Meet the team!
Matt Beland
Owner/founder
Matt has been creating pottery for about a decade. While usually describing his primary hobby as “collecting hobbies”, the combination of artistic possibilities, craft-based techniques, and opportunity to teach have firmly cemented pottery as first among his many passions.
The founder and lead instructor of Glass & Stone Pottery, Matt spends his time creating new materials for classes and workshops, developing production pottery designs, and occasionally dropping everything to work on something that’s inspired him - probably at an inconvenient moment.
Joy Ratzel
Chief operating officer
Joy Ratzel is an advocate for the arts and believes quality art education is a basic human right and a necessity for communities to thrive. She has formal education surrounding human development within various cultures, which impacts the way she supports art access. Experience as a teacher, artist, and as a board member for several nonprofits, Joy connects artists with the community and the community with artists at every opportunity.
Joy started at Glass & Stone Pottery Studio as a student about 6 months after it opened. She has since been able to recover from being a serial hobbyist and has successfully purged her craft closet.
Jessica Mudd
Lead Tech
As a Pacific Northwest-based artist and native, Jessica finds inspiration in the natural elements that surround her. Her work, primarily in ceramics and sculpture, is a reflection of her love for animals, plants and fantasy. Through her pieces, she aims to capture the beauty and intricacies of nature, using texture to bring her creations to life. Vibrant colors are often found in her work, adding a playful and whimsical touch. For Jessica, art is a way to connect with the world around her and share her appreciation for the natural world with others.
Matt Scroggins
Lead Tech
Still to come
Jodie Diedriches
Teacher
Jodi began creating pottery as a college student, and returned to it as an outlet during the pandemic. Her experiences in art and life find expression in the utilitarian forms of her work and the free-flowing colors and styles in her glazing.
As an original staff member of Glass & Stone Pottery Studio, Jodi has consistently worked to bring her joy and passion for pottery to the students and members of the studio, sharing her time and experience through instruction, example, and “Ghost” jokes.
Melody Walsh
Production potter
Mel grew up in rural Oregon and was not exposed to many craft related opportunities in her youth, as such, she enjoys learning about a broad range of different skills and the history behind them; from glass blowing, jewelry, paper making, and even photography. Her enthusiasm for art and hobbies always pulls her towards making them more accessible, especially to children. Pre-pandemic she was an art docent for 3 years, every month she got to expose kids to new arts and skills. While teaching kids to make an ocarina from air dry clay, she fell in love with the history of the craft and all the beautiful different things that can be made with what is essentially, mud.
She began taking pottery classes with her eldest child and taking both of her kids to “paint your own” events, and was contemplating becoming a member of a studio but ended up moving to Lake Stevens instead. After letting the dust settle she joined Glass and Stone studio as a student in April 2023, she officially joined the team February 2024, and has high hopes of eventually teaching kids creative classes.
Erin
Production potter
TBD