Good Dirt LA is a welcoming pottery studio in Del Rey, Los Angeles, offering a range of pottery classes for adults, teens and kids. We provide mixed-level classes, one-time introductory sessions, and private at-home lessons among others. You can also join our monthly memberships at our sister studio, Members Only LA.
Our philosophy centers on creating a supportive creative community, inspiring you to explore, learn, and focus on the creative experience rather than the end results. Pottery at Good Dirt LA is about enjoying the process—it can even be therapeutic.
Looking for a special gift? Visit our shop for unique ceramic pieces by our instructors, members, and local LA artists, or purchase Gift Cards online in any amount.
Lina Alvarez, Owner & Instructor
Lina was drawn to art at an early age. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2006, she graduated from the University of Georgia, where she taught art to children at Lyndon House Arts Center and earned her BA in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramics. Originally from Medellin, Colombia, her art is a hybrid of cultures and embodies many qualities—some pieces may be precise and simple, while others are loose and organically shaped. She currently focuses on chic and functional utilitarian pottery, which is available inside Good Dirt LA’s artist shop and on Etsy. Lina believes in cultivating creativity and encourages her students to leave their expectations behind. “The creating and making processes are truly therapeutic and enjoyable for me,” she says. “But nothing brings me more joy than knowing that others actually use my work as part of their daily routines. It’s that tea they have before bedtime, or the coffee that helps them start the day. It’s like I’m passing along a little bit of my love to them, since I feel that each of my pieces were created with the most loving of intentions.”
Carol Aronowsky, Instructor
Carol comes to Good Dirt LA with decades of valuable experience—both hands-on and academic—that she hopes to share with her students. A speech pathologist by trade, Carol simultaneously studied art, ceramics and painting throughout her undergraduate and graduate years at Ithaca College and New York University, respectively. She balanced her passion for pottery and her speech therapy practice for over 35 years, and is now extremely happy to be a full-time clay artist and teacher, instructing throughout Los Angeles.
“There is so much to be involved with and excited about when it comes to clay—the process, studying its history and using it,” she says. “I hope my students will grow to love the medium and enjoy the problem solving necessary to make an original work of art, function or both.”
Amber Glancy, Instructor & Studio Tech
Amber Glancy is an LA based comedian, actress and potter. She was raised in Santa Barbara and received her undergrad education at UCSD. She found pottery post-college through a local LA studio while juggling a 9-5 job in TV production and was immediately drawn to ceramics. Despite being a perfectionist at heart, she is drawn to practices that embrace exploration and permit failure (opposites attract after all). Both performing comedy and making pottery require the ability to take risks at the expense of making a fool of yourself or “ruining” your work, which can lead to discoveries we might not uncover otherwise. Sometimes failure is a happy and informative mistake. In light of this outlook, Amber will still try to teach you to throw a perfect cylinder. If we fail, we will scream for a moment then move on.
Sara Mehrinfar, Instructor & Studio Tech
Sara’s first introduction to ceramics started at Santa Monica College over seven years ago and developed into an incessant love for art and clay. Over the years, she has constructed a ceramic studio in her Los Angeles home while receiving her Associate Degree in Studio Arts. Sara is a multidisciplinary artist working in stone and glass sculpture and has an attraction to tactical art forms. She loves connecting with others and finds great joy in sharing this therapeutic craft with family and friends. Sara is currently working on attaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Sculpture and spends her free time caring for her new puppy, cooking for friends, and playing paddle tennis.
Katelyn Shonborn, GDLA Manager, Instructor & Studio tech
Katelyn was born and raised north of Indianapolis. Her interest in pottery began when she took a ceramics class in high school. Upon graduating from Butler University in 2021 with a BA in Digital Media and minors in Journalism and Film, she taught introductory ceramic classes in her hometown.
In her free time, Katelyn runs her small business, Kay'sBowtiques, making hair bows for softball and cheer. If she's not crafting, you can find her taking classes at LMU receiving her Masters in Film and Television Production. Moving across the country, Katelyn is excited to have a piece of home in a ceramics studio.
Melodie Reay, Instructor
Melodie is an artist, educator and baker who recently relocated to the LA area. Born and raised in Vancouver, BC, she received her BFA in ceramics and photography at Concordia University in Montreal, and her MFA in studio arts with a ceramics specialization at Louisiana State University. Her professional experience includes ceramics technician, university adjunct professor, instructor of adult and youth art programs, assistant art gallery director and small business owner. She has taught and exhibited her work internationally and has been the recipient of several scholarships and awards.
Melodie believes clay’s vast versatility and history make it an exciting medium with limitless potential for exploring ideas and crafting meaning. While her work ranges in concept, form and technique, making pots remains an integral part of her practice, as it allows her to work through ideas and respond to her surroundings in a more direct and playful way. She loves the exchange of ideas that comes from teaching and learning in a communal space, and strives to encourage endless curiosity, experimentation and open-mindedness.
