I first discovered my love of clay when I was a young child digging in the natural springs of Florida. My godmother taught me how to make a coil pot and we baked it over a bonfire. I cherish the piece that still sits on my mantle today.
 

In high school, I took pottery classes every semester and grew an appreciation for the history and science of clay. After graduating high school, I continued my education in pottery at ABTech Community College.
 

For over 10 years, I have taught people of all ages and abilities to connect with clay in a patient, grounded and playful way. 
 

Working with clay has been healing for my anxiety and grief as an adult and I am passionate about nurturing the creative and emotional parts of artists who sit with me at the wheel.
 

At Firefly Valley, I teach our Teen Pottery Class, Women’s Pottery Church, and Summer Camp. It is such an honor to be a part of the Firefly Valley community. 

After being a happy elementary teacher in Asheville for decades, the freedom and creativity in Firefly Valley speaks to my heart & soul! I love my Summertime camp weeks of messy, muddy fun, of learning, growing, and creating with amazing colleagues and happy, laughing kiddos. I’m a sci-fi geek and arts & crafts buff. My hobbies include being a quintessientual cat lady, a bookworm, garden gnome and foodie.  I am a novice at pottery, but a very enthusiastic learner!

My name is Gabriela Bermingham and I am a native Spanish speaker, born in Puerto Rico to Cuban parents. 

I have been a school teacher for 20+ years and of those years, I have been teaching Spanish to elementary aged students for 11 years. I am currently a Spanish teacher at IC Imagine Charter School teaching grades K-5.

It is such a joy to be able to pass on the gift of language to other students. It brings me great happiness to teach Spanish to young learners and see their enthusiasm as they learn a new language while also learning about different Latin and Hispanic cultures. I am thrilled to be the Spanish teacher at Firefly Valley Pottery Camp this summer the week of June 15th! See you soon! 

I am a throwing and hand building teacher at Firefly Valley camp and I’m really excited to be here.

I’m a maker of beautiful things. I make functional pieces, as well as abstract items, using challenging techniques or more simple objects. I love them all.

I enjoy playing with many mediums from clay to plants to whatever I can get my hands on, that speaks to me.  

I enjoy supporting others expressing themselves and come to know themselves, through their experiences with nature and creativity.

This is my third year working at Firefly Valley Pottery, and I absolutely love it!  I am a retired special education teacher and a transplant from Texas.  I enjoy watching kids unplug and get outside.  I think it is important for children to tap into their creative side and realize there are not right and wrong answers when making art. I like to hike in the mountains, float on rivers, and watch a baseball game at McCormick field.

Hi, I am a visual arts teacher for grades K-5 here Fairview Elementary School. I was born and raised in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains.

I have been teaching art since 2012. I graduated from Western Carolina University with a BS. of Education in Art, a BS. of Education in Elementary Education, and a BFA in Photography. 
 

I love teaching art and I believe that art is an essential part of every child's overall education. Because I believe that the arts are interconnected to math, science, language arts, social studies, and basically all areas of study, I practice an integrative approach to teaching.

I grew up in the Green Mountains of Vermont and was lucky enough to live in Maui, HI for three years before finding my way to the Blue Ridge Mountains of WNC in 2008.

I have been drawn to clay ever since my first pottery class in high school. From there, I went to Alfred University to continue my exploration of clay and have sought out workshops and teachers to help me develop my craft ever since.

I now work out of my home studio in Weaverville. When I’m not making pots, I work as a bookkeeper for artists and creatives, and dance whenever I can! I loved being a part of the community here at Firefly Valley last year, and am looking forward to much more creativity, growth and fun this summer! 

Shane Donaldson is a ceramic artist from Asheville, a father and instructor at Odyssey Clayworks in the River Arts District.

I am a self-taught watercolor, pastel, and ceramic hand-building artist and teacher from Lexington, VA.
 

I taught K through 2nd grade classes in Fine Arts in Rockbridge County and at Earthsong Montessori School.  I enjoy teaching hand-building ceramics at Firefly Valley Pottery. I'm also Ms. Ona's mama! 
 

I like to stay busy with my own hand-building project of nature-themed plaques and miniature sculptures called Wild Solace, subbing with Firefly Valley Pottery children's classes, and playing my hammered dulcimer.

I’m excited to join a community of creative, like‑minded educators and artists at Firefly Valley Pottery. I see pottery, gardening, and nature‑based learning as powerful ways to help young people root themselves in place and grow into thoughtful, grounded humans.
 

