Growing up in her parents pottery studio in the mountains of North Carolina, ceramics has been a tactile interaction in Zan's life. She finished her Masters of Fine Arts in Ceramics at the University of North Texas in May 2014 and currently makes pots at Riverwood Pottery.

Zan's work showcases a firing technique called soda firing. During the firing she dissolves soda ash into water and sprays it into the kiln. The soda boils away into vapor and reacts with the silica in the clay to make a glaze on the surface of the pots. Because the soda vapor is carried through the kiln on the flame no two pieces ever look exactly the same. The dynamic flashing on the surface and iconic orange peel texture are all a product of the soda.