Nina Nabizadeh
Nina Nabizadeh is a first generation Iranian-American in Southern Vermont. They are an art educator and ceramicist with an MA from Umass Amherst and BA from Marlboro College.
Their work seeks to integrate pattern, color, and memory. They enjoy sewing and growing flowers in their spare time.
Nina was a resident artist at Maine Prairie Studio in July 2024.
Lauren lukasavitz
Lauren lives in Sauk Rapids, MN where she works with children with Autism providing therapeutic services as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and minor in Art from University of Minnesota Duluth in 2016. She later pursued a Master’s degree at Ball State University in Special Education emphasizing in Applied Behavior Analysis in 2022. She first started working with ceramics during her time at UMD with a focus on hand building.
Lauren began taking classes at Maine Prairie Studio in the winter of 2022 to learn more about the wheel throwing process, and became a Studio Assistant at Maine Prairie Studio in April of 2023.
Cortland Harstad
Cortland was born and raised in the St. Cloud area and currently resides in St. Joseph. He started his career in the creative fields after studying 3D Modeling and Graphic Design at Minneapolis Media Institute. He served as a Studio Photographer, a Graphic Designer, and a Studio Specialist during his career and now currently teaches as a Visual Arts Coordinator at the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Cortland was introduced to Maine Prairie Studio through his Studio Specialist position at Cherrico Pottery during a Wood-Firing opportunity. This opportunity not only lit the fire of the kiln, named Rocinante, but lit a proverbial fire in his heart for the awe inspiring community and practice of pottery. He quickly found himself taking classes with JD and Megan and in April of 2023 he became a Studio Assistant at Maine Prairie Studio.