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| 2444 Sutherland Ave., Suite C, Knoxville, TN 37919 phone: 865. 595. 1900 fax: 865. 522. 3793 |
Ceramic Supplies . Artist Studios . Art Classes . Gallery
Meet our Mighty Mud Instructors:
Robmat Butler, Mold Making
Robmat Butler is a recent MFA Sculpture graduate from the University of Tennessee. His
work deals with nostalgia and memory, often reflecting on childhood experiences from his
native Florida. He often utilizes the multiple and mold making to create sterilized, re-
interpreted environments. Robmat is currently focusing on art making and freelance
fabrication in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Jessica Kortz, Jewelry & Mosaics
As long as she can remember, Jessica has always been "creating" something. Her first
experience creating as a child came from visiting her grandparents in New York. Whenever
she and her cousins ran out of games to play, their grandma would direct them to a large
drawer in the guest bedroom filled with paper and pencils. They would then sit down with
their grandpa and draw together.
Jessica graduated from UTK in 2002 with a BS in Interior Design. She has been creating
jewelry and mosaics out of damaged dishes and other recycled materials for over ten years.
She is currently a board member of the Foothills Craft Guild and a member of Tennessee
Association of Craft Artists, the Appalachian Arts Craft Center, and the Society of American
Mosaic artists. Jessica and her husband Adam also own Mighty Mud Studios.
Little Known Fact About Jessica: She has a Girl Scout Gold Award, earned by working with 4th
and 5th graders to write and perform a play about recycling and conserving the environment
Favorite Foods: Raspberries and Asparagus
Hobbies: Sewing, Crocheting, Drawing, Painting, Hiking, Playing Soccer and Rollerblading
Valerie Eiler, Pottery & Handbuilding
Valerie has taught pottery lessons for over twenty years, first running her own pottery school
in Knoxville. After closing her own school, she starting teaching pottery classes at
Campbell's Ceramics and now at Mighty Mud. Valerie likes working individually with students
at their own pace.
Ron Geibel, Handbuilding and Pottery
Born in Butler, Pennsylvania in 1985, Ron graduated from Edinboro University of PA in 2007
with a BFA in ceramics and an art education certificate. He currently lives in Knoxville and
attended UT where he was a post bac student in ceramics.
Barron Hall, Pottery
Edna Harvey, Handbuilding
Edna was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee and attended formal schooling at The
College Of The Desert outside Palm Springs California in 1977, 1978 and 1979. Armed with
a major in psychology and a minor in Ceramics she returned to Knoxville and used her skills
as art therapy at Peninsula Hospital. Handbuilding is her specialty and true love. After many
lifetimes, careers and paths including bringing Jazzercise to Knoxville from California she
devoted herself exclusively to her art. Her recent rebound from a life threatening illness,
which left her unable to create for a year, has unexpectedly infused her art with a renewed
sense of passion and a deep desire to teach and pass on her talents.
Edna likes to teach her students the basic basics of handbuilding. Starting with pinch pots,
coil and slab work. She then leaves the rest to their own imaginations. She has spent the last
five years teaching children and adults at The Fountain City Art Center and is thrilled and
honored to teach at Mighty Mud.
Zophia Kneiss, Metal Working
Zophia first learned welding from her dad at a young age. She remembers going to
alternative punk concerts at Griffis Sculpture Park near where she grew up on the outskirts of
Buffalo, NY. There is amazing art that you could play on there. She took her first metal art
class from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She went there to study
ecology, which she used to enter the Peace Corps. She lived in the cloud forest jungle of
Kabayan, Benguet in the Philippines for three years teaching environmental education, youth
development and sustainable livelihoods where there were still villages with out roads or
electricity. This experience affected her and her art deeply on a spiritual and environmental
level. She came back and moved Atlanta for a few years where she got certified in various
welding processes from Dekalb, Tech. Zophia currently works from her "Burning Art" studio in
New Tazwell, TN.
Jennifer Shaffer, Kid's Classes
Jennifer Shaffer is an elementary school teacher with 16 years of teaching experience. She
has always loved doing arts and crafts, even as a young child. She tries to incorporate art in
her classroom whenever she can. She has been creating pottery for the last ten years, and
loves its unlimited possibilities. Jennifer loves to see children exploring their creative
abilities.
Stacey Fletcher Reynolds, Painting and Collage
Stacey is an artist from Leesburg, Georgia, who lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee.
She has shown nationally and internationally in many individual, group, and juried
exhibitions. She studied art at Valdosta State University, in Georgia, and received a B.F.A. in
2000. She was awarded a graduate assistantship to teach and paint in the painting and
drawing department at the University of Tennessee, whereshe graduated with a Masters of
Fine Art in 2003. She has taught for the University of Tennessee, and now teaches through
the Professional and Personal development program, Mighty Mud Studios, as well as
tutoring private lessons.
Rikki Taylor, Pottery
Rikkiʻs ceramic career began in 1975 while attending college in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
She became totally immersed in the process. The endless creation of ceramic work and
advances in the technical and safety aspects of clay, it was only a natural progression to
move from the subtle earth tones of stoneware to the bright and dynamic colors of
underglazes. Thus, the eclectic creation of fun, bright and colorful ceramic art. Notably Rikkiʻs
work “Running Man” was purchased and resides in the Smithsonianʼs Renwick Museum of
American Craft.
