Our team

Our pottery team is a passionate group of artists dedicated to the art of pottery. Each member of our team brings a unique perspective and creative energy that results in a diverse and inspiring atmosphere.

Denise Kratzer
Founder

Denise Kratzer She holds degrees in business administration and event marketing. Since 2016, she has been completely captivated by clay as a material.

As the founder of DB - Pottery Studio GmbH, she has not only transformed the studio into a creative hub but also created a platform to promote art and craft in her community. Denise regularly organizes exhibitions and events to showcase the work of her members and other local artists, fostering appreciation for ceramic art.

Pottery has now become a focal point in my life, an activity in which I can realise myself and escape from everyday life for a short time. The high level of concentration at the potter's wheel and its continuous movement has a meditative, almost hypnotic effect. I am doing something for my mind and soul - something that is unfortunately often neglected in everyday life. That's why I can only recommend it to anyone based on my own experience:
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Natasha Madeiski
Communication and workshop organization, course instructor (German/English)

Natascha Madeiski, Originally from Italy, she holds a Master's degree in Architecture. She taught as an architecture lecturer at several universities in England, where she first came into contact with the world of ceramics in 2010 and subsequently acquired her years of experience with ceramics autodidactically.

Natascha is responsible for our course and cultural program and also teaches some of our courses. 

Natascha is an architect and designer living in Zurich. She has been working with ceramics since 2010, specialising in the casting process and hand-building. Her work is influenced by her background in architecture. She is looking for innovation by experimenting with materials, their processing and the processes involved. Her work straddles the fine line between experimental and functional objects.
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Sam Cavalcanti
Member responsible, technician, course instructor - Pottery&Paint (English/German)

Sam Cavalcanti is a marketing professional who is also a passionate craftswoman. She discovered her love for applied arts, particularly ceramics, at a young age. Sam takes great joy in sharing her creative energy, teaching, and inspiring others. When she's not creating beautiful pieces, she enjoys spending time with her dog and cat. 

 

 

Sam runs our Pottery & Paint Tuesday evenings at the 25 Hours Hotel on Langstrasse. These take place every Tuesday evening.
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Ljubica Jovic
Member responsible, graphic designer

  Ljubica Jovic worked as a graphic designer. She loves creating beautiful things. She discovered her love for clay in her hometown of Belgrade. Ljubica's work speaks for itself, showcasing her meticulous attention to detail.

With clay in my hands, I feel peaceful and fulfilled. Becoming a part of db-pottery studio and being able to practice and spend time with many talented people, made my time in Zurich much more exciting. I am happy to still be part of the team and can support the studio remotely.
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Yolanda Blumenthal
Course instructor for intensive courses

Yolanda Blumenthal is originally a psychologist. A few years ago, she was looking for a creative outlet – and found it in ceramics. What began as a hobby quickly developed into a true passion, which she eventually turned into her part-time profession. Since then, she hasn't been able to keep her hands off the clay. Yolanda especially loves brightly colored pieces that are both functional and stylish. 

Yolanda teaches the intensive courses on Monday evenings and also helps with the events.
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Melissa Barmettler
Course instructor - Clay Jewels (German) and event course manager

Melissa, our former intern at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) specialising in Art Education, is now independently running the course that she designed herself. With her calm and engaging manner, she succeeds in creating a pleasant and inspiring learning atmosphere. Melissa impresses with her empathetic and supportive approach, which is appreciated by both colleagues and course participants alike.

Nathalie Merian
Course instructor - Intensive courses (German/English)

For over 20 years, Nathalie Merian has been fascinated by the world of ceramics. After various courses and workshops both in Switzerland and abroad, she fulfilled her dream of having her own studio in Ötwil an der Limmat. In her studio, she primarily works on vases and the production of her own glazes. Besides her work in the studio, she loves sharing her knowledge in workshops.

Carla Theler
Intern and course instructor - children's course (German/English)

Originally an interior designer, Carla decided to change careers after an extended trip abroad and will soon begin teacher training. As an intern, she is currently gaining in-depth experience in the daily routine of a pottery studio. She also leads children's classes with great enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Thomas Legler
Course instructor - Crash course (German)

Thomas Legler, originally from Glarus, was born in Italy and holds a master's degree in architecture, which opened his eyes to the world of materials. Working as an architect, he has always been interested in materials. This also led him to the world of ceramics.

He runs crash courses on Wednesdays and also teaches our Scale-Up Workshop.

I was immediately fascinated by the special qualities of ceramics. I find what happens between the plastic and solid state thanks to technology particularly exciting
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Vanessa Cussedu
Course instructor - Plate and taster course (German)

Vanessa Cussedu took up pottery in her free time. For her, pottery is a refuge that grounds her, teaches patience, helps her focus, and allows her to live actively in the moment. Vanessa supports the studio with teaching. She leads introductory courses and sometimes our team events.

