Brooke Gillon
Summary
Brooke Gillon is a skilled and heart-centered ceramics instructor with a solid foundation in community involvement and materials craftsmanship. She is known for effectively teaching a variety of production techniques and nurturing student creativity, while remaining dedicated to promoting an inclusive environment that supports artistic exploration.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Ceramics Instructor
Metro Parks Nashville
Nashville, TN
2024 - Current
- Developed engaging projects and lessons exploring ceramics skills and processes, including wheel throwing, hand building, glazing, and firing techniques, emphasizing fostering creativity and technical proficiency equally.
- Provided demonstrations at the beginning of each lesson, and gently guided students towards their own unique expressions in clay
- Shared techniques and styles rooted in diverse ceramics traditions to provide a comprehensive history of the craft throughout each session
- Offered feedback on a regular basis and celebrated the excellence of finished work with the students.
- Organized and maintained a clean, safe working environment within the ceramic studio.
- Created and facilitated a seniors' pottery program at Hadley Community Center
Studio Potter & Community Educator
Self-employed
Nashville, TN
2019 - Current
- Created a unique line of functional pottery inspired by plant and ancestral relationships.
- Established strong local and online following through creative marketing efforts.
- Maintained professional and dynamic relationships with collectors, gallery owners and local ceramics community
- Facilitated community events and heart-centered clay workshops for families and small groups eager to engage in hands-on creative activities
- Developed & taught pottery curriculum for middle school home-school community
- Organized and maintained a safe and functional workspace and ceramics/clay equipment including kiln, pottery wheels & other tools
Outdoor Classroom Teacher
One Tree Montessori Tutorial
Nashville, Tennessee
2020 - 2022
- Facilitated hands-on activities to promote independent learning and critical thinking.
- Collaborated with parents to discuss student development and address concerns.
- Organized classroom materials to create an inviting and stimulating learning environment.
- Created a safe environment that fostered collaboration among students.
- Developed lessons, activities and materials to embed academic skills into outdoor experiential project-based learning opportunities.
- maintained a school garden with the children and developed curriculum around plant wisdom and food security.
Paraprofessional
John Trotwood Moore Middle School
Nashville, TN
2017 - 2019
- Assisted students with individualized learning plans and academic tasks.
- Organized classroom materials and resources for effective learning.
- Collaborated with staff to create a positive educational environment.
- Facilitated communication between teachers, students, and parents.
- Offered students personalized educational, behavioral, and emotional support.
- Assisted with implementation of student's individualized IEP at discretion and direction of teachers and administrators.
- Observed students to help teachers identify potential learning blocks and opportunities for support.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Fine Arts
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN01-2001
Skills
- Contemporary ceramics awareness
- Hand building and wheel throwing techniques
- Artistic curriculum development
- Community engagement
- Studio organization/maintenance
- Effective communication
- Deep commitment to supporting adolescents' personal and creative growth
- Glazing and Surface Decoration
- Kiln operation and firing techniques
Accomplishments
- Gallery Residency January-June, 2026
Julia Martin Gallery - My Heart's Desire, December 2025
Julia Martin Gallery - Plant Lovers, October 2025
Metamorphosis Gallery, Group Show - Slow Noodles Book Launch and Group Exhibition, February 2024
Julia Martin Gallery - Palimpsest, August 2023
Julia Martin Gallery - Never Landing, February 2021
Julia Martin Gallery - Community Artist Partner Award, 2019
Glendale Elementary School
Timeline
Ceramics Instructor
Metro Parks Nashville
2024 - Current
Studio Potter & Community Educator
Self-employed
2019 - Current
Outdoor Classroom Teacher
One Tree Montessori Tutorial
2020 - 2022
Paraprofessional
John Trotwood Moore Middle School
2017 - 2019
Bachelor of Arts - Fine Arts
University of Tennessee