with a specialty in Ceramics, where she has been able to teach a variety of courses and workshops. Dominique hopes to continue teaching and cultivating the artist’s spark in young students and adults alike.

Sharon Pemberton

Starting her pottery career in Dallas in the early 70s, Pemberton continued her journey adding 40 years of teaching multimedia arts and crafts at galleries, parochial, and public school venues that included ages K-Senior Adults. Resident art facilities and workshops from Hawaii to Maine kept her busy learning. Pemberton comes back home to spread her wealth of knowledge to the upcoming generations in Dallas.

John Campbell

John has been a full-time production potter in the Dallas area for 4 years. His work focuses on clean, consistent and functional forms. John is incredibly passionate about teaching ceramics whether it be introducing someone to the processes for the first time or sharing a new perspective on the craft with those who are more familiar with clay.