When working with clay, she combines her passion for travel and photography, allowing inspiration from nature and memories of her journeys to flow into her creations.
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Anja Mosimann
Course instructor - Taster course (German)

Anja Mosiman was born in Bern and holds a master's degree in marketing. She discovered her passion for pottery several years ago in New York. She particularly enjoys throwing large vases and bowls, emphasizing a simple and minimalist design.

She supervises the taster courses with us. "For me, meditative work with my hands is a wonderful balance to everyday office life"
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Teresa Venegoni
Course instructor - Taster course (German)

 Teresa works as an aquatic ecologist for the canton of Obwalden. However, she spends a considerable amount of her free time in her studio with the potter's wheel. She places great importance on her technique and enjoys attending courses with established ceramic artists to further develop her skills and learn new ones. We are delighted to have Teresa as an instructor for our introductory courses. 

Teresa leads the taster courses on Saturdays and helps with events
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Micol Zardi
Course instructor - Intensive course (English)

Micol's work with ceramics is characterized by a particular fascination with the tactile qualities of clay. She enjoys working with irregular forms and experimenting with clay mixtures that create vibrant, multi-layered textures. Texture and form are central to her practice. In addition to exploring the tactile qualities of the material, she playfully develops new forms and color combinations. This results in objects that spark curiosity and combine function with artistic expression.

Our Youngsters
Studio Help

Our young helpers are dedicated students. They assist us with recycling and other tasks. They support our team and members and are therefore an important part of our studio. 

Great ceramic products from our community

Obtain beautiful and varied products from our members. They all produce limited editions and with a lot of love

What our participants say

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Nicole Müller
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Es war ein toller Kurs mit zwei Tellern, die richtig schön rausgekommen sind. Vielen Dank.
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Rotswinti
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Kompetente, symphatische und lustige Kursleiterin und gut strukturierter und dennoch sehr flexibler Schnupperkurs. Ein toller Nachmittag mit Freundinnen und zwei hübsche Objekte zum nach Hause nehmen! Kleiner Verbesserungsvorschlag: das Aufräumen am Schluss wäre angekündigt besser angekommen.
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Simone Zoja
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Ich habe einen "Töpfern an der Drehscheibe" Kurs gemacht. Es war eine schöne Erfahrung, ich habe viel gelernt und konnte zum Schluss auch schöne Objekte mit nach Hause nehmen. (Nicht zuletzt dank netter Unterstützung der Kursleiterinnen) Das Studio ist sehr schön eingerichtet, coole Location. Man muss sich dort einfach Wohl fühlen. Die Kursleiterin und die Besitzerin sind beide sehr nette und umgängliche Menschen, die gerne ihr Wissen und Können weitergeben. Vielen Dank Yolanda und Denise, ich hatte eine schöne Zeit bei und mit euch!
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Rada Yoga
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My journey at db pottery started in 2024 when I attended the Schnupperkurs for a few hours led by Denise. Little did I know that one year later, I'd sign up for the intensive week with Yolanda and... buy a yearly membership right after! Be it during classes or as a member, the atmosphere in the studio is amazing and the community is very welcoming. I would definitely recommend classes and me memberships with db pottery! 🙏
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Coaching Azadeh
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Sam was great, very helpful and creative. It was wonderful. Highly recommend it
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C K
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We just finished our db pottery pottery & paint class and we loved it. Sam was amazing! Thank you so much! Highly recommend and can’t wait to be back to try the other courses.
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Babette
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Ich habe den Intensivkurs bei Yolanda besucht. Ich hatte keinerlei Erfahrungen mit der Drehscheibe und anfangs auch ein wenig Respekt, ob ich das schaffen würde. Doch die Woche war mega! Wir waren eine Gruppe à 6 Teilnehmenden und hatten alle viel Freude bei der Arbeit. Während dem Kurs gab es feinen Kaffe und leckeres Essen. Yolanda hat uns sehr wohlwollend und kompetent unterstützt und begleitet. Ich würde sofort wieder einen Kurs bei db Pottery besuchen. Danke vielmals für alles! Ich bin gespannt auf die Ergebnisse:).
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Ricca Bischof
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Ich habe die Intensivwoche Töpfern an der Drehscheibe besucht. Ich bin rundum zufrieden, tolle Atmosphäre im Studio, super Kursleitung durch Yolanda. 100% Weiterempfehlung.
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Serena Reist
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Ich habe im DB Pottery Studio eine Intensivwoche als Anfängerin besucht und bin absolut begeistert! Yolanda war meine Kursleiterin und hat uns mit ihrer Kompetenz, ihrer ruhigen Art und ihrer Leidenschaft fürs Töpfern wunderbar unterstützt. Sie hat alles verständlich erklärt, und ich konnte in dieser Woche enorm viel lernen. Ich habe mich jederzeit bestens begleitet gefühlt :). Das Studio ist zudem auch wunderschön eingerichtet und sehr gut ausgestattet.
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