The Rickie Report celebrates all artists and especially artists who continue to allow their creativity transform their art and their community! Cathleen Sullivan & Treasure Coast Pottery proudly present “Community Through Art”, a community exhibition celebrating the creativity, friendships, and artistic growth that have emerged through Treasure Coast Pottery. Featuring ceramics, pottery, mixed media, collage, printmaking, painting, and other 2D artwork created by members, students, and artists connected to Treasure Coast Pottery, this exhibition is curated by the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance. What began as a pottery studio has grown into a vibrant creative community—and this exhibition celebrates the artwork and connections that emerged along the way! The public is invited to MEET THE ARTISTS at the Opening Reception on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 6-8 PM at the MidFlorida Event Center 9221 SE Civic Center Place Port St. Lucie, FL 34952. Exhibition Dates: July 22 – August 28, 2026. The Rickie Report shares the some behind-the-scenes details plus some sneak peeks!
9221 SE Event Center Pl. Port St. Lucie, FL 34952
772.807.4488
Opening Reception: Wednesday, July 22, 2026
6-8 PM
The exhibition is curated by the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance and will remain on view through August 31, 2026.
Cathleen Sullivan
Cathleen’s Story is Inspiring!
The Rickie Report speaks with Cathleen in this interview and has interspersed images of the upcoming exhibit you SHOULD NOT MISS!
After working for 26 years as a court reporter, Cathleen Sullivan returned seriously to art and earned her visual arts degree from Empire State University, graduating summa cum laude in 2021. As a multidisciplinary artist, she works in ceramics, collage, painting, printmaking, encaustic, mixed media, and photography-based processes. Her later-in-life return to art shaped her belief that it is never too late to begin again, take a creative risk, or build a meaningful creative life.
Intricate handmade vase by Catherine Sullivan
TRR: What Is Treasure Coast Pottery?
Treasure Coast Pottery is a locally owned, multidisciplinary community art studio in Port St. Lucie. It began with ceramics but has expanded to include:
Pottery wheel and hand-building instruction
Sculpture and acrylic painting
Printmaking, collage, and mixed media
Youth and homeschool programs
One-time experiences, multiweek classes, and private events
Studio memberships, mentorship, collaboration, and exhibitions
Mixed Media Collage Art by Catherine Sullivan
The professionally equipped studio has approximately 25 members, along with a growing community of students, instructors, and visiting artists.
TCP is not simply an equipment-rental studio. Education is central to its mission. Students learn technique, craftsmanship, studio safety, problem-solving, and how to become increasingly confident and independent artists.
Original handmade Pottery by Catherine Sullivan
TRR: What Makes TCP Special ?
Gabriela Ramos, Resident artist/ceramics major student of FAU who is teaching at the studio
The studio’s greatest strength is its community. People come to learn and create, but they also form friendships, support one another, exchange ideas, and develop confidence.
For many, TCP has become a “third place”—somewhere beyond home and work where they feel welcomed, known, and connected. Members include students, retirees, teachers, architects, nurses, doctors, and working professionals at many stages of life and artistic experience.
Cathleen describes TCP as a place for creativity, connection, comfort, and belonging.
“The studio is professionally equipped, but the most valuable thing in it is the community.”
“I built the studio, but the culture is what I protect.”
One-of-a-Kind Pottery pieces by Laura Mehr
TRR: Introduce us to your Teaching Team.
Frog Ceramics by Ken Gioeli
Courtney Page is TCP’s pottery wheel instructor. She earned a BFA from Florida Atlantic University and has more than ten years of ceramics experience.
Gabriela Ramos is an FAU ceramics student completing a residency experience while working and teaching at TCP. She teaches hand-building and specialty programs while gaining practical experience in teaching and studio operations.
Jimena Román is a master sculptor and instructor joining TCP to teach sculpture and acrylic painting. Her classes expand the studio’s offerings into animal sculpture, sculptural flowers, decorative vessels, drawing, proportion, and painting.
Full biographies are available at TreasureCoastPottery.com under Meet the Instructors.
Cathleen Sullivan with her son, Jack who is a St. Lucie Fire Fighter who was the model for the bust.
TRR: Tell us more about your Community and Youth Programming.
Pottery pieces by Ken Gioeli
TCP serves adults, youth, homeschool families, community organizations, and emerging artists. It is an approved Step Up For Students provider.
For the second year, TCP is participating in summer youth programming supported by the Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County and the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce, working with organizations including the YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs.
These programs introduce young people to clay while strengthening patience, fine-motor skills, planning, resilience, confidence, and creative problem-solving.
One camper’s spontaneous reaction captured the impact of that access:
“I want to be a potter!”
TRR: How have these creative experiences impacted each person?
Cathleen has watched beginners become confident artists, socially hesitant students form friendships, and members find purpose and support through creative work.
TCP also welcomed the Peacock Collective after its members lost their former studio space in Fort Pierce. They now create alongside and contribute to the larger TCP community.
Cathleen does not claim that an art studio can solve every problem, but she has seen what happens when people have a constructive place to go, meaningful work to pursue, and a community that notices when they arrive.
TRR: Tell us more about Your Civic and Arts Leadership
Cathleen is:
Secretary of the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance Board of Directors
A personal and business member of the Cultural Alliance
A member of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce
A member and former chair of Port St. Lucie’s Public Art Advisory Board
She believes arts and culture should be treated as essential community amenities alongside parks, libraries, sports facilities, and gathering spaces. Art strengthens education, quality of life, tourism, economic development, civic identity, and human connection.
“Community Through Art is not simply the title of our exhibition. It describes what has happened at Treasure Coast Pottery.”
TRR: What is Your Future Vision?
The goal is not growth for its own sake, but intentional growth that protects the community atmosphere.
Treasure Coast Pottery is a multidisciplinary community art studio in Port St. Lucie. We began with ceramics and have grown to include sculpture, painting, printmaking, collage, and mixed media. We serve beginners, experienced artists, youth, homeschool families, and community organizations. What I am most proud of is that TCP has become much more than a place to take a class. It is a genuine creative community where people learn, form friendships, and gain confidence in their artistic voices.
People do not need previous experience or a special identity as an artist to walk through TCP’s doors. Curiosity is enough. Treasure Coast Pottery is a place where people can begin, continue, or rediscover a creative life.
For more information about Treasure Coast Pottery, visit TreasureCoastPottery.com
About Treasure Coast Pottery
Treasure Coast Pottery is a multidisciplinary community art studio in Port St. Lucie offering pottery wheel instruction, hand-building classes, sculpture, painting, printmaking, mixed-media workshops, memberships and private creative experiences. The studio supports artists at all experience levels through education, mentorship, artistic collaboration and exhibition opportunities.
Cathleen Sullivan
Founder and Director, Treasure Coast Pottery
treasurecoastpottery@gmail.com
772-202-0897
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