Chandler McGraw, Instructor & Studio Tech
Chandler started working with clay when she was introduced in her high school art classes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her skills flourished into intricate multi medium sculpture pieces. Chandler attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania from 2013-2018 and earned her BFA in Metalsmithing, Ceramics and a minor in painting. When she isn’t teaching, she sells her artwork throughout Los Angeles, assists a clothing brand, and takes classes of different mediums around the Los Angeles communities.
Chandler has always been attracted to sculpture and learned how to pinch clay and use hand-building techniques to sculpt her shape of desire. In her eyes, pinching clay is the closest thing to representing a memory. Chandler tries to create a light hearted version of her with the struggles of everyday life.
Jesse Kane, Instructor & Studio Tech
Jesse Kane, thrower of clay, mixer of glazes, loader of kilns, and lover of Mac n Cheese. Jesse's journey into the wonderful world of clay started when he was just a wee lad. At the age of 6, Jesse was throwing around clay in his hometown of Berkeley, California, without a worry in the world. Now, 15 years later, he is studying art at UCLA, selling and showing his work in galleries and online, and teaching classes to YOU!
Jesse's work consists of a wide variety of things -- from functional dishware, to lamps, stools, and even sculptural work. Jesse loves making work that can be shared and enjoyed by others. Nothing tastes better than when eaten out of something you made yourself!
In between projects, a wild Jesse can be found surfing, camping, or taking photos!
Kathryn Gerhardt, MoLA Manager, Instructor & Studio Tech
Kathryn was born and raised in Los Angeles CA. She has been working with clay since 2015 after falling in love with the medium during a class in high school. She loves the satisfaction of creating and using functional art.
While in college at UC Santa Cruz, Kathryn managed the Merrill Pottery Co-op. After graduating with a BS in Biology, Kathryn returned to Los Angeles interested in continuing to work in a pottery studio full time.
When she isn’t working or on the wheel, Kathryn enjoys being outside in nature, hiking, biking, and cooking.
Ru Namala, Instructor & Studio Tech
Ru started working with clay at 8 years old, and took their first actual class at Good Dirt LA! Since then they have continued working with clay, and started taking weekly classes in 2019.
When COVID hit they bought their own wheel and began experimenting with wheel throwing further. Currently they are in school at SMC working towards a Bachelors degree in journalism
Lona Dreyfuss, Instructor & Studio Tech
Lona is a dedicated ceramics teacher with a passion for creating functional pottery. During her ten-year journey in ceramics, she has developed her craft in wheel-thrown ceramics to create everyday objects that bring meaning and joy.
Lona studied at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA), gaining a strong foundation in traditional and contemporary techniques. She also works in the Wood/Welding shop at Otis College of Art and Design, where she explores various materials and techniques.
Outside of her professional life, Lona is an avid rugby player. Her faithful dog, Pierre, often accompanies her to the studio, adding warmth and inspiration to her creative space. Lona enjoys teaching and sharing ceramics with others, finding fulfillment in helping students discover their own creativity.
Grace Ciacciarelli, Instructor & Studio Tech
Despite being an adult, Grace began teaching ceramics in February 2023 since she never grew out of wanting to play with dirt. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles to handbuild large ceramic works and research cultural policy at UCLA, graduating with B.A.s in Art and Global Studies in 2022.
She teaches Bootcamp, Mixed Levels, and Intro classes at Good Dirt LA and Members Only LA, helping her students problem-solve and hone their ceramics technique.
Outside of the studio, Grace loves teaching multimedia arts classes to high schoolers across L.A. County. Check out her work at gracec.cargo.site, or view her pottery for sale at rib.bigcartel.com.
Pam Kranyak, Intstructor and Studio Tech
Pam Kranyak is a ceramic instructor and technician from the East Coast. After years of thinking they "really should try pottery," they took their first ceramics class, fell head-over-heels, and haven’t looked back yet.
Pam loves throwing rounded, ergonomic shapes with functional features like comfy handles, huggable cups, and lids that stay secure as you pour your tea. They believe pottery is at its best when it is beautiful and functional—a piece you look at and think, I can’t possibly eat snack food out of that—and then you do, and it rules.
Pam believes that clay has a personality, and that throwing is like having a conversation. Neither you nor the clay is in complete control. Successful potters join into a conversation of equals with the clay, and that's where the magic happens.
Pam’s enthusiastic, warm teaching style stems from their passion for ceramics and their desire to share access to the artform with others. They answer questions enthusiastically, knowing that each is an opportunity to encourage curiosity, knowledge, self-assurance, and joy in the student’s creative experience.
