Our Team
Gabe Virgen Solorio
“bio under construction”
Svetlana
Artist, Instructor (she/her)
Svetlana Sohoni is a ceramicist and designer currently based in Seattle, WA. Her work combines the functional with elements of beauty, nature, and identity. Her pieces draw inspiration from the intersection of her South Asian background and West Coast upbringing. She is interested in mundane, everyday objects and transforming them into usable pieces of art.
Website: svetlana-ceramic.com
Richard
Artist, Instructor (he/him)
Richard Tuffs (he/him) is originally from Oregon and has been in Seattle for the past three years. He started his ceramic journey in 2013 and quickly found a love for atmospheric firings. Richard participated in wood and gas firings in high school, developing an understanding of wood fired kilns particularly, eventually leading up building a wood fired kiln and firing it successfully. He attended Northern Arizona University, where he majored in biomedical sciences and minored in ceramics. In Phoenix Richard worked at a ceramic studio as studio tech and instructor. Richard loves to throw anything on a wheel particularly platters.
Jemma
Artist, Instructor (she/her)
Jemma is a Seattle based ceramic artist and painter. Her work is greatly inspired by her Italian/Sicilian heritage and the old folktales and ghost stories that are synonymous with growing up in rural New England. Jemma loves to merge handbuilding, wheel throwing, and painting forms that emulate people or the natural world. When instructing, she focuses on guiding students to experiment and create the art that brings them joy. When she's not in the studio, you can find her spending healing time in nature or with animals, cooking, or reading a horror novel.
Website: jemmasassano.com
Coco
Artist, Instructor (they/them)
Coco Spadoni is a Seattle-based ceramicist and painter creating bold, colorful, and abstract work. They have taught the craft of ceramics for 10 years now, and nerd out on all things clay. They create functional work on the wheel that incorporates sculptural elements. Their practice draws from ritual, dream states, and queer theory, resulting in visually immersive pieces that balance organic form with conceptual depth. Spadoni holds a B.A. in Community Art from Western Washington University and has exhibited throughout the Pacific Northwest and nationally.
Kaitlin
Artist, Instructor (she/her)
I started my ceramics journey right here, taking classes at Rain in April 2024, and pottery quickly became a huge part of my life. I've always loved making things and exploring different mediums, from painting to quilting, but working with clay is by far my favorite! My work tends to be clean and functional, but I'm always experimenting with new forms, techniques, and skills. One of my favorite things about ceramics is that there's always something new to learn.
I've been an active member of Rain, participating in the Capitol Hill Art Walk and member events. You'll find me around the studio working with clay, listening to audiobooks, or journaling about what to make next - don't hesitate to say hello! I love the community here and having a space where people can learn from each other and enjoy being creative. Outside of the studio I work in disability rights education and training and I enjoy spending my free time outdoors, hanging out with friends, or playing a cozy game of Stardew Valley.
