Meet our Director

Claire Willis is an artist and educator living in Deerfield, IL. Her devotion to pottery first emerged when she attended a teen workshop at the Rochester Folk Art Guild at the age of sixteen. Her subsequent experience working as an apprentice with Annie Schliffer sparked her interest in local materials and traditions, and led her to work with potters in Alabama, Mexico, and Massachusetts.

The birth of her son in 2009 propelled her to delve into Montessori education and attain her Early Childhood certification and work as a classroom teacher. Her pottery work during this time ranged from facilitating sensory clay exploration for young toddlers, designing a clay curriculum for early childhood children, and later building a pottery studio from the ground up with adolescents as part of their farm business operations. During this time she also taught occasional adult pottery classes at her local community center.

In January 2021, Claire embarked on a new adventure bringing her experience in Montessori education together with her love of pottery with the creation of her own studio in the back patio of her suburban home. She offers lessons and workshops for all ages, as well as opportunities to work and learn through apprenticeship.