Meet the Team
Mallorie
Owner, Designer, Potter
Mallorie founded Jars of Dust in 2015 when she was getting her undergrad at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramics + Photography.
Four years later, in May 2019, Mallorie opened the first Jars of Dust Pottery Storefront + Studio in the Vibe District of Virginia Beach, VA. Mallorie continues to throw all of our tableware collection on the potter’s wheel.
Things to note about Mal:
- Enneagram type 8
- Favorite food is pasta
- Super power of choice is the ability to talk to animals
- Guilty pleasure is country music + true crime podcasts
Lydia
Studio Manager
Lydia studied locally at Virginia Wesleyan University and internationally at Florence University of the Arts in Florence, Italy. Throughout her education she remained focused on studio art and ceramics. She has lived in Virginia Beach for 9 years, but spent her childhood in upstate NY and Vermont.
Lydia started with Jars of Dust in the fall of 2018 as an apprentice. Today, she manages our studio and develops all of our glaze recipes.
When she is not elbow deep in glaze or clay you'll find her paddle boarding, baking, sipping on a cup of tea/coffee and enjoying nature.
Steph
Head of Clay Preparation + Hand Building
Steph attended Westminster College in western Pennsylvania, not far from her small hometown. She also studied internationally at Universidad Veritas in San José, Costa Rica and Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo in Sevilla, Spain. She earned her degree in Fine Art, Biology, and Psychology.
Steph recently found her home in Virginia Beach after living in California where she was a traveling art teacher and an outdoor wilderness guide. She joined the Jars of Dust team in the spring of 2021, and it was the best thing to happen to her since moving to Virginia Beach.
You can find Steph in the studio handbuilding pots, recycling clay, glazing, or telling Brown to stop eating clay behind Mal's back. When she's not covered in clay, she's most likely covered in paint or catching waves.
Kelsey
Studio Assistant
Kelsey is a Tennessee girl at heart who has been moving around the coasts! She studied Studio Art at the University of Tennessee at Martin. As a studio assistant, she takes care of all clay prep work, workshop pieces, and kiln loading!
If she isn’t covered in clay dust or at the Chick-Fil-A drive thru, Kelsey spends time at the beach with a good book or with her dogs.
Kaitlyn
Workshop Manager
Kaitlyn is a Virginia girl through and through having lived in the Shenandoah Valley most of her life. She received her Bachelors of Fine Art in Studio Art at James Madison University. As the workshop manager, her previous experience as an art educator makes her the perfect person to teach anyone how to make a work of art with clay!
When she isn’t instructing a workshop, you can find Kaitlyn with her dog Maisy, exploring a thrift shop, or checking out a new restaurant.
Jamie
Creative Director
Jamie attended her namesake, James Madison University, where she studied Media Arts and Design and fell in love with photography.
She’s a photographer, furniture enthusiast, and true crime addict. She’s got a knack for simplicity and purpose - inspired by all things earthy, authentic and ordinary. She spends her days taking photos and looking forward to the next dog to pet.
Caitlyn
Head of Marketing + Order Fulfillment
Caitlyn studied Media Arts and Design at James Madison University, and moved to Virginia Beach in 2020 to do the Virginia Beach Fellows Program. Before joining the JOD team, she worked in marketing and communications. Caitlyn has a passion for people, art, and home decor, and feels really grateful that those three passions get to come to life in her role.
When she’s not working, you can find Caitlyn making dinner with friends, dreaming about her future home, or riding her bike on the boardwalk.
Lily
Sales Rep + Studio Assistant
Lily grew up in Southwestern Virginia but has always been a beach girl at heart. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at James Madison University. Lily gets stoked about making spaces beautiful, building meaningful relationships, and leaning into her competitive spirit any chance she gets.
When she’s off the clock you can find her taking a workout class, going to the beach, or shedding a tear over her love for her dog Winnie.
Kate
Brown + Cowboy
Shop dogs, Self-proclaimed Bosses
Brown Bear Terranova (close friends call him Brown) is the real boss at Jars of Dust, and his little brother The Cowboy Cub (better known as Cowboy) is Brown’s apprentice-in-training. Brown tells us what to do and when to do it, inspects every piece of pottery, and signs off on if it’s good enough or not. He’s teaching Cowboy the ways of being a proper shop dog. Their tails and enthusiasm have broken many, many, many pieces of pottery over the years. If they’re not running around the production studio, they’re probably sound asleep on their bed next to the potter’s wheel.