About Us
Linnell Hinchey, New Owner
Matt Popp, Manager & Pottery Instructor
Matt Popp, Manager & Pottery Instructor
Linnell has been coming to the Clay Connection for over ten years to do mostly wheel throwing. When she found out that Kelly was selling the business, she saw an opportunity to preserve the supportive, creative environemnt the she so values. She could have created her own studio at home years ago, but realized there was no substitiute f
Linnell has been coming to the Clay Connection for over ten years to do mostly wheel throwing. When she found out that Kelly was selling the business, she saw an opportunity to preserve the supportive, creative environemnt the she so values. She could have created her own studio at home years ago, but realized there was no substitiute for the atmosphere and flow of energy at the Clay Connection. As a new owner she intends to expand the opportunities to get more potters and glass artists into the Clay Connection to become part of our community.
Matt Popp, Manager & Pottery Instructor
Matt Popp, Manager & Pottery Instructor
Matt Popp, Manager & Pottery Instructor
Born and raised in Spokane his artistic side was encouraged by his father. His father was an artist whose passion was in clay, drawing and painting. His artistic outlet was in music. After high school, like most of us, his art took a back seat to the daily grind.
In 2010 he was missing art and joined the Clay Connection Community, where h
Born and raised in Spokane his artistic side was encouraged by his father. His father was an artist whose passion was in clay, drawing and painting. His artistic outlet was in music. After high school, like most of us, his art took a back seat to the daily grind.
In 2010 he was missing art and joined the Clay Connection Community, where he fell in love with the pottery wheel. Since then he has developed his own unique style both in hand building and wheel throwing. His class offers basic to intermediate skills in both hand building and wheel throwing.
Sean Benson, Pottery Instructor
Matt Popp, Manager & Pottery Instructor
Sean Benson, Pottery Instructor
With over 20 years experience having his hands in clay, Sean Benson is an avid experimenter and curious about the visual language of the art we use in our daily lives. Sean allows freedom for individual expression, while at the same time being willing to show different ways of solving creative problems. In this class you will be able to
With over 20 years experience having his hands in clay, Sean Benson is an avid experimenter and curious about the visual language of the art we use in our daily lives. Sean allows freedom for individual expression, while at the same time being willing to show different ways of solving creative problems. In this class you will be able to choose your own adventure, pursuing either wheel or handbuilding, to develop your skills working with clay.
Peter Glarborg, Pottery Instructor
Louise Schollaert, Hand Building Instructor
Peter Glarborg, Pottery Instructor
Peter Glarborg first encountered the fascinating world of ceramics in 1976 in a college course. To his surprise, he received a couple of honorable mentions in an undergraduate exhibit. He took additional ceramics courses in 1985 during a brief return to academia, but his life experiences led him away from clay until 2009, when he built a
Peter Glarborg first encountered the fascinating world of ceramics in 1976 in a college course. To his surprise, he received a couple of honorable mentions in an undergraduate exhibit. He took additional ceramics courses in 1985 during a brief return to academia, but his life experiences led him away from clay until 2009, when he built a raku kiln and started making pots again. His years away from clay were spent working in Spokane's broadcasting industry, and he is currently an afternoon host on Spokane Public Radio. Pete is mostly interested in functional ceramics - cups , bowls, and pots that people use - but he has also made many decorative pieces.
Susan Dordal, Pottery Instructor
Louise Schollaert, Hand Building Instructor
Peter Glarborg, Pottery Instructor
Susan feels creating functional ceramic art allows her to combine the beauty of art with everyday life. She loves the thought of infusing art into homes around the world. Her biggest inspirational source is our natural world and the internal states they evoke.
Training in ceramics started in 1998 when she took my first clay class at a l
Susan feels creating functional ceramic art allows her to combine the beauty of art with everyday life. She loves the thought of infusing art into homes around the world. Her biggest inspirational source is our natural world and the internal states they evoke.
Training in ceramics started in 1998 when she took my first clay class at a local community center in Olympia, Washington. From that point she was hooked! After that, she studied under phenomenal instructors at Green River Community College and Tacoma Community College. In Hawaii she studied under a couple of amazing ceramicists refining her technique.
