Instructors

Head Ceramic Instructor | East Valley Pottery

With 28 years of experience in ceramics and more than two decades in the classroom, Greg Johnson brings both mastery and heart to his role as Head Ceramic Instructor at East Valley Pottery. Over the course of his career, Greg has taught more than 6,000 students of all ages how to throw on the wheel and handbuild with clay. Giving each person the satisfaction of creating something meaningful with their own hands.

Greg holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from George Fox University, along with undergraduate degrees in Business and Art. He spent 14 years teaching in secondary education and over 24 years teaching ceramics across a wide range of ages and skill levels. During his tenure in public education, he was recognized as an award-winning teacher, known for his ability to inspire creativity, discipline, and confidence in his students. He developed the nickname the Pied Piper due to the overwhelming demand for his program.

After years of growing weary of the public school system and its dogmatic ideologies, Greg was called to pursue a more student centered approach. At East Valley Pottery, he now teaches in a way that speaks to both the hearts and the minds of his students, believing deeply that everyone has a God given ability to make something and add value to the world around them. Successful teaching is shared mastery of a subject, belief, and encouragement.

Greg’s philosophy of art education is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: learning should be both meaningful and enjoyable. When students understand the “why” behind what they’re creating, motivation naturally follows. Clay provides that context beautifully. It demands discipline, patience, and resilience. It teaches students how to fail, adjust, and try again. And perhaps most importantly, it reveals that value is created through action.

Greg believes clay is one of the greatest teachers available. From something as humble as mud, students can craft objects of beauty, function, and lasting worth. In the process, they learn that creation itself holds transformative power, not just in art, but in all of life.

At East Valley Pottery, Greg is passionate about helping each student grow according to their unique gifts. Rather than fitting individuals into a rigid mold, he seeks to cultivate their strengths, encourage exploration, and foster confidence through mastery.

Whether you are touching clay for the first time or refining advanced skills, Greg’s teaching will reveal a hidden gifting and passion for hand making that is desperately needed in this era.