Instructors

Having taken many clay classes over the years, Oriana has been at EFC for 8 years as a student, studio monitor and now an instructor. “I enjoy learning the infinite possibilities of clay, and glazes, I am excited to share this medium with others.” She is a painter, quilter, avid gardener and mom to 3 creative kids.

Specializing in white clay fired at 2000°F, Patti creates unique, hand-signed ornaments, earrings, and garden markers. Her work is defined by a “limitless” approach to custom designs and a desire to bring a smile to every customer. Beyond the kiln, Patti brings her creative eye to interior design and mural painting.

She holds a master of education in special education and visual arts, a postgraduate degree in applied behavioral analysis with a focus in autism, and a doctorate in education with a focus in administration and leadership. A former special educator and program coordinator for over a decade, Emily uses a multi-sensory approach based on Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory and Applied Behavioral Analysis in her instruction. Named “Special Education Art Educator of the Year” by the National Arts and Education Association, she is also a published author and researcher specializing in arts assessment. Currently, Emily is the director of Shoe Town Art Center, where she prides herself on creating an inclusive space for all students.

Following her MFA, she was chosen for an Artist in Residence position at Penland School of Crafts. During her time there, she served as the Metals Studio Coordinator, where she connected with talented metalsmiths and began sharing her expertise in the craft. She also launched her own wholesale jewelry line and started experimenting with larger metal works, including vessels and wall hangings made of copper and bronze. After her residency, Alice returned to Maine to teach and eventually received state certification in art education. Inspired by her teaching experiences, she considers teaching to be an art form and values her interactions with students. In addition to teaching, Alice works as a professional metalsmith creating custom jewelry and large-scale sculptures.

Loving how the clay slips and dances through his hands, Roger feels a spiritual connection with the medium. Working with a medium fired porcelain clay, Roger creates organic textures by the use of slips applied to the surface of his pieces. Further texture is achieved through his use of glazes. Roger loves how the colors blend together, creating an organic feel that adds further depth and dimension to his work. Roger’s life as a potter evolved on a part-time basis alongside his primary work as an Episcopal priest. Beginning his ceramic journey after meeting potter Bud Wilkinson, Roger had a crash course in pottery with Richard Lafean. He studied with Nancy Joy at the Corcoran School in Washington D.C. and took a year of courses at the School of the Chicago Art Institute. Roger also studied with several renowned artists around the country. In 2005, Roger retired from parish ministry and now spends his time “working with clay and making beautiful things.”

She crafts functional and decorative wall pieces that explore themes of time and place, relying on brushwork, sgraffito, and slip-transfer monoprinting to build layered and dynamic clay surfaces. As a teacher, her greatest joy is sharing in her students’ success, from the quiet relief of centering clay on the wheel to the thrill of opening a fresh kiln and seeing their finished piece. Joanie studied with Bede Clarke and Ben Carter in the Clay Cohorts program and is currently a member of the New Hampshire Potters Guild. In Nashville, she was recognized with the Tennessee Craft Merit Award for Emerging Artists. Her work includes cone 6 oxidation and woodfire, with long-term dreams of building a soda kiln on her land. As she reclaims her mom’s perennial garden from the weeds of time, she embraces the natural influence of this beloved landscape taking root in her pieces.

Retiring in 2022, Linda loves spending time in the studio experimenting with new techniques and forms. She also enjoys learning about glaze chemistry and trying new glaze recipes and combinations. Linda is very excited about introducing others to wheel throwing and other clay techniques. — Debbie Genestreti started working with clay 15 years ago and immediately became hooked. Inspired by the process of coaxing unique forms from the clay, Debbie enjoys exploring new techniques where natural colors and textures are a focus of her work. Having worked as an engineer, an art teacher, yoga instructor and bereavement counselor, Debbie joined Exeter Fine Crafts in 2021 and currently works in the pottery studio. She is a mother of three, grandmother of one and lives on the seacoast with her two dogs, three cats and her favorite scrabble partner, her husband.

Living with her husband and three boys, Sara uses woodburning as a rhythmic way to de-stress and connect with the outdoors. Her work for Summerfrost Studios specializes in intricate, hand-burned portraits of local wildlife, capturing the spirit of the woods with every mark.

Drawing came naturally to her as a child. Through the careful observation of cartoons and books, she began formulating her own characters and techniques. It was this love of cartooning that brought Tif into the journalism world. After moving to southern California on a whim, she landed a part-time editorial cartoon job for a local newspaper. As her duties increased at her new job, she switched majors from Fine Arts to Journalism and eventually completed her Associate’s degree in Journalism at Los Angeles Valley College. After returning to New Hampshire in the summer of 2005, Tif worked independently writing and illustrating for various online publications. However, she was beginning to feel less enthused about remaining a journalist and decided to finish pursuing her fine arts degree. In May 2010, Tif received a BFA in Illustration from the New Hampshire Institute of Art. In addition to being a licensed NH realtor with Keller Williams Coastal Realty, Tif also works as a freelance artist, teaching various fine art workshops throughout NH and beyond.

