THE HANDS BEHIND LOAM
No gatekeeping.
No weird art-snob energy.
Just clay and good people.
who runs loam?
Loam is run by a small team... by small I mean it’s mostly just me (Zoe...hi), my two dogs, the morale support of my mommy and occasionally my little brother will move 2 tonnes of clay...
This isn’t a factory. It’s not a production warehouse. It’s a working studio built around process, people, and a whole lot of clay.
When you come here, you’re stepping into a space that’s personal. Everything you see, the paint on the walls, the shelves, the glazes, the wheel setup, the class schedule has the owners fingerprints on it... that could be mostly from the fact her hands usally have clay on them.
Who is zoe?
Hi, I’m Zoe.
I work with clay.
I teach it.
I clean it out of my hair at least three times a week.
It all started when I was a little spud playing in the mud. Barefoot and stealing my mothers kitchens spoons to dig up clay in the yard of the small Oklahoma town I grew up in. It only took about 18 years for me to realize that I should probably get back into it.
One very cool boss once gave me a day off to take my first wheel class. That was it, I was hooked. After a handful of classes, I did what any completely reasonable adult would do…
I quit my job and booked a one-way ticket to Europe.
I apprenticed under a master potter in Latvia, where I learned production pottery the old-school way. It was long days, lots of reclaim clay, learning to work different bodies, glaze testing, firing methods made me feel more like a scientist than an artist. I spent nearly a year in Europe making pots, making mistakes, and fell in love with the craft.
Then I moved to Austin, Texas. I managed clay studio. I worked as a kiln tech. I loaded more kilns than I can count. I learned what makes a studio run well and what makes one feel like home.
And then, after all the traveling and city living, something unexpected happened.
I missed Oklahoma.
I missed the red dirt.
I missed the pace.
I missed the kind of community where people show up for each other.
So in January 2024, I packed up my Texas life and came home.
Loam is the result of everywhere I’ve been and everything clay has taught me.
If you’re nervous, I get it.
If you think you’re “not creative,” I’ve heard that one before.
Stay about five minutes, I’ll prove you wrong.
Apprenticeship Opportunities at Loam Ceramic Studio
Clay changed my life because someone took the time to teach me.
If you’re serious about learning, not just taking a class, but understanding clay bodies, glaze chemistry, kiln loading, studio rhythm, and the less glamorous parts of the work, I occasionally offer apprenticeship opportunities.
It’s hands-on, tiring anometimes messy. It’s deeply rewarding.
If that sparks something in you, reach out. Let’s talk.