Louise Schollaert, Hand Building Instructor
Louise Schollaert, Hand Building Instructor
Louise Schollaert, Hand Building Instructor
"Louise has been obsessed with clay since high school, and for the past two decades has made this obsession more than a hobby.
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Louise graduated from Ohio University with a BFA in Sculpture and Graphic Design. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2000 for the arts, culture and wilderness. During her time in
"Louise has been obsessed with clay since high school, and for the past two decades has made this obsession more than a hobby.
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Louise graduated from Ohio University with a BFA in Sculpture and Graphic Design. She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2000 for the arts, culture and wilderness. During her time in Seattle she studied under many inspiring ceramic artists. Louise was a resident artist at Seward Park Clay Studio and a member of Rat City Studios. Louise has also worked as a studio tech at Pottery Northwest and Seward Park Clay Studio. Louise now lives in Post Falls, where she has a ceramic studio (LMSdesign) and personal training studio (Boost Fitness).
To see some of her work: www.lms-design.com
"I have been described as a curious clay artist, always experimenting and discovering new ways to move this wonderful material around. I encourage students to have the same playfulness with clay.
I make functional and sculptural work inspired by the whimsical illustrations of Dr. Seuss and the music of Thelonius Monk. I combine wheel thrown and hand built elements that don’t appear to go together at first- drawn to the design challenge of finding a way for them to co-exist, that celebrates asymmetry and brings the piece to life!"
Conrad Bagley, Fused Glass Instructor
Liz Paasch-Catalano, Pottery Instructor
Conrad Bagley, Fused Glass Instructor
Conrad Bagley is simply a creative person. He paints, does stained glass, lampworking, mosaics, sewing, welding, woodworking, and pottery. Conrad has been a glass artist for 30 years. He started doing art as therapy for children and has expanded into an all-round artist. He was the owner of Cat Eye Art Gallery in Spokane for 15 year
Conrad Bagley is simply a creative person. He paints, does stained glass, lampworking, mosaics, sewing, welding, woodworking, and pottery. Conrad has been a glass artist for 30 years. He started doing art as therapy for children and has expanded into an all-round artist. He was the owner of Cat Eye Art Gallery in Spokane for 15 years, produced Glass on the Grass and Turned, Thrown, Hammered, and Blown, and was part of First Night Art for all 17 years. Conrad is a delightful person who can spark the creativity in anyone.
Annie Gietz, Kids Class Instructor
Liz Paasch-Catalano, Pottery Instructor
Conrad Bagley, Fused Glass Instructor
Annie’s introduction to pottery was in high school, where she fell in love with the medium. Shortly after her first child was born, she started rediscovering her passion for crafting and slowly built her own studio. She started running her own ceramics business, Stories N’ Stoneware, in 2017 and is now selling her art at local art show
Annie’s introduction to pottery was in high school, where she fell in love with the medium. Shortly after her first child was born, she started rediscovering her passion for crafting and slowly built her own studio. She started running her own ceramics business, Stories N’ Stoneware, in 2017 and is now selling her art at local art shows, shops and online. In addition to having 8+ years of experience in clay, she also has seven years of experience in teaching children and is excited to share her love of clay with a new generation.
Liz Paasch-Catalano, Pottery Instructor
Liz Paasch-Catalano, Pottery Instructor
Liz Paasch-Catalano, Pottery Instructor
Liz was raised in Boulder, Colorado where she was first introduced to pottery through an excellent high school art program. She took ceramics every semester she was able to, including in college, and is particularly passionate about wheel throwing (please don't ask her to handbuild). She moved to Spokane for college, and after graduating
Liz was raised in Boulder, Colorado where she was first introduced to pottery through an excellent high school art program. She took ceramics every semester she was able to, including in college, and is particularly passionate about wheel throwing (please don't ask her to handbuild). She moved to Spokane for college, and after graduating took a long break from pottery to develop her career as a therapist. However, during the pandemic and thanks to lots of urging from her husband, she returned to pottery at the Clay Connection in 2021. She quickly discovered pottery is much easier when you're not an angsty 16 year old, and has been in the studio nearly every day since rediscovering her passion for it. The goal of her class is to teach beginners excellent technique for wheel throwing that will help you be able to throw any size and shape vessel your heart desires.