MEET THE TEAM
CLAY HANDS IS A WOMEN-OWNED SMALL STUDIO BASED IN CAPE TOWN WITH TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO ALL BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF CLAY. TOGETHER THEY CREATE AND HOLD A SANCTUARY STUDIO SPACE FOR OTHERS TO DISCOVER AND DEVELOP THIS ANCIENT CREATIVE AND FUNCTIONAL SKILL.
IT'S A FAMILY VIBE.
NATASHA She/Her
FOUNDER & TEACHER
Natasha has a great love for creativity and nature and their merging in the process of pottery. She is a 3rd generation potter following in the clay path set by her late grandmother, Valerie and mother, Lissa (earthplaystudio). She opened the Clay Hands studio in April 2018 after years of working and training at Earth Play Studio.
Tash is dedicated to holding, growing and maintaining the Clay Hands space and is deeply invested in supporting the innate creativity in others through offering studio space for people to learn the skill involved in working with clay. She is committed to the healing power of reconnecting with clay and believes this connection is important for healing ourselves as well as our earth.
The female line continues -Tash is a proud mama to Lyra Human, born in June 2022.
First clay memory ... "being mesmerised by the trimmings that came off the pots as my mom turned her pieces in her studio as I was growing up"
Follow Tash on insta: @bynatashahuman
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JOMARI She/Her
TEACHER
Umi was introduced to ceramics as part of her industrial design degree and fell in love. Her love of mud had to wait on the sidelines while she began her dazzling design career (she’s by now a well established and badass industrial designer).
Now Jomari has at last turned her attention back to clay, spending the last few years growing her knowledge and practice through the Clay Hands studio. She completed her Clay Hands teacher training in July 2021 and now teaches the foundation wheel classes and intermediate classes handbuilding and wheel classes. Jomari is an earthed being; gentle, caring and hugely knowledgeable and helpful.
First clay memory ..."Everyone in grade 1 had to make ashtrays for their parents. I think an ashtray was the easiest shape to give to 7 year olds but my parents didn't smoke so it was not as much appreciated."
Follow Umi on insta: @umi.ceramics
VALERIA She/Her
TEACHER & STUDIO MANAGER
Valeria began her clay journey in Argentina over 15 years ago, the material has captivated her ever since. Val joined the Clay Hands studio in 2020, first through an exchange program and then through the Ceramics SA internship program.
She completed her Clay Hands teacher training in November 2021 and now gives regular beginner classes, as well as being studio manager. She’s a patient, caring and beautiful being with much to offer.
Follow Val on insta: @ceramic_essence
First clay memory ..."In primary school, after school hours, we would play with clay and I remember how proud I was of my tiny, very wonky sculptures… wonder where they ended up."
SIKHO He/Him
TEACHER
Sikho Mququ hails from Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. A self-made full-time production potter with a love for narrative functional wares, Sikho has a huge wealth of knowledge and high skill to share. In his studio in Paarden Eiland Sikho produces a wide range of beautiful ceramics to sell at markets and shops around Cape Town and he freelances in other pottery studios (as a highly proficient thrower).
Sikho completed his teacher training in wheel throwing with Clay Hands in March 2023 and is now taking the foundation wheel throwing evening classes. Lucky lot as he has a lot of skill and knowledge to share and plenty of patience to go with it.
First clay memory ..."we used to accompany our mothers to the river for laundry and we'd explore a lot around nature and that's how we discovered clay. We would get sticks to dig it and always rolled it into a lump of clay and start making bulls to run a fighting competition with and the one with a stronger bull takes the lead."
Follow Sikho on insta: @ckho_mququ
ZA She/Her
ASSISTANT TEACHER
Za has worked in and around clay for many years but officially joined the Clay Hands team in 2025 as an assistant teacher. She brings a calm wisdom to the classes and shares her passion for clay generously.
In primary school I used to take art classes after school. My teacher would bring clay to class every once in a while and just said we could play around with it! I was never sure what to do with the balls of clay, so I just made oddly shaped and painfully colourful pinch pots, which my mom still has at home! 💫🌼
ABIGAIL She/Her
STUDIO TECHNICIAN
Abi first came to Clay Hands in April 2023 as a student on the wheel, then an apprenticeship soon followed. She spent a year following her clay journey in the Eastern Cape where she was born, and we are so happy that she is now back with us as a our full time studio technician and manager!
Abi is in charge of kiln packing, studio maintenance and clay recycling and generally keeping the vibe of the studio ncaaaa! Power house of good vibes.
Follow Abi on insta: @abisparg
First memory of clay …
When I was six or seven I remember going to my friends house and watching their mom doing pottery on her wheel in the garage. It was mesmerising and from then I knew that I needed to try that!
SOBAAGH They/Them
2025 STUDIO ASSISTANT
Sobaagh is an emerging artist from Cape Town. They started their clay journey in 2023 as a student at Clay Hands and stayed on to become an apprentice and now a studio assistant.
They're hoping to work clay into their research into Indigenous Narratives in the Cape. Sobaagh's job is pottering around and assisting with the daily upkeep of the studio.
First memory of clay … Recollections of earth, sand and mud are part of my earliest memories. We had a river of sand around my house that I loved playing in. Sculpting bowls, animals and hunting for worms and insects until I was half mud myself. The grains, the breathing life in the earth was felt so much easier when you're encompassed from head to toe in it
Follow Soba on insta: @muddypaw.ceramics