The Team

Augie Echeandia

Founder

After a fulfilling 25-year career as a software engineer, I discovered my passion for pottery at a raku event hosted by a friend. Seeking a creative outlet during a challenging time in my life, I began taking classes and was instantly hooked. My journey with clay continued as I relocated from Virginia to Kansas City.

Driven by a desire to create a welcoming and inspiring space for fellow clay enthusiasts, I founded House of Clay. My own learning journey has been enriched by workshops with renowned ceramic artists such as Simon Leach and Julie and Harry Hearne, and I’m eager to share my passion and knowledge with the Kansas City community.

Eric Schoenberg

Instructor

Doc Frogs Pottery

Eric, alias Doc Frog, is a community-trained hobbyist potter.  He discovered clay in 1999, and has since explored several aspects of making and firing, including American Raku.  Prior to moving to Leawood he served as an instructor in this firing technique at a community art school in metro Atlanta.

Angela Rangel

Instructor

Angela’s Website

Angela was born & raised in Wichita, KS where her affinity for the arts blossomed. She pursued these artistic interests & earned a BFA in ceramics from Wichita State University in 2019. Throughout her career in ceramics, she has had the privilege to spend time learning at arts institutions such as: Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Northern Clay Center & Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts. In 2021, she made the move to Kansas City, MO and has since intertwined herself with the local arts scene. Currently, Rangel is a teaching artist at the Ford Learning Center located inside of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art & continues her ceramics practice at Cherry Pit Collective, a local artist studio dedicated to uplifting woman & non-binary artists. In her free time, she enjoys spending cozy evenings at home with her two kitties, searching for treasures at secondhand shops or picnicking at Loose Park. 

Caroline Stran

Instructor

Caroline’s Instagram Page

Caroline is a 2019 graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute with a degree in ceramics and a background in kilnform glass. Her work focuses on object replication and monoprinting as a transfer technique. During her undergraduate she studied at the International Ceramics Studio in Hungary as well as the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington. Since graduating she has taken part in the Project Network artist residency at the Guldagergaard International Ceramics Research Center and completed a Post Baccalaureate study at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. After returning to Kansas City she has been leading demos on monoprinting techniques and working on her independent studio practice.

Sophie Francoeur

Instructor

Sophie’s Website

Sophie Francoeur double majored in Ceramics and Art History at Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, MO, where she earned her BFA. Her interest in art history informs her work as well as her life-long passion for anatomy and physiology. Sophie works mostly in ceramic sculpture and tile, but her background lies in 2D charcoal, ink, and paint. In the summer of 2022, she joined a study abroad program studying porcelain and mold making in Kecskemet Hungary at The International Ceramic Studio, and another program studying weaving and natural dyes in San Miguel De Allende. She also interned at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in the Exhibition Design Department.

Pierce Haley

Instructor

Pierce’s Instagram Page

As a maker, my approach is to bring an imagined geometry to life. My work begins in a digital space focusing on geometries that take the form of clean-lined objects; these become mold-made ceramic units that create expansive patterns. I shift the material from fluid and impressionable to an expression of mathematical rigidness. My current work focuses on developing hexagonal forms into repeating patterns. I am invigorated by answering the recurring question, what if? And the problem-solving involved in overcoming the challenges of constructing large compositions excites me. Seeing the result of my process leads to further investigations into the intricacies and limitations of the materials I work with and myself.

Loralai Kruid

Studio Technician

Loralai is a student artist pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Studio Arts, set to graduate in May 2025. With a focus in ceramics since 2023, Loralai’s goal is to create functional and beautiful pieces that make art affordable and accessible to all. She is passionate about combining artistic expression with practicality, with a strong belief that art should be affordable and accessible to all.