Cascade Ceramics Studio was founded by mother-daughter team Kathy and Jazzy Zawideh with the mission to bring people together through clay.

Cascade Ceramics is a place for any skill level potter to be able to explore their creativity in clean and well equipped studio with a strong community of other local creatives.

We are also happy to provide a space for artists to connect with the community and share their knowledge and skills in person.

Something very special about our community studio is that inspiration can come from anywhere, from the beginner to the advanced skill level potter, everyone contributes something different and important to the flow of creativity and community environment. Learning in a community environment can happen at a much faster rate than working independently, as we all learn from each others mistakes and successes.

The community that has formed at Cascade Ceramics is truly something special, and we hope to share this joy with you. :)

Instagram: @forest_floor_pottery

Hello! I’m Lily, your handbuilding and wheel basics teacher! My pronouns are she/her. I’ve been with Cascade since they opened over one and a half years ago, and have discovered a love for teaching and sharing all the clay knowledge I can! Before coming to the studio I worked at Georgies Ceramics and Clay, the local clay supply store. That was my first job in Portland after moving in 2021 from the Puget Sound area in Washington, where I was making pots in an apprenticeship with a Washington potter and working with my dad in his carpentry business.
My own studio practice is centered around creating functional wood fired pottery with throwing and handbuilding techniques. I’ve been making pots and wood firing for six years, and I’m currently a crew leader at East Creek Art in Willamina, OR, where I fire alongside the growing community of woodfire artists in the Portland area.
When not working with clay, I love to be outside in nature with my dog, Mocha, and partner Megan. Let’s talk about plants and rocks and make some funky ceramics!

CLICK HERE TO SEE LILY’S WORK FOR SALE WITH THE CHARLIE CUMMINGS GALLERY 

Instagram: @RasecsPotteryArt

Hola amigos! I am Rasec, my pronouns are she/her. I’m extremely happy to be part of this creative team of ceramics teachers and I can’t wait to share my knowledge and love of ceramics!

I fell in love with clay the first time I sat at the wheel! I centered my clay and I made my first bowl! I will never forget my professor's words, he said: “Wow! You are a natural!”. I can remember perfectly the feeling that making that first bowl gave me, because I feel the same way every time I make something on the wheel … incredibly happy!

I'm a former business executive who holds a Master degree in Marketing. I discovered my inner artistic abilities after taking various PCC Art classes (drawing, metal, sculpture, ceramics). I then concentrated on ceramics and have completed the full ceramics curriculum at PCC. During this time, I gained skills in handbuilding, sculpture and wheel throwing.

My personality is full of positive energy, and enthusiasm! Iam extroverted... and hopefully: fun! I'm very passionate about sharing my love of ceramics. I am looking forward to engaging my students in the useful and exciting skill of throwing on the wheel, especially that magical moment, when a cylinder turns into...ANYTHING IMAGINABLE! :)

I am a potter who enjoys making cups that are elegant, lightweight, and comfortable in the hand with interesting outside textures. I also like making bowls with very smooth interiors and curvy voluminous vessels.I enjoy experimenting with adding unique features by altering my wheel thrown pieces. My work is primarily functional, sometimes with sculptural aspects and a few individual sculptures.

Outside of ceramics, I am very proud to be LATIN! I love to read, to cook and to share awesome dishes with friends and family! I am also enjoying the new puppy in my life, Sabia. She is a very smart one and is well behaved and learning many new commands. She aspires to be an agility expert (Who doesn’t speak well about their pets?).

Instagram: @Max_Acoba

Hey! I’m Max and am thrilled to be apart of the team here at Cascade Ceramics. I’ve been doing pottery for 3 years and working and teaching here since 2022. In addition to teaching classes and workshops, I formulate the glazes, handle reclaim and load the studio’s electric kilns.

I recently worked for a production potter in eastern europe where I dove into glaze making, wholesale pottery, and a whole new throwing style.

Take a class with me and I can promise you’ll get your hands (and apron) dirty on the first lesson, where I’ll show my methods and reasoning for how I throw on the wheel.

Outside of pottery, I love to cook, fly fish, exercise and spend time with my family. I enjoy throwing functional kitchen and dinnerware. There’s nothing like taking something you’ve worked on for weeks and giving it away to someone who will you use it everyday.

I love it here at Cascade and know you will too!

Instagram: @DwaynesPots

www.DwayneSackey.com

Instagram: @jazzy_pottery

Hi friends, my name is Jaz, my pronouns are she/her. My first pottery class was in my freshman year of high school in 2013. When I finally got the chance to try making pottery, I found the creative outlet that I always felt was missing in my life. The ceramics room became my happy place and a safe space to be around like-minded people. From then on I knew pottery would always have a special place in my life.

For the rest of high school, I spent as much time as I could in the ceramics room throwing on the wheel or helping out around the studio. I planned to get a bachelors degree in art with a focus in ceramics, but after two terms of virtual ceramics class during the pandemic, I moved back home from college to my dads house where I had a small pottery wheel and got a job at the local clay store. There I met many amazing people and learned much more about the world of pottery. Creating a pottery studio for others to enjoy was a dream my mom Kathy and I talked about for years, and in the fall of 2021 we began the work to turn our dream of a community studio to a reality and got to create Cascade Ceramics to spread the joy of pottery with our community.

Some of my favorite things to make include wheel thrown tiny pots, a variety of differently shaped mugs, pinch pots, bowls, large planters, and I love to add chattered texture to most things I make on the wheel. Trimming the perfect leather-hard pot is one of my favorite things about the process of making.

I also love playing with glazes to find the most colorful and fun glaze combinations. I love trying new things and pushing the limits with clay to keep learning. I love teaching wheel throwing, encouraging my students to try new things and pay attention to the details that will make your pot look like it was finished nicely and with intention. If you see me come say hi! Im always happy to answer any of your pottery questions and really enjoy getting to know you. :)