Robmat Butler, Mold Making
Robmat Butler is a recent MFA Sculpture graduate from the University of Tennessee. His
work deals with nostalgia and memory, often reflecting on childhood experiences from his
native Florida. He often utilizes the multiple and mold making to create sterilized, re-
interpreted environments. Robmat is currently focusing on art making and freelance
fabrication in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Jessica Kortz, Jewelry & Mosaics
As long as she can remember, Jessica has always been "creating" something. Her first
experience creating as a child came from visiting her grandparents in New York. Whenever
she and her cousins ran out of games to play, their grandma would direct them to a large
drawer in the guest bedroom filled with paper and pencils. They would then sit down with
their grandpa and draw together.
Jessica graduated from UTK in 2002 with a BS in Interior Design. She has been creating
jewelry and mosaics out of damaged dishes and other recycled materials for over ten years.
She is currently a board member of the Foothills Craft Guild and a member of Tennessee
Association of Craft Artists, the Appalachian Arts Craft Center, and the Society of American
Mosaic artists. Jessica and her husband Adam also own Mighty Mud Studios.
Little Known Fact About Jessica: She has a Girl Scout Gold Award, earned by working with 4th
and 5th graders to write and perform a play about recycling and conserving the environment
Favorite Foods: Raspberries and Asparagus
Hobbies: Sewing, Crocheting, Drawing, Painting, Hiking, Playing Soccer and Rollerblading
Valerie Eiler, Pottery & Handbuilding
Valerie has taught pottery lessons for over twenty years, first running her own pottery school
in Knoxville. After closing her own school, she starting teaching pottery classes at
Campbell's Ceramics and now at Mighty Mud. Valerie likes working individually with students
at their own pace.
Ron Geibel, Handbuilding and Pottery
Born in Butler, Pennsylvania in 1985, Ron graduated from Edinboro University of PA in 2007
with a BFA in ceramics and an art education certificate. He currently lives in Knoxville and
attended UT where he was a post bac student in ceramics.
Barron Hall, Pottery
Edna Harvey, Handbuilding
Edna was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee and attended formal schooling at The
College Of The Desert outside Palm Springs California in 1977, 1978 and 1979. Armed with
a major in psychology and a minor in Ceramics she returned to Knoxville and used her skills
as art therapy at Peninsula Hospital. Handbuilding is her specialty and true love. After many
lifetimes, careers and paths including bringing Jazzercise to Knoxville from California she
devoted herself exclusively to her art. Her recent rebound from a life threatening illness,
which left her unable to create for a year, has unexpectedly infused her art with a renewed
sense of passion and a deep desire to teach and pass on her talents.
Edna likes to teach her students the basic basics of handbuilding. Starting with pinch pots,
coil and slab work. She then leaves the rest to their own imaginations. She has spent the last
five years teaching children and adults at The Fountain City Art Center and is thrilled and
honored to teach at Mighty Mud.
Zophia Kneiss, Metal Working
Zophia first learned welding from her dad at a young age. She remembers going to
alternative punk concerts at Griffis Sculpture Park near where she grew up on the outskirts of
Buffalo, NY. There is amazing art that you could play on there. She took her first metal art
class from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She went there to study
ecology, which she used to enter the Peace Corps. She lived in the cloud forest jungle of
Kabayan, Benguet in the Philippines for three years teaching environmental education, youth
development and sustainable livelihoods where there were still villages with out roads or
electricity. This experience affected her and her art deeply on a spiritual and environmental
level. She came back and moved Atlanta for a few years where she got certified in various
welding processes from Dekalb, Tech. Zophia currently works from her "Burning Art" studio in
New Tazwell, TN.
Jennifer Shaffer, Kid's Classes
Jennifer Shaffer is an elementary school teacher with 16 years of teaching experience. She
has always loved doing arts and crafts, even as a young child. She tries to incorporate art in
her classroom whenever she can. She has been creating pottery for the last ten years, and
loves its unlimited possibilities. Jennifer loves to see children exploring their creative
abilities.
Stacey Fletcher Reynolds, Painting and Collage
Stacey is an artist from Leesburg, Georgia, who lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee.
She has shown nationally and internationally in many individual, group, and juried
exhibitions. She studied art at Valdosta State University, in Georgia, and received a B.F.A. in
2000. She was awarded a graduate assistantship to teach and paint in the painting and
drawing department at the University of Tennessee, whereshe graduated with a Masters of
Fine Art in 2003. She has taught for the University of Tennessee, and now teaches through
the Professional and Personal development program, Mighty Mud Studios, as well as
tutoring private lessons.
Rikki Taylor, Pottery
Rikkiʻs ceramic career began in 1975 while attending college in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
She became totally immersed in the process. The endless creation of ceramic work and
advances in the technical and safety aspects of clay, it was only a natural progression to
move from the subtle earth tones of stoneware to the bright and dynamic colors of
underglazes. Thus, the eclectic creation of fun, bright and colorful ceramic art. Notably Rikkiʻs
work “Running Man” was purchased and resides in the Smithsonianʼs Renwick Museum of
American Craft.
