Cone Zero Ceramics is owned and operated by Jess Gaddis. As a former teaching assistant at Harvard’s Ceramics Program, professor at SUNY New Paltz, and mug maker at a large scale ceramics company in Taos, NM, she has over 15 years of experience playing with clay. Jess loves teaching art and loves clay’s plasticity and infinite potential. See her work at www.jessicagaddis.com
Sarah Boudinot teaches wheel based classes. Sarah says, “My name is Sarah Boudinot and I just received my BFA from SUNY New Paltz. I am so grateful for the meditative experience that working with clay provides. I like to experiment with many different forming and firing processes. At my core, I am a wheel enthusiast! I gravitate towards calming earth tones and firing clay bare without glaze.” Follow her work here.
Caitlin Harris teaches our Kids Clay class on Saturdays. Caitlin is a multidisciplinary artist from NYC based in Tivoli, NY. She received a BA in Studio Art from Bard College in 2020 and works as a freelance illustrator, children’s art tutor, and studio assistant to Julianne Swartz. Caitlin is excited to teach the children’s clay class and offer the tools and confidence to bring their ideas to life. You can see more of her work here.
Grace Cain teaches Intro and Intermediate wheel classes at Cone Zero. She is a ceramic artist currently living right here in Catskill, NY. She first touched clay at a community studio in Brooklyn, and it quickly evolved from hobby to profession/obsession. Grace makes functional, primarily wheel-thrown ceramics meant to spark joy with everyday use. She loves teaching almost as much as making pots and is grateful to have the opportunity to connect with others over clay; we all have so much to share with each other! Follow her work here.
Casey Taylor teaches Handbuilding on Mondays. She says, “ I came to clay as I was studying painting and drawing with my sights set on becoming an illustrator. I received my BFA in ceramics from SUNY New Paltz and have been working in ceramics for over a decade, combining my 2D abilities with the limitless possibilities of clay. Bringing my illustrative ideas to both my forms and their surfaces opened up a world I never knew was out there- unbound by canvas.” Follow more of Casey’s work here!
Hi, my name is Alex Lopez. I was born and raised in the beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley, in the hamlet of Clinton Corners, and I’m currently based in Catskill. I studied at SUNY New Paltz and received my BFA in Ceramics in 2024. I’m currently assisting a studio production potter, where I’ve been humbly learning the rhythms of efficient production and translating those skills into my own practice. I enjoy the process of making work by hand because it reminds me of my family, who are all skilled with their hands, from weaving straw hats and bags, to preparing incredible food in generous abundance. Working with clay feels like an extension of those traditions. It connects me to one of the earliest human practices, rooted in utility and care, and continuing that lineage deepens my appreciation for the everyday objects we live with.
Hi, my name is Sydney Knaub, I am a functional maker based in the Hudson valley. I just recently finished my two year post bacc at SUNY New Paltz, before that I graduated in 2024 from Kutztown University with a degree in art education and a BFA focused in ceramics. Geological forms heavily influence my own personal work, but I’m excited to see what inspires you, and teach you whatever I can about hand building!
