Our Team

Learn from the Best, Create with Confidence.

Meet Our Expert Team

Habiba El-Sayed – Pottery Instructor

With an interest in archives and paralleling mythology with contemporary experience, Habiba El-Sayed’s multidisciplinary practice re-imagines historical references using a combination of both old and new technologies. Habiba holds an Advanced Diploma from Sheridan College in Ceramics (2014) and a BFA in Ceramics from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (2016). El-Sayed's work has been shown in galleries and museums across North America and has been featured in publications such as Craft is Political, BlackFlash Magazine, Fusion Magazine and Studio Potter. Her practice also includes regular guest lecturing, classes, and workshops at studios and institutions both locally and internationally.

Melissa Harendorf – Pottery Instructor

Melissa has been making pottery since 2007, when she took her first throwing class and immediately fell under the spell of clay. She has a vast knowledge of ceramic materials, processes, and techniques, and is passionate about sharing this knowledge with others.

As an artist, Melissa is obsessed with colour and the layering and sequencing of colours and glazes. She is endlessly fascinated by glaze chemistry and the pools, drips, and cascades of colour that form in the kiln. As a teacher, she encourages experimentation and loves helping her students explore and develop their own creative process. As a queer disabled artist, she is always committed to accessibility and creating a welcoming environment for queer, disabled and neurodivergent students and studio members. When she’s not making pottery, you can find Melissa crocheting, watching Star Trek (TNG and DS9), reading novels, eating pastries, learning ASL, and trying to befriend every cat she sees on the street.

Kevin McLachlan - Pottery Instructor & Studio Technician

Kevin McLachlan has been working with clay since 2021, although some might credit some earlier years in the sandbox. He started learning pottery at A Third Space in St, Catharines and then at Zenfire Pottery in St. Mary’s. He’s worked alongside potters from his hometown in Whitehorse, Yukon to Mashiko, Japan. Kevin is very thankful to have found a new home at Spin Pottery and is excited to be working as the Studio Technician.

When he’s not drinking tea, he’s making a cup to drink it in. Kevin can’t wait to see you at Spin!

Pixy Ghosh - Founder & Pottery Instructor

Pixy discovered the art of pottery as a creative refuge during the pandemic. What began as a personal escape quickly grew into a deep passion for the craft and its transformative impact on mental well-being. Inspired by the joy and connection pottery fosters, Pixy founded Spin Pottery Studio to create a welcoming space where creativity and community thrive.

At Spin Pottery Studio, Pixy hopes to share the same sense of joy and discovery that pottery brought into her life. For her, pottery is more than just an art form—it’s a way to bring people together and celebrate the beauty of making something with your hands.

Darcie Dyer- Pottery Instructor

As the artist behind Studio Eight Ceramics, Darcie (they/them) creates whimsical pots that evoke joy and playfulness. Their work features vibrant colours, undulating forms, and expressive characteristics, transforming everyday objects into enchanting sculptures. From caterpillar teacups to charming birdhouses, each piece sparks imagination and offers a hint of humour.

With over ten years of ceramics experience, Darcie combines wheel throwing and sculpting techniques to create uniquely modified forms. Their surface decoration often features bright graphics rooted in folk-art traditions, while experimenting with mixed media approaches, such as lithography and mono printing. Blurring the lines between art and utility, they draw inspiration from their grandmothers’ housewares to emulate a sense of nostalgia.