Meet The Team

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Gill Travers (they/them) is a RI based artist whose primary medium is ceramics. They received their BFA in ceramic art at Alfred University in 2019, and have been teaching since 2020. Gill enjoys vibrant colors, iridescent surfaces, and lustrous rainbows, as well as intangible phenomena like UV light, chemical reactions, and complex systems. Their work embraces these phenomena and explores these effects to defy ceramic norms & create exploratory ceramics. Every artwork is an experiment. These forms, fossils, plants, and fungi created of mud, glass, sand, and color; mature, reproduce, exist, regress, break, wither, rot, and respawn, gaining new meaning as they exist. Gill enjoys bringing unique experiences to their students, including specialty firings, materials, and alternative methods of making utilitarian & sculptural ceramics.

Ava Mascena (she/her) is a Rhode Island based Artist.  She received her BA in musical theatre performance from Rhode Island College in 2017, where she worked in the theater industry until March 2020. In November 2020, she took her first wheel throwing class at Mudstone studios and has been hooked ever since. Today, Ava is a full time teaching artist and ceramicist. She teaches ceramic classes in locations all over Rhode Island including the Croft School, Bristol Parks and Rec and Mudstone Studios. Her work is inspired by nature and the magic of the world often overlooked. When she isn’t at the pottery studio (which is rare), Ava can often be found singing, with friends, playing games or baking. You can see more of her work on instagram at avagrace_ceramics.

Rose Esson-Dawson is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design in Ceramics. She has
been a college professor for the past 13 years.

Ian Buchbinder has had his hands in clay since early childhood.  After trying the potter’s wheel in High School he decided to study Ceramics, Illustration, and Education at RISD, graduating in 2011 with a BFA in ceramics and in 2012 with a Master of Arts in Teaching.

Ian further developed his craft during an apprenticeship at Three Wheel Studio in Providence, RI.  In 2017 Ian opened his own studio under the name Coywolf Studio and began selling his work at craft fairs and trade shows as well as to galleries across the country.  Alongside his studio work, Ian has been teaching wheel throwing since 2009.  He is fascinated by process and repetition and seeks to understand and communicate the mechanics of wheel throwing as well as the spirit and joy of forming pots from clay.

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Brittany Dias (she/her) is a mixed-media artist with interdisciplinary training, working primarily in ceramics.  As a sculptor with a love for materials and process, she also frequently works in metal fabrication, concrete, glass, wax, textiles and other various materials. Brittany is a Providence born artist. She received her BFA in ceramic arts and a minor in art history from Rhode Island College in 2017 and received her MFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2020.  Her work has been exhibited in galleries throughout New England and New York. Brittany has been the recipient of numerous rewards including Best in Show, Harriet Brisson Ceramic Award, and Antonio Cirino Memorial Fellowship grant in 2018 and 2019.

Flower (best girl/professional food gremlin) is mudstone studio's emotional support animal. She needs lots of emotional support so make sure you give her a pet or a treat when you see her. Her hobbies include barking at people outside, walkies, eating treats, begging for treats, crying for treats and relaxing afternoon naps.

This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.