Artist Talks
with Sarah Dassouki, Michael Hernandez, & Reese Nguyen
Thursday, June 19 at 5:30pm
Artist Talks at Starworks are free and open to the public. Guests are invited to meet featured visiting artists, watch and learn as they present slides and discuss their process and influence, and ask questions about their works.
Treat Yourself - Starworks Cafe & Taproom is open during this event and proudly serves a variety of craft NC beer, delicious wine, coffee & lattes, smoothies, and much more.
Stay Late - Artist Talks are followed by Open Mic Night at Starworks Cafe & Taproom
Sarah Dassouki
Starworks Ceramics Intern Artist
Sarah Dassouki is a ceramic artist whose journey into pottery began not in a classroom, but in a moment of curiosity. “Not a potter by education,” she says, “I took my first pottery class six years ago thinking it would be something fun to do after work.” What started as a casual hobby quickly turned into a deep passion—one that would reshape her life.
Driven by a growing obsession with clay, Sarah made the bold decision to leave her job and fully immerse herself in ceramics. She enrolled in a three-month intensive throwing program at La Meridiana Ceramics School in Tuscany. “I went there naïvely thinking I would learn everything I needed to be a potter,” she recalls. “But what I actually left with was the understanding that this was really just the beginning of my education.”
Since then, Sarah has pursued ceramics full-time, focusing primarily on functional housewares that blend simplicity with a touch of whimsy. Her studio practice, Sarah Dassouki Ceramics, is centered around small-batch, handmade pieces designed to enrich daily life. Each item is crafted with care, intended to be both beautiful and useful.
Michael Hernandez
Starworks Glass Resident Artist
Michael Hernandez earned a BFA from Emporia State University (KS) and an MFA from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University (NY). Michael has a robust knowledge of glass processes, and maintains professional practices as a glassblower, custom glass fabricator and project manager, independent artist, and educator. He has attended residencies at Starworks, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Appalachian Center for Craft. Michael has taught workshops on technical and experimental approaches to glassblowing, kilnforming, and neon at Pilchuck Glass School, Urban Glass, OxBow, and numerous other private and public institutions around the US. Currently, Michael is Associate Professor and head of the glass program at Palomar College.
Reese Nguyen
Starworks Ceramics Intern Artist
Reese Nguyen is a multidisciplinary artist with a background that bridges the analytical and the creative. A recent graduate of Queens University of Charlotte, Reese earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Studio Art, along with a minor in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. This diverse academic foundation shapes their approach to artmaking, where mathematical structures—such as fractals and the Fibonacci sequence—inform and inspire her visual language.
Reese’s practice spans multiple mediums, including ceramics, relief printmaking, and painting. They enjoy integrating techniques and concepts across disciplines, creating a layered and thoughtful body of work. Their interest in ceramics began during her undergraduate studies and has since evolved into a deeper exploration of the material’s chemical and structural properties. Currently, Reese is focused on the study of high-fire glaze chemistry, experimenting with variations in feldspar, silica, whiting, and kaolin, as well as the effects of red iron oxide in celadon glazes through wood firing.