Linda LaRock has been passionate about pottery since her very first experience at the wheel as a middle school student in Ithaca, New York. Inspired by an encouraging art teacher who introduced her to wheel throwing, handbuilding, and glazing, she discovered a lifelong love of working with clay. From that moment on, pottery became a constant thread throughout her life—as both a student and a teacher.

A retired art educator with more than 30 years of teaching experience, Linda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from SUNY New Paltz and a Master’s degree in Education from Elmira College. Throughout her career, she has inspired students of all ages to explore creativity, build confidence, and develop new artistic skills. Most recently, she expanded her own ceramic practice through advanced study at Clayscapes Pottery in Syracuse, where she refined her wheel-throwing techniques and glazing methods while working in a collaborative studio environment.

Today, she continues to create pottery through her own business, Sweet Gum (opening soon), and is excited to share her knowledge, encouragement, and enthusiasm with students at Sunny Point. Whether you’re trying the pottery wheel for the first time or looking to build on existing skills, she looks forward to helping you discover the satisfaction of transforming a simple piece of clay into something uniquely your own.