CASEY CAMPBELL - Owner & Instructor

Casey took his first ceramics class in Eugene, OR. He was feeling a lot of stress from school and wanted to engage in something creative and different. As frustrating as it could be in the beginning, he was immediately enamored with the clay work itself. What he didn’t expect was the engaging and supportive community he became a part of, and how soothing it was to work with clay. Two things stand out to Casey about every studio he’s worked in since: the therapeutic qualities inherent in clay work, and the loving and supportive community that develops in classes and in the studio as a whole. At Elemental Studios we strive to build a supportive community of people interested in clay, community, and self care.

Gabriel Parque - studio manager & Instructor

“The vase gives form to the void, music to silence.” - Lao Tzu

“Proportion is the power that brings out the smile on the face of things.” Le Corbusier

Gabriel Parque was born in San Francisco California and raised across the Golden Gate in the town of Fairfax, Marin County. He received his BFA in ceramics from California College of the Arts in Oakland California and his MFA from University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. After graduating from U of O Gabriel joined the staff of Lewis and Clark College in Portland Oregon as the Ceramics and Sculpture Technical Supervisor as well as adjunct teacher in ceramics where he worked for 15 years. Gabriel began working as adjunct teacher in ceramics at Clark College in Vancouver Washington in 2012. In 2014 Gabriel began teaching ceramics classes at Mary’s Woods senior living community. His art works explores, through the use of the ceramic figure, cultural icons and personal ideology. His work has been exhibited nationally and he has received awards from the Archie Bray Foundation and The Lincoln Arts and Culture Foundation. Since his teen years Gabriel has maintained a yoga and meditation practice. When he is not creating art or teaching Gabriel enjoys hiking, biking, golfing, and spending time with his family. He currently lives with his wife and their two sons in Portland, Oregon.

Sara Hensel - instructor

I earned a BFA in ceramics from University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2018, where summer opportunities to teach ceramics to youths nurtured an ethic of playful earnestness in my work. Now, as a full time potter and instructor, I believe a ceramics practice offers a powerful opportunity to not only develop a technical toolkit, but to also explore our philosophy and intention around making. In my teaching, I emphasize the potency of clay as a medium as well as the ways in which form and surface dovetail to elevate our experience of the objects we create. I strive to imbue my work with humor, curiosity, and observation, and hope to convey the harvest around and within. Nerd out with me about pottery, vegetable gardening, making music, cooking, D&D, bouldering, and dogs!

Website: www.sarahensel.com

Instagram: @saramakespots

logan stefonik - instructor

Logan Stefonek has been a professional potter for 10 years and lives in Portland Oregon. He studied art at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, learned a bunch of history, worked at some art museums, became a professional illustrator, worked at a bird zoo, became a professional baker, got involved in radical environmentalism, built a little ceramic studio in his friend's garage, got involved in labor politics, finally built a real ceramic studio and started teaching people ceramics because it made him happier than all those other things and thought maybe it could do the same for everyone else. When he's not making pots he's growing native plants and planting them on other people's property, or working at the hardware store. His business, Old Devil Fine Wares is the best ceramic production studio in North America by several metrics that nobody can disprove. He loves his dog Hugo.

Website: olddevilfinewares.com

Instagram: @olddevilfinewares

lindsey haglund - instructor

Lindsey began her discovery into clay as a student in undergrad in St.Louis, Mo. She fell in love with the medium as expression and her practice at the wheel, and went on to study ceramics for 7 years in the studio setting. Lindsey has been a ceramicist for over 10 years, earned her MAT in Art Education, and has coupled years of ceramic studio experience with expertise in teaching & learning art. Lindsey owns a small clay studio in the West Hills where she creates her own pottery, leads classes and workshops, and values the way clay brings us together in community. Lindsey has a background of study and facilitation on how embodiment in making art helps sustain wellness in all ages of humans when practiced regularly. She is particularly experienced in using breath work, attention, and a welcoming attitude when working with clay. As a yoga instructor, Lindsey incorporates some of these methods in centering ourselves while throwing at the wheel. When she is not making pottery & teaching art, Lindsey enjoys spending time with her sons, hiking, the healing power of nature, visiting any and all art museums, mentoring youth, body movement & meditation, and cozying up with a great book! Lindsey currently resides in Portland with her two wonderful boys, and her sweet dog Hannah.

brittney baldwin - instructor

Greetings, I am Brittney, an artist originally from Ohio, where the rallying cry of "OH... IO!" might be heard from across a corn field. My path led me to Bowling Green State University, where I obtained my Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) degree, embarking on a lifelong exploration of art education.

Over the past half-decade, I have found my sanctuary in the realm of pottery, with my most recent journey unfolding amidst the serene landscapes of Virginia. Here, I discovered solace in the tactile connection with natural clay and the ancient craft of wood kiln firing.

In my artistic journey, mindfulness plays an integral role. Each stroke, each turn of the wheel, invites a conscious connection with the Earth's elements. It's a meditation of sorts—a way of being fully aware of the textures, the sensations, and the transformation taking place in my hands. This mindfulness infuses each piece with a sense of grounded presence, a reflection of our intimate connection with the world.

Through my work in pottery, I aim to not only express the beauty of this interplay between nature and creativity but also to invite others to embrace the art of being present. The transformation of raw materials into art becomes a shared mindfulness experience—an exploration of the Earth's gifts and a celebration of creativity within us all.

michaelyn chess - studio assistant

Michaelyn’s journey with clay began in 2021 after career burnout led her to re-evaluate her priorities in life. Through her first Mindful Clay class at Elemental Studios, she uncovered joy and passion in community and clay. Wanting to learn everything she could about ceramics, she began working a few hours per week as a studio technician. Her role grew over time, and today she manages Elemental Studios’ social media channels and coordinates member appreciation events and community pottery sales in addition to her work around the studio. When she’s not elbows deep in clay, she’s usually running around the city while training for various events and races. Michaelyn lives in Portland with her partner Trae and her rescue cat Walter.

Instagram: @madebymichaelyn

maddie ford - studio assistant

I began working with clay in Seattle in 2021 when I signed up for a wheel throwing class on a whim. I immediately fell in love with ceramics and being part of a creative community. Since then the priority has been to spend as much time getting covered with clay as possible. In 2022 I moved back to Portland where I was born and raised. Luckily, Elemental Studios needed a studio assistant at the same time and I’ve been here since. I love supporting a space for people to find playfulness, creativity and self expression. I’m delighted to continue learning about ceramics, make my funky little pots and be a part of this community.

Instagram: @maddiesfragilethings

OUR TEAM