Team
There is something really unusual about fiddling around with clay. This wet, soft, and yet elastic piece of lump can soothe you, calm you and ground you. When your mind is off somewhere, or you are too rushed to something, it quietly tells you by showing it on the clay. It’s a whole learning path to be aware of your movement, sensitivity, to be connected within you. Practicing the moment of stillness.
We truly cherish this meditative element of working with clay, and we feel privileged to share this experience with the community. We teach with methodological approach all at the same time encouraging students to access creative flow and the mindful state. Our teachers share this philosophy and we made sure to take time to share the method of teaching in our studio.
Our Team
Alena Zaitseva is a studio potter and designer based in Montreal who joined the Mie Kim Studio as an instructor in 2021. Coming from a background in Industrial Design, she specialises in functional pottery on the wheel and enjoys sharing her love of clay with the students, guiding them through the process with patience and encouragement.
Jasper Anton is a potter is in his final year of his undergrad at Concordia University obtaining a BFA in Ceramics. Originally from Minneapolis, Jasper grew up surrounded by the influence of many artists and studio potters based in the Midwest of the U.S. After finding a passion for the elegance within functional pottery in high school, Jasper also fell in love with the community that clay creates between people from all walks of life. Since this discovery, he has made it his goal to share his passion for pottery with his students to create and expand the community of clay loving people.
Léa Jasmine was classically trained in the visual arts. She fell in love with clay at first sight. Ceramics has transformed her life as an artist. "Everything around me becomes calm and peaceful when I work with clay. It's a process that gives me a singular joy, that of transforming step by step into its final form what is initially and for all intents and purposes mud." It is through her works that Léa wishes to convey to those who use them, a sense of peace and tranquillity.
Diane García Ramos, a Chicanx artist from LA, now based in Montreal, crafts narratives reflecting their Mexican heritage and experiences across major US cities. With a BA in Psychology, they're pursuing a double major in Ceramics at Concordia University. Their sculptural work explores identity, cultural heritage, and otherness, blending a queer and neurodivergent perspective with themes of science fiction and prehistory. As a studio assistant and ceramics technician, they aim to establish a BIPOC artist residency in Canada.
Join our team!
We are looking for wheel throwing teachers to join our team who share our mission of spreading the meditative and transformative experience of ceramics with our community. Details about the position.