Keith Grabowsky(He/Him)
Owner/ Yay Clay! Instructor
Keith can barely remember a time when clay wasn’t part of his life. Whether creating pottery, getting a Bachelor of Fine Arts, or his passion – teaching the art of pottery –Keith’s practically got clay in his blood. After earning his BFA in Ceramics at the Mason Gross School of The Arts at Rutgers University, Keith went on to receive his Masters in Fine Arts from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Keith, a Montclair NJ native, has taught classes at his Montclair studio, at Riker Hill Art Complex, the Montclair Art Museum, and headed the afterschool Arts Elective program for the South Orange and Livingston school districts.
Fun facts about Keith:- Keith sold his first piece of art when a woman offered him $5 for the portrait he drew of her on a napkin. He was ten.
- Keith’s instrument of choice? The Australian didgeridoo (a long piece of wood hollowed out by termites).
- Keith’s quirky collection? Antique stereo-optic slides and viewers. He has over 3000.
Alex Kachenko(He/Him)
Studio Manager / Yay Clay! Instructor
Alex teaches pottery classes and pretty much makes things hum at Yay Clay! An Ohio native and graduate of George Washington University, Alex is an accomplished production potter who sells his pieces nationally. His work has been been featured in galleries in New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Fun facts about Alex:- At nine, Alex started selling custom made corsages
- Though a lefty, Alex learned to throw pottery on the wheel in either direction so that he could teach all students
- Alex’s quirky collection: taxidermied frogs playing musical instruments
Devin Brown (He/Him)
Yay Clay! Instructor
Devin's practice has him working directly from nature- using naturally forming clay deposits and the world around him as inspiration. His work is predominantly focused on functional wheel thrown ceramics, often incorporating 'imperfections' in the work intentionally. Devin finds beauty in the broken and imperfect, therefore the unpredictable, and sometimes unintended outcomes, of a wood fire environment are perfectly suited to his style. His recent work focuses on ash based glazes and bare woodfired pieces.
Fun facts about Devin:
- Devin owns a motorcycle spray painted in neon colors that he decorated himself
- When Devin makes pots he likes to make them in a series so they don't feel lonely
- During the 2020 shutdown Devin took up tattooing and has done over 30 on himself alone!
Danielle (She/Her)
Yay Clay! Instructor
Danielle is an artist and creative designer. Her fine art career began at age 5, along
with private study and performance in dance, singing and theatre. Her career in
computers and graphics began in the 4th grade.
She earned her BFA in Multimedia from the University of the Arts.
Since graduating she has mentored under sculptor Barry Parker, crafter and fine
artist Thomas Stearns, master printer Richard Duardo, ceramist/music producer
Robb Boldt, ceramist Jennifer Martin and master chemist/ceramist, mosaic artist
Alfredo Ratinoff. Danielle also studied with Stephen Berg, founder of the American
Poetry Review.
Fun facts about Danielle:
•Danielle is releasing a book of poetry in 2022 titled: HÉART.
•Danielle is a professional singer/songwriter who has begun work on her first full-
length album and hopes to release a single in 2023.
•She exhibited at Art Basel Miami in 2014.
•Formally a Creative Director for THQ Wireless in Agoura Hills, CA.
Andrew (He/Him)
Yay Clay! Instructor
Fun facts about Andrew:
- Andrew lived in Bangalore India for about a year after college
- Since moving to Philadelphia, Andrew has grown a strong appreciation for excellent parallel parking jobs
- One of Andrew's hobbies is checking the weekly grocery circulars for great deals
Some of the things that give Andrew great joy in life include:
- A satisfying pull on a piece while throwing on the wheel
- An excellent parallel parking job
- Scoring good deals on common grocery items
James (He/Him)
Yay Clay! Instructor &
Studio Technician
James has never thought about ceramics as more than an easy class to take in high school until recently. Taking a leap at a beginner wheel throwing class, taught by YayClay’s very own instructor Devin, James had found a strong passion for the art. Deriving inspiration from the art of pottery through different cultures, he finds classical and clean shapes in the work of his own. Previously a chef for the majority of his adult life, his field in the arts has transgressed from culinary to the ceramic arts; enjoying not only functional pottery but also decorative as well.
Fun facts about James:
- While working in the restaurant industry in California, Jennifer Aniston’s parents were regulars at the restaurant he worked.
- On his off time, he enjoys nature walks looking for wild edible greens, mushrooms and fruits.
- James occaisonally sells work at art markets and pop-ups in Philadelphia under the Artist's name 'Pear Face Clay' and is looking to start wholesale of his work to local shops.
Ollie Meier(They/Them)
Website Manager / Yay Clay! Instructor
Originally from Lancaster, PA, Ollie graduated from Philly's own Temple University in 2017, with a BFA in Metals, Jewelry, & CAD/CAM. Despite taking pottery workshops with their mom and classes all through grade school, they didn't discover their passion for pottery until their last few semesters in college. For them, pottery is more of a joy and a way to decompress than a career; they do love to teach occasionally, however. Ollie is a freelance web designer and web manager. You can find their portfolio of case studies and get in touch with them at Oliviameier.com
Fun facts about Ollie:
- Ollie's first foray into the studio was on a date; their teacher encouraged them to join the studio as part of the work exchange program and well... the rest is history.
- A nerd at heart, Ollie draws a great deal of inspiration from video games and the intersection between digital mediums and organic forms
- Ollie has a chonky cat son named 'Toonces the Driving Cat (The cat who could drive a car)'... he's the King of their apartment.
- Ollie has a deep passion for human-centered design and seeks to create digital experiences that are beautiful, fun, and, most importantly, accessible.
- Ollie loves craft beers and strongly recommends everyone check out Sacred Vice and Humble Parlor Brewing. Both located in the Loom building (there's an elevator just outside of Yay Clay! that will take you right there).
