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SJCGA MEMBERS

Our members include a diverse mix of emerging and established artists, and enthusiasts, all united by a shared passion for creativity and craftsmanship. Together, we celebrate the art of clay and glass through exhibitions, workshops, and community events that highlight the incredible talent within California’s Central Valley.

FEATURED ARTIST Stacy Mendoza

May 2026

You can meet featured artist Stacy Mendoza at the May 9 Spring Clay & Glass Festival, where she will be showcasing and selling her colorful, joy filled ceramic work.

Stacy is warm, welcoming, and deeply connected to the creative community. She brings an infectious sense of positivity wherever she goes and has a natural ability to make people feel comfortable and inspired. She was selected as SJCGA’s Featured Artist of the Month not only for her vibrant ceramic work, but for the genuine joy and connection she brings to the people around her.

A ceramic artist working consistently in pottery for the past three years, Stacy built on a creative foundation first formed in college ceramics classes more than two decades ago. Her connection to clay runs even deeper than that. Growing up, her parents’ closest friends were ceramic artists, and she was surrounded by creativity from an early age. One especially meaningful influence was her mother’s best friend, Mary Camin, whose artistic spirit helped shape Stacy’s lasting love for clay.

Working primarily on the pottery wheel, Stacy creates playful yet functional pieces that burst with personality. Her colorful mugs, bowls, drinkware, and vessels balance whimsy with everyday usefulness, transforming ordinary routines into moments of delight. Every piece feels expressive, joyful, and unmistakably her own.

Her work is driven by curiosity, experimentation, and a passion for learning from professional potters. Stacy loves exploring new techniques and thrives in creative spaces where art and community come together. Whether she’s participating in festivals, connecting with fellow artists, or sharing her newest work, she brings enthusiasm, warmth, and encouragement to everyone around her.

At the heart of Stacy’s work is the belief that functional objects can also spark joy. Through color, craftsmanship, and playful design, she reminds us that the objects we use every day can make life feel brighter, more personal, and more connected.

Follow her on Instagram @handmade.by.stacy

FEATURED ARTIST Rhomie Thompson

April 2026

If you’ve ever met Rhomie Thompson, you know pretty quickly—this is someone who genuinely loves what he does. And after more than 20 years of working in clay and glass, that enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed one bit. If anything, it’s gotten bigger, bolder, and a little more mischievous (in the best way).

A ceramic sculptor, painter, and designer, Rhomie creates work that feels alive. His pieces are layered with texture, movement, and vibrant color, often pulling you in with a sense of curiosity—like there’s a story just beneath the surface. There’s a playful quality to his work that reflects his personality: open, energetic, and always ready to explore the next idea.

Since 2020, Rhomie has been collaborating with artist Subrina Lorenzo, and together they’ve built something pretty special. As Artists and Curators of Gallery 654 along Gallery Row in downtown Fresno, the two have developed a creative rhythm that turns imagination into large-scale, mixed media sculpture. Their work combines clay, repurposed wood, metal, and found materials into one-of-a-kind pieces designed for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Their process is part conversation, part experimentation, and part “let’s see what happens if we try this.” Rhomie begins each piece by building ceramic forms that are anything but static—he pushes texture, plays with glaze, and creates surfaces that feel full of motion and life. Then Subrina steps in, cutting, welding, acid washing, and assembling the various elements into bold, dimensional sculptures. The result is a seamless fusion of their skills—organic meets industrial, structure meets spontaneity.

Together, they’ve created a world filled with whimsical animals, expressive fish, radiant suns, and dreamy moons—pieces that feel equally at home in a garden, a living space, or as the unexpected conversation starter you didn’t know you needed.

But what really sets Rhomie apart is the spirit behind the work. He creates from a place of joy, curiosity, and connection—and that energy is contagious. Whether he’s in the studio, collaborating, or just talking about ideas, there’s a sense that for Rhomie, making art isn’t just what he does—it’s how he moves through the world.

We’re so happy to spotlight Rhomie this month and celebrate the creativity, collaboration, and unmistakable warmth he brings to the SJCGA community.

Follow him on Instagram @rhomiethompson

And Gallery 654 on Instagram @gallery.654

FEATURED MEMBER CLAY MIX

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026

Clay Mix is not simply a resource for ceramic artists in Central California — it is the heart, the foundation, and the driving force behind the region’s thriving pottery community.

Founded in 2008 by Ritsuko Miyazaki, Clay Mix has transformed what it means to support artists. What began as a supply studio has grown into an indispensable creative hub where ideas are tested, skills are sharpened, and lifelong artistic journeys are launched. From clay bodies and expertly developed glazes to tools, equipment, kiln firing services, studio space, and workshops, Clay Mix provides the essential framework that allows our community to flourish.

Ritsuko Miyazaki’s influence cannot be overstated. As a master glaze maker and technician, her knowledge has elevated the technical and aesthetic standard of ceramics across the Central Valley. Her generosity in sharing that expertise — whether troubleshooting a firing, refining a glaze surface, or encouraging a new potter through their first success — has shaped countless artists. The strength of our regional ceramics scene bears her fingerprint.

Equally extraordinary is the Clay Mix team: Savanna Jones, Kate Desoto, Angel Tapia, and Tiwi Wood. Their warmth, patience, and collaborative spirit make Clay Mix more than a store or studio — they make it a gathering place. They celebrate victories, help solve problems, and foster an atmosphere of belonging that keeps artists coming back not just for supplies, but for community.

Clay Mix supports schools, mentors emerging potters, hosts workshops that expand horizons, and consistently champions both new and established artists. Their commitment to nurturing creativity at every level has directly contributed to the remarkable depth of talent found throughout Central California.

The success of our pottery community is not accidental. It is cultivated. It is sustained. And much of that strength traces back to Clay Mix Studio & Supplies.

We are proud to recognize them as our Member of the Month — and deeply grateful for the leadership, generosity, and excellence they bring to our community every single day.

Visit Clay-Mix.com

FEATURED ARTIST Kathy McGuire

January/February

Kathy McGuire is a true Fresno treasure and a go-to source of both great glazes and great laughs. Best known for her iconic Frozen Pond glaze technique, Kathy is a master of glazing and a generous, kind, and wildly knowledgeable ceramic artist.

Her skill and creativity have made her someone other artists genuinely want to collaborate with. She shares her immense glaze wisdom with an open heart and zero gatekeeping, whether you are standing next to her in the studio at Clay Mix or discovering her work halfway around the world in an Amaco Glazes Facebook forum. Artists from across the globe regularly credit Kathy for inspiring them to experiment with and adopt her signature Frozen Pond technique.

She has inspired hundreds of thousands of ceramic artists worldwide to try new ideas, and share what they learn along the way.

Kathy McGuire is proof that the ceramics community is better when knowledge is shared, joy is loud, and laughter is always welcome in the studio. It is this generous spirit that made her the perfect choice as the first SJCGA featured artist.

Check her out on Instagram @KLM4655

On Facebook @klm4655