I am a horticulturist, herbalist, and lifelong student of the Appalachian ecosystem, with more than twenty years of experience studying the plants, soils, and cultural traditions of this region. I hold an MS in Agricultural Education from NC A&T and an AS in Horticulture Technology, and I ground my work in both scientific understanding and hands‑on land stewardship. As an herbalist trained through the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, I bring an understanding of native and medicinal plants and their uses. I am also a Certified Plant Professional with extensive plant identification knowledge and experience in ethical foraging.

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For the past five years, I’ve served as a 5th grade associate at Evergreen Community Charter School, where I support inquiry‑based learning and help young people build confidence outdoors. 
 

My family and I live on a ten‑acre farm in West Asheville, where we raise animals, grow food and a diverse herb garden. As a child, I lived off‑grid in the woods of Maine, where I developed an understanding of seasonal rhythms, ecological interdependence, and the importance of passing this knowledge from one generation to the next. I am passionate about helping children experience nature in ways that cultivate curiosity, respect, and a sense of belonging.

I'm thrilled to be teaching handbuilding at Firefly Valley Pottery this summer! There's something magical about the slow, meditative process of coiling and reassembling forms—it's become an obsession of mine.

After moving to Asheville nine years ago, I found exactly what my friend promised: a vibrant, welcoming ceramic community. Surrounded by talented artists, I'm excited to share my passion for clay and creativity with y’all.

I am a homeschooler and am always eager to learn. I discovered my love for pottery in 2021 and since then have gone from taking classes at Firefly Valley and Haywood Community College,  to teaching wheel throwing to young artists at Freedom Fridays and summer camp.

I enjoy crafting, exploring nature, and traveling!

I am a potter and teacher, and I love being able to combine the two at Firefly Valley!

I first started making pots when I took a class in NYC in 2012, and have never ever stopped. I primarily throw on the wheel but occasionally dabble in handbuilding.

My other passion in life is horses, and so my absolute favorite thing to make with clay is custom horsehair raku pieces!

I believe some of life’s best learning happens with muddy hands, open hearts, and a willingness to try something new. As a homeschooling mom, ceramic artist, and outdoor lover, I am passionate about helping children explore creativity and discover confidence through making.

I own Kanaka Ceramics, where my work is inspired by nature, faith, and my years living and serving in Papua New Guinea. Teaching pottery through the Firefly Valley Homeschool Program has become one of my favorite things, and I love watching young artists create, experiment, and surprise themselves with what they can do.

When I’m not teaching or making pottery, you’ll find me exploring the mountains and rivers of Western North Carolina with my daughter and our dogs.

I am a camp lover and teacher. After 18 years in the classroom, I now work year-round for a girls summer camp and help out at Firefly Valley.

My son has gone to Firefly Valley since Ona started doing workshops in her kitchen, now he’s a helper. My younger son is old enough to come too. 

I joined as a co-director/director last summer and love the creativity and kindness I experience in every part of Firefly Valley.

Dance, paddleboarding, yoga, and long walks are my other passions.  

I love art, and I’m so fortunate that creating art has always been a part of my journey. I believe it’s an essential part of being human, as it allows us to share with one another the beauty and depth of our existence.  
 
I’ve been an art educator for seven years and have had the pleasure of helping pre-k – 8th graders find a connection with themselves and the world through visual art.

Not necessarily tied to one particular art medium, my most recent body of work heavily incorporates digital photography. I hold an Associates Degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Atlanta and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from UNCA. 
 
When not teaching, I enjoy creating my own art, listening to music, reading, and nesting with my husband and our two cats, Lys and Lucem.
 
This is my second summer at Firefly Valley Pottery, and I’m grateful to once again be a part of bringing the magic!

Since she was just a wee lass, Megan has deeply loved making things with her hands. As an art student and then as a full time installation artist for Anthropologie and later as an entrepreneur designing and sewing her own clothing line, creating art has been central in her life. And nowhere has it been more fun and meaningful than alongside her own kids as a homeschooling mom. 
 

With a deep love of fiber crafts, ceramics, cooking, gardening, hiking, traveling, reading and board games, Megan brings her exuberance for being alive in this wild, wonderful world. Her many years of homeschooling her 13 and a 7 year old offers an excellent foundation for her work with Firefly Valley's Freedom Friday Homeschool enrichment program.

Oscar is a prominent four-legged figure at Firefly Valley, He is a 22 lb. hypoallergenic therapy dog who wanders around the outdoor and indoor spaces of Firefly Valley off-leash. He loves to smell your knee caps after which he will accept gentle scratches behind his ears, While he has not figured how to make pottery yet, he does excel at cleaning up food bits that the human artists drop on the ground. His hobbies include barking, going for walks and following Ona around.