March 2025 Instructor Highlight: Krista Cortese

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Krista Cortese

Rain City Clay is lucky to be staffed by a group of dedicated ceramicists who work diligently to keep the studio running, who teach with passion and exuberance, and engage and build community through clay. In addition to all that they do at RCC, they also have their own clay practices, either at RCC or off-site, where they make their own work and grow their skills. Each month we will be featuring one of our fantastic staff members and their talents.

This month we are highlighting instructor Krista Cortese (she/her)!

About Krista:

Krista Cortese has a background in painting, printmaking and sculpture and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pacific Lutheran University in 2011 with a minor in Art History. In 2016 she immersed herself back into the ceramics community through the Continuing Education program at North Seattle College. A few years later in 2019, looking to grow as an artist and professional, she began an assistantship to Deborah Schwartzkopf at Rat City Studios in Seattle, Washington. Krista currently works full time as a ceramic artist and educator out of her home studio in North Seattle. Krista hopes to facilitate a creative environment that is therapeutic, fun, and explorative for her students. Krista makes functional pottery that celebrates the rituals of everyday life with an emphasis on joyful, floral compositions with the charm of naivety.

Get to know Krista

Learn With Krista!

Krista has been an instructor at Rain City Clay for many years. Krista specializes in teaching continuing wheel and handbuilding classes where she focuses on more advanced clay techniques. From colanders to intricate sgraffito, candelabras and cake stands - Krista enthusiastically shares her love clay with RCC students session after session.

In our Spring 2025 session Krista is teaching ‘Color Pop!’, a class where students will experiment with adding mason stain colorants to their clays. In this continuing wheel and handbuilding blended class, Krista will share techniques for a few of her favorite forms like mugs, pitchers, & plates. Learn more and register!

The Secret Garden Collection by Krista

“The Secret Garden collection is a series of hand-built functional pots with intricate, hand painted floral designs. I celebrate the process on all of my pieces, leaving evidence of its creation and humanness. My work is elaborately decorated in floral imagery, reminiscent of the domestic crafts historically regarded as women’s work. I aim to challenge the intersection of beauty and function, craft and fine art. The forms are built intuitively, from soft slabs and coils, creating a sense of child-like play and naivety. I hope they remind you of playing in the garden or running through a field of flowers and inspire the child and artist within each of you.” 

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Deborah Schwartzkopf

As a studio artist, she makes fabulous tableware that infuses life with purposeful beauty. Deb was inspired by the guidance of amazing mentors along the way. These important relationships fostered her desire to engage and build community through clay. Her adventurous spirit has taken her across the country and beyond to form a depth of experience, knowledge, and a supportive network.

In 2013 Deb established Rat City Studios in her hometown of Seattle, WA. RCS is her home and personal studio, as well as, a creative space for multiple studio members working independently. In 2022 she opened a sister studio, Rain City Clay in West Seattle. RCC is a community art center focusing on experiential learning through ceramics classes of all levels.

With over 15 years of experience, a Master’s of Fine Art at Penn State, artwork included in collections such as the Kamm Teapot Foundation, San Angelo Museum, and the WA State Arts Collection, numerous publications including Ceramic Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Studio Potter Magazine, she has been recognized and honored in her career as a maker.