Hiya, I'm Brandon. I've been throwing pots full time and teaching others how to do the same since 2021. My focus has tended towards functional pots: mugs, bowls, plates, baking dishes, etc. My teaching values body ergonomics, celebration of imperfection, and skill building practices. My favorite thing about ceramics is that it's both as old as dirt and an anchor to the present moment. Looking forward to seeing you in class!

Born in Vallejo, California in 1966 Sandy Calhoun spent her formative years playing in mud, roller skating, and dreaming of dancing in a disco. After studying industrial and graphic design at San Francisco State University for 4 years, she transferred to Chico State University to finish her education, took a ceramics class to fulfill a general education requirement, and changed her major after the first day of class. After receiving her BA degree, in ceramics, from Chico State, Sandy turned her attention to raising a family and her art making moved to the side, though it was never completely abandoned. In 2013, she decided to reacquaint herself with clay and signed up for a workshop class being led by Tony Natsoulas at Alpha Fired Arts in Sacramento. In the company of wonderful artists, under the direction of Tony, she has been able to develop her skills as a ceramic artist, explore her quirks and neurosis, and discover that art can be weird and funny and personal. Since 2013, Sandy has been in numerous groups shows and has had a 2 solo shows.

Rob took his first ceramics class after returning from a tour in Vietnam at Moorpark Junior College in 1969.  He continued taking ceramics classes at the University of California, Santa Cruz, from 1970 to 1972.  Made a very meager living doing ceramics from 1973 to 1974.  In 1975, he began working for the State of California, and ceramics became a hobby with wheels and a kiln at home.  In 2000, in preparation for retirement from State Government, he started working at UC Davis Craft Center, mixing glazes.  In 2002, he began teaching Beginning Wheel Throwing at the Craft Center, evenings and weekends.  From 2006 to 2024, Rob taught Ceramics at Christian Brothers High School.  He is now excited to be working at Earthbound Ceramic.

As a science and math major at Humboldt State, I was forced to take an art elective class in 1970 to complete my general education requirements. Given a choice between pottery and photography I opted to buy a bag of clay instead of a camera.  I opened and touched the contents of that first bag of clay and immediately fell in love. For the next four years I totally immersed myself in all aspects of ceramics, learning everything I could about hand-building, wheel-throwing, glaze design and calculation, and kiln design, construction and firing including cone 10 reduction stoneware and porcelain, Raku and salt glaze. Many late nights were spent with a six pack of Buckhorn and a bag of Hoody's while watching a cloud of yellow chlorine gas waft lazily into the darkness in the direction of the Fair Winds Motel. Soon after graduation I joined the ceramics faculty at College of the Redwoods. I taught hand building, beginning, intermediate and advanced wheel-throwing and sculpture as well as kiln design and construction. I teamed up with another potter of similar temperament and we performed wheel throwing and Raku firing demonstrations at craft shows and Artists-in-Action events throughout Northern California and Oregon. Meanwhile I was working part-time at a local nonprofit human services agency and was also serving as president of the board and grant writer of a local art organization. Somewhere in there was a marriage and a pregnancy (Yes. In that order). Soon the realities of parenthood instigated a shift full time into human services while moving pottery to a back burner, simmering but no longer boiling. (Pages of the virtual calendar begin turning exponentially faster and soon it's 2015.) After retiring from a forty year career in human services I have at last returned to my first love - playing in the mud. As an instructor my goal is to provide students the opportunity to develop a well-rounded foundation of skills that will enable them to unleash their creativity and maximize their enjoyment of the craft. 

DescriptioRitwik graduated from UC Davis with a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2022, but soon after discovered his passion for ceramics and teaching! He made a courageous pivot to becoming a full time potter and teacher, and has found immense joy in creating community through clay. He's shown his work at various art shows like CCACA, and the Pence Gallery. Most recently he was awarded a scholarship to partake in a week-long woodfiring at The Mendocino Art Center. You can follow his journey and see some of his work and process on his Instagram @Ritw.ikn goes here