With a passion for creativity, she explored many art forms including clothing design, stained glass, pottery, photography and metalwork. Fascinated by stones — particularly American turquoise and Australian opals — Leigh enjoys delving into their geological backgrounds. As a NH Natural Resources Steward, she often integrates nature into her designs. Now she teaches others to discover their creative voice in crafting unique metal jewelry that reflects their own individuality.

For twelve years Laura studied with many prominent seacoast artists, the most influential Todd Bonita and Chris Volpe. With her own style and methods of working in oil paint, she now greatly enjoys teaching others to find joy in the journey of self-expression through art. Her work is in the homes of numerous collectors locally, nationally and internationally. You can see her work online or at Ceres Gallery and Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery in Portsmouth, NH, as well as Seacoast Artist Association in Exeter, NH.

Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the “never-ending cycle” of learning and making. When she isn’t guiding students or managing the global Textile Design Lab community, she can be found drawing with markers, exploring the outdoors, or translating her love for aquatic life into vibrant, graphic patterns.

Named after their original location in Fremont, NH — part of the property included a “fire pond,” which acted as a hydrant if a fire started nearby — Larry and Jess never thought they would move until a once in a lifetime opportunity came up. After years of kayaking on Powwow Pond in nearby Kingston, a home became available right on the water, and the pair jumped at the chance to have a new studio overlooking it. Creating their functional, one of a kind stoneware pieces in their home studio, their goal is to make well-designed pieces that enhance the experience for the user. Their work has been featured in fairs around the state, and they are members of the New Hampshire Potters Guild.

She gathered with friends, learning and weaving. Over the course of several years the hobby became a business as a means of supporting the hobby. Although the business was set aside due to a move, she continues to weave for pleasure and is looking forward to sharing the art of basket weaving with others.

An obsession with old ledgers, vintage photos and every single discarded book that exists, her work re-imagines the untold stories behind the otherwise forgotten items of every day. A self-taught artist, the medium of collage mastered in both paper and textiles is Molly’s dominant form of communicating. Molly has shown her work nationally in both museums and galleries. Along with creating her own artwork, Molly helps adults and young people lean into their own unique talent by teaching creative workshops around the U.S. as well as at an annual retreat in the south of France. Molly C. Meng is currently living and working in New Hampshire.

A former high school art teacher, Bill also received a Master’s in Education from UNH. Bill is a juried printmaker in the League of NH Craftsmen where he not only features his work but also his teaching talents, offering silkscreen workshops throughout the year.

Many of the needle felted birds and animals she creates are in view from her studio window in Durham, NH, where they keep her entertained and inspired. Love of design has been a common theme throughout her life. Most of her career has been in graphic design and marketing after studying art and botany at Duke University. Following a move to New Hampshire, Libby decided to delve deeper into creative life. Her small needle felted animal sculptures have wire armatures to make them pose-able. She uses beeswax for the feet and fingers, using accessories that add a touch of whimsy and personality to each creature. Libby’s fabric collage fits well with her interest in color and texture, using thread painting and free motion quilting in each composition.

That perspective shifted in college when weaving and woodworking introduced her to alternative mediums, ultimately leading her to discover her true calling in glasswork 28 years ago. Transitioning from stained glass to the limitless creative potential of fused glass, she now crafts everything from sparkly jewelry and dragonfly ornaments to custom NH “State-ment” pieces and vibrant vases. For Nancy, working with glass is a source of pure joy, enriched by years of meaningful connections with customers who cherish her art. Today she shares that passion by teaching glasswork, guiding cautious newcomers into confident creators through private group workshops, team-building events and scheduled classes.

Emily graduated from UNH in May 2018 with a BFA in ceramics and drawing. Post-grad, she taught at The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts in Highlands, North Carolina as the Ceramic Teaching Resident. She came back to the NH seacoast and taught ceramics at UNH as an adjunct professor from 2020 to 2024. Emily currently sells her pottery at craft fairs and in stores, and regularly participates in the New Hampshire Potters Guild wood-firings. She resides in Dover, NH and enjoys teaching clay classes in her studio, Clay Culture Studios.

Using the elements of design and composition, as well as shape relationships to create a cohesive story in her pieces, Gerry’s work is as pleasing to the eye as it is to wear. Gerry’s work has been featured in multiple group and juried exhibitions throughout the country and across “the pond” in England.