Archives: Instructors

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News & Events

News & Events

News & Events

News & Events

News & Events

August Mendez

August Mendez is a proud first-generation Spanish-Cuban-American born and raised in South Florida. They earned their Associate of Arts from Broward College in 2017, and then their Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Central Florida in 2021. They have been teaching ceramics in Orlando since 2022.

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Emma Pittelman

Emma Pittelman is a potter and artist from Woodstock, New York, where she fell in love with pottery at 14 while attending the Woodstock Day School. Influenced by the work of her late great-uncle, Seth Duberstein, an accomplished potter known for his landscape-inspired glazes, Emma draws creative inspiration from both vast landscapes and intricate details found in nature.
She initially studied film and photography at Sarah Lawrence College but soon realized pottery was her true passion. With plans to pursue a Fine Arts degree in pottery, she took a gap year and temporarily moved to Orlando, where she met her husband and decided to stay.  Emma attended Valencia College in Orlando, where she continued taking pottery classes and earned her Associate of Arts degree. She joined Crealdé’s fellowship program in the pottery department and found the artistic community she had been searching for.
Emma has taught pottery since 2019, offering classes for adults and children. She emphasizes critical thinking and creativity, guiding students through hand-building, wheel-throwing, and surface design while teaching them to critically assess their forms and refine details to achieve a meticulously finished and visually cohesive piece. Known for her problem-solving skills and ability to break down complex techniques, Emma enjoys helping students bring their visions to life and believes in making pottery accessible to all.

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News & Events

Polo Ramirez

Master ceramic artist Apolinario “Polo” Ramirez practices an ancient Peruvian art form that he learned from his parents and grandparents. Polo is a direct descendant of the pre-Columbian Vicus and Tallan cultures and has dedicated his life to preserving their ancient traditions. Each of his unique pieces is made with only his hands and feet, one rock, and one paddle. Polo uses these traditional techniques to make contemporary designs inspired by nature and elements of Peruvian folklore. He is among the first generation of Peruvian ceramicists to refine this art and popularize it globally through demonstrations, workshops, and exhibitions in the United States, France, Australia, and Central and South America.

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Joan Sanchez

Joan Emanuelli Sanchez is a Contemporary Realism Artist from San Juan, Puerto Rico, who now resides in Orlando, Florida.
His distinctive personal style emanates from passion and emotion which portrays numerous perspectives on a variety of subjects in oils, bringing to life, scenic landscapes, interior scenes, portraits, still life, and everyday people. Much of his subject matter reveals a deep contrast of harmonious colors and bold compositions. With the artist’s interpretation, he welcomes his viewers into his personal visual journey.
He was a student at Crealdé School of Art, Winter Park, Florida (2016 to 2020), where he later was granted a Fellowship in the Painting and Drawing Department (P&D). In January 2019 he was selected as a Studio Artist in the same department. He completed an Associate in Arts with a Pre-Major in Fine Arts at Valencia College in 2021.
The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens Emerging Artist Program selected him as the first Emerging Artist for the Winter Park Paint Out 2018. In 2016, he was awarded 1st place in the 35th Juried Student Exhibition at Crealdé School of Art in the Painting & Drawing category. He has participated in various exhibitions such as “Tapestry – Americas United” at Banco de Brasil, “Emerge” at the Showalter Hughes Community Gallery, and “Evolving Identities,” Keepers of Heritage, at the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens a collective art show of Puerto Rican Artists. Also, he has been part of the NOAPS International Exhibition Spring Exhibit in 2021. His first individual exhibition was presented at New Concept Gallery in Orlando, FL with great acceptance from the public in 2021.
His spirit and dedication have taken him on a beautiful journey in which he is totally submerged.