Meet the Maker: Member Goodbye!

Apr 21

This month we say goodbye to longterm member Tasha Rivera! While we will miss her in the studio, we’re so excited that she is moving into a private studio at 43rd Street Studios.

Tasha (she/her) has been a member since 2022, taking classes in handbuilding and wheel throwing. She has participated in our Hand / Thrown Holiday market and created countless pieces with cute cats and intricate decals.

We’ve loved to see Tasha’s style develop over the years and can’t wait for what’s next for her. Learn more about Tasha and her studio practice below!

HAND / THROWN Tell us a little bit about you!

TASHA RIVERA: Hi – I’m Tasha and I’ve been a maker my whole life. I sew my clothes, make fine jewelry, build furniture, make pottery, and so much more. My husband and I met in art school fourteen years ago and moved often but we settled in RVA in 2022.

HT: Tell us a little bit about the style of work you enjoy making most!

TR: This is a tough question! I really don’t have a preferred style, but I like to blend different mediums. One of my favorite creations was a himmeli structure made by extruding clay rods and using brass wire to connect them into a pentagonal diamond.

HT: What originally drew you to working with clay?

TR: One of my former colleagues was a potter and always had the prettiest plant pots at her desk. She convinced me to take a class to try it out and I was immediately hooked!

H/ T When did you join the Hand / Thrown community?

TR: I joined H/T in June 2022. When my husband and I bought a house in Richmond, the first thing I did was look for a pottery studio. I checked out class schedules and reviews of nearly every studio here and immediately signed up for a class at H/T and joined the waitlist for membership. My first class was before we moved into the house, so I drove 2 hours each way from Arlington for a few weeks.

HT: What type of clay do you like to work with, why?

TR: I love porcelain! Specifically, Sio-2 Black Ice Porcelain. It feels like throwing butter, fires to a solid black slate color at ^6, and is super durable.

HT: Do you have a favorite tool, why?

TR: The white Mudtools sponge is a workhorse. It’s meant for finishing but I also use it for throwing and underglaze cleanup as well.

HT: Who are some artist you admire and why?

TR: Stanley Tong is my favorite ceramicist right now. I think about his Thoughts and Prayers collection all the time—those pieces haunt me. On the other end of the spectrum, his soft and delicate Sculpted Cloth pieces are stunning.

As far as non-potters go, Mitchell MacNaughton is my favorite fine artist. Yes, we’re married but he’s truly so talented. Right now, he’s working on a series of birds and the human impact on the environment around them and it’s beautiful and smart and I just love it.

HT: Where do you find inspiration for your work?

TR: Everywhere! Seriously my phone is full of inspo photos and screenshots. When I see something--be it clothing, jewelry, furniture, whatever—my first thought is, “I can make that.”

HT: Do you have a favorite step within your process?

TR: This changes every year or so but right now I’m loving details. I’m making some coconut cups for piña coladas, and I lose track of time scratching in the hairy husk texture.

HT: Describe your favorite piece of pottery (currently).

TR: I made some simple coffee cups a couple years ago that I use every day. It’s a small thing but I love having my coffee from these cups.

HT: What’s your sign?

TR: Taurus. Obviously. ♉︎

HT: Cats? Dogs? Or other!

TR: While I love cats, dogs are unbeatable. My old girl sweet perfect baby angle, Leeloo, is my favorite living creature on this planet--but I also love my pup Poppy, cat Olive, and birds Homer and Moe.

HT: What was your favorite thing about being a member at H/T?

TR: I really enjoyed the community that’s been curated at H/T! Other members were always encouraging and willing to share ideas, successes, and failures.

HT: What’s next for you? Tell us about your new studio!

TR: I’m moving on to 43rd Street Studios in Forrest Hill, RVA. My work schedule didn’t allow me to take advantage of all the open studio times available at H/T so moving to a studio that I have keys to was the catalyst. For me, change is scary so I’m shakin’ in my boots a little bit—wish me luck.