Lorna Meaden - New Mentor, 2027

Durango, Co. USA. Lorna Meaden is a highly celebrated American studio potter and ceramic educator widely recognized for her intricate, functional soda-fired porcelain ware. Based out of her home studio in Durango, Colorado, Meaden balances practical usability with a lavish, highly ornamented aesthetic. Her work bridges the gap between everyday ritual and historical luxury.

Jai Sallay-Carrington - New Mentor for 2027

Vancouver, BC. Canada. is an acclaimed Canadian transgender and non-binary sculptural ceramic artist who uses anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms to explore human identities, behaviors, and emotions. Based out of their local studio, Flaming Otter Ceramics in Vancouver, British Columbia, their art actively challenges cis-normative and heteronormative societal structures by celebrating queer and trans experiences

Ruth Li - New Mentor in 2027

Sydney, Australia. Ruth Ju-shih Li (李如詩) is a prominent contemporary Taiwanese-Australian ceramic and installation artist known globally for her highly intricate, site-specific ephemeral sculptures made from raw clay, porcelain, and wax. Dividing her time between studios in Sydney, Taipei, and the historic porcelain city of Jingdezhen, China, her work explores deep themes of impermanence, renewal, memory, and spiritual heritage.

Justin LaRose - New Mentor for 2027

Long Beach, CA. USA. Justin is an American artisan woodworker and woodturner based out of Long Beach, California, widely recognized for his innovative craftwork utilizing recycled and laminated skateboard decks. While your previous searches focused on ceramicists, LaRose's medium is strictly maple skateboard wood, which he repurposes into high-end, colorful, functional design pieces

Judah Birkeland - New Mentor 2027

Linwood, MN. USA. Judah Birkeland is a highly skilled American ceramic artist, studio potter, and professional kiln builder based in Minnesota. He is widely recognized across the ceramics community for his expertise in designing and constructing highly efficient atmospheric, gas, soda, and wood-fired kilns for prominent art institutions and studio potters