Ryan Thompson discovered his love for glass as a third year undergraduate at Bowling Green State University. He was immediately drawn to the material and the high standard of craft set by his professors and peers. From the beginning Ryan was most excited and inspired by the techniques, precision and immediacy required to make vessels and goblets. He spent the next three years using every ounce of his evergy to refine his fundamental skills into an ability to deliberatly control this extreme material.

In 2018, Ryan relocated to work as a production glassmaker at Greenfield Village (The Henry Ford Museum) in Dearborn, Michigan. There he broadened his skillset and knowledge of historical processes and techniques. Three years later Ryan was promoted to shop lead and began directing the team's production efforts, designing new products and maintaining the equipment that makes glass blowing possible. 

In the spring of 2023, Ryan participated in season 4 of the Netflix series Blown Away. This opportunity dramatically altered his professional trajectory and in the summer of 2024, Ryan relocated back to Toledo, Ohio as the new owner and operator of Huron Street Studios. 

www.ryanthompsonglass.com

Kayla Kirk blends her artistic skill and passion for teaching as the owner of Charmed Ceramics at Huron Street Studios. She creates handmade ceramic goods for the home and offers public pottery workshops and classes, encouraging everyone to experience the joy of clay.

In 2017, Kayla graduated from the University of Toledo with a BFA in Sculpture and a BA in Art History. She began her visual arts career as a pottery decorator for The Henry Ford Museum’s Greenfield Village. Kayla used her days off to teach herself the basics of functional pottery in a makeshift studio in her basement. This endeavor lead her to a teaching and Production Potter position at Detroit's historic Pewabic Pottery. Kayla immersed herself in a rich tradition of handcrafted ceramics, where every piece she created contributed to a legacy of artistry and excellence.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Kayla’s work is guided by personal narrative and energized by the magical transformation of raw clay into fine art. She explores the boundlessness of form, texture, and color to craft pieces that exude whimsy, humanity, and organic joy with an appreciation for interconnections with nature.

www.charmedceramics.com

Catherine Clements

Catherine Clements is Huron Street Studios' Business Manager, as well as a paper and book  artist based in Bowling Green, OH. In her spare time she co-owns and operates Now Serving, a local pop-up restaurant, and is the Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the Cocoon.

Catherine holds an MFA from the University of Georgia in Printmaking and Book Arts and a BFA from Bowling Green State University in Two-Dimensional Studies with a minor in Arts Management. She has been a resident artist at Spark Box Studio in Picton, Ontario, the Hambidge Center for Arts and Sciences in Rabun Gap, GA, and the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, OH, among others.

Some of Catherine’s passions include word play, feeding people, and putting her hands in dirt. She lives in a swamp adjacent bungalow with a dog, a cat and a man.

You can see her work at www.catherineclements.com

Business Manager