Meet our team of teachers, technicians & managers
We’re super proud of our incredible team! We are lucky to have such a wealth of experience and diversity when it comes to skills and specialities.
Kyra Stratoudaki
Teacher & Technician
After decades as a ceramics hobbyist, Kyra has in the last 6 years become a full time maker and teacher. She mostly makes thrown functional ware and occasionally decorative stoneware or porcelain pots and jewellery. She has been a member of The Kiln Rooms since 2016
David McGuire
Studio Manager – Copeland Park
David has been making in ceramics since secondary school, specialising in wheel thrown forms at Central St Martins BA in Ceramic Design. He works mainly with stoneware clay putting emphasis on form, blending functional and sculptural work. David oversees the smooth running of Copeland Park and teaches a few courses.
Lisa Darrer
General Manager
Lisa comes from a contemporary arts background, previously working in visitor services / operational roles at galleries and studying at Central Saint Martins. She ensures the smooth running of studio operations and splits her time between operations management and working on her own arts practice.
Elena Gileva
Teacher
Elena is an artist fixating on the decorative, historical and ornamental through the medium of ceramic sculpture. Elena has training both in ceramics, having graduated from the RCA and in fine art. She has been working in ceramic education since 2017 and also teaches at Morley College.
Krista Speakman-Brown
Bookings Manager & Teacher
Krista studied ceramics at Loughborough University. Soon after graduating in 2008, Krista began teaching ceramics whilst continuing with her own making. As well as being one of the teachers of our 12 week courses, Krista also manages the bookings here at The Kiln Rooms.
Shane Keeling
Technical Manager & Teacher
Shane is a mixed media fine artist that specialises in ceramic. His ceramic work is handbuilt or slip-cast with an emphasis on intricate and colourful surface decoration. Shane’s role in The Kiln Rooms is to provide technical support for all 3 studios and he also teaches classes.
Manuel Calvo Perez
Teacher
Manuel is a ceramicist, visual artist and Illustrator. His practice focuses on thrown and altered sculptural ceramics with hand built elements. He has also recently exhibited ink drawings and ceramics on the theme of the ancient Earth Pangaea. As well as teaching Manuel has also painted two murals for the Copeland Park studio.
Yasmin Hamouda
Teacher
Yasmin is a chef, designer and maker who explores making tableware, cooking food and designing ways people can experience those things. She works primarily on the potters wheel, but loves incorporating hand building techniques to produce unique finishes. She has produced tableware for restaurants and cafes both in the UK and internationally. Teaching ceramics is a big part of her practice and she loves sharing the excitement she has for the material and it’s possibilities.
Justin Page
Teacher
Justin was taught in the studio tradition of pottery at two of South Africa’s premier Ceramic Art Schools before moving to London. Over the last 5 years he has rediscovered his love for clay. Producing functional wheel thrown forms are where his passion lies – influenced by the urban and built environment and industrial design, with a nod to the history and forms of our craft.
Rebecca Griffiths
Teacher
Rebecca is a Peckham-based ceramic sculptor and graduate of the RCA. She has exhibited her work in galleries including Royal Academy of Art, Flowers Gallery, and Royal British Society of Sculptors. Rebecca also teaches in galleries, schools and organisations across London, designing workshops that celebrate tactility, invention and play.
Hannah Bould
Teacher & Assistant Studio Manager
Hannah started by taking pottery classes with Stuart Carey back in 2010 and has since developed a successful range of functional tableware. Hannah has a range of teaching experience and continues to make quality work which she sells at a number of outlets. She also has a background in fine art and is a keen printmaker.
Luke Kang
Teacher & Technician
Luke developed a passion for ceramics and teaching while studying at university. The work he makes involves a combination of throwing and hand-building to create pots and sculptures that are more organic in form. At the Kiln Rooms, he leads on Sunday Taster classes and private classes.
Sean Bruno
Teacher & Assistant Studio Manager
Sean’s ceramics journey started in 2018 when his wife bought him a pottery taster class for his birthday. He was instantly hooked and quickly joined The Kiln Rooms as a student, and is now currently a member of the Copeland Park Studio where he also works as a teacher and studio technician.
Amanda-Sue Rope
Teacher
Amanda is a ceramicist who combines a wheel-thrown process with hand-building to create structural works evocative of architectural industrial forms. A former member of The Kiln Rooms Amanda is now co-owner and co-director of Grove Vale Ceramics, a gallery and studio in East Dulwich.
Sevak Zargarian
Studio Manager – Peckham Levels
Sevak graduated from CSM and has since had a lot of success with his Terrazzo style tableware. He has held senior technical roles in a number of quality ceramics studios and we’re chuffed to have him as such an important part of our team.
Georgie Scully
Assistant Studio Manager – Bellenden Rd
Georgie hand makes a tonal spectrum of tableware and home accessories using the slip casting method, from her south London studio. Since graduating from CSM she’s worked on a number of projects and commissions and has been with TKR for a number of years.
Dena Haghsay
Teacher
Dena had a career in architecture, but discovered a passion for pottery upon encountering clay. She’s based at Staffordshire Street studios, crafting work that showcases bodily expressions in clay, exploring the juxtaposition between ‘storytelling’ and ‘making’ in a transformational process. She is also dedicated to sharing her passion and expertise, teaching ceramics at two studios in London.
Stuart Carey
Technical Director & Co-founder
Stuart’s a ceramicist who’s been making for over 20 years. His wealth of experience allows the studios to all function smoothly. He has recently worked on commissions and is a consultant on The Pottery Throwdown TV show. Stuart is in charge of all the technical elements at The Kiln Rooms
Ben Cooper
Operations Director & Co-founder
Ben’s background is in Arts Management and fine art. He ran the bar/events at the RCA which is where he met Stuart, which is when The Kiln Rooms began. Ben is in charge of the operational aspects of the studios