The Clay School

This clay school is located in the historic Lydia Pinkham building. The spacr is host to light Industry, office folks and artists.
The studio is well equipped, staffed by patient, skilled and helpful instructors. The culture is very supportive and comfortable.
If looking for someplace to work clay in peace or in a structured setting, check them out.

I had dabbled in clay before, but it had been nearly 15 years — now I am totally hooked. My Friday morning class is perfect. Great group of people there, all working on various projects. The creativity is really inspiring, and there’s always more to learn. I’ve had classes with 3 instructors so far: Kerstin, Alice & Erica. They’re all great, and learning from different people has been cool, because they each have their own take on techniques.
They provide all the materials, and when I say ALL, I mean a huge array of stamps, plaster forms, molds, glazes, underglazes, etc. 2 large kilns are running nearly constantly, and there are 10 – 12 wheels for throwing as well as lots of space to work off the wheel.
A thriving studio with great people that is big enough to offer everything I need but small enough that people really get to know each other. A great community, and my bowls are improving!

I’m currently in my second session of classes at the Clay School, and am absolutely loving it! As other reviewers have mentioned, the ²⁴⁄₇ studio access really puts the Clay School ahead of other ceramics studios in the area. I came to the studio having never worked with clay — having the freedom to come and work at the studio at any time and put my new skills to use has really helped me progress quickly and feel confident in what I’ve learned.
The teachers are all wonderful and have created such a warm, positive environment for everyone. The studio itself is fully stocked with work tables, tools galore, kilns, slab roller, extruder, an array of glazes, personal shelf space, and endless inspiration from fellow students and teachers. The fact that glazings and firings are included in the cost of clay is another really nice aspect — it seems so many studios charge by the pound, etc. for firings, which can really limit experimentation if you’re worried about cost. At the Clay School, they’re happy to fill up the kiln with any and all weird projects :)
I have will continue to recommend the Clay School to beginners, experienced potters, and anyone in between!

I love the clay school! All of the teachers are super knowledgeable and helpful. There are also a lot of other students that I enjoyed talking to and learning from. They provide cool projects at each class that you can work on, or you can do your own thing. Either way they offer guidance and instruction throughout the process. ²⁴⁄₇ studio access was awesome to have, as well as glazes and firing being included in tuition. I got to make a lot of stuff! If i wasn’t moving I would continue to take classes. I’m going to miss my clay family!

I have tried 3 studios in Boston and the surrounding area, and The Clay School is the best by far. Learning the craft from instructors with MFAs has informed my style in beautiful ways. My abilities have grown substantially since I started at the studio over a year ago. The abundant tools, glazes and equipment allows me to create and experiment. Everything is fired promptly and often hand delivered to my shelf! The entire staff overflows with kindness, patience and abundant desire to help and inspire. I adore this studio!

This really is an amazing place!
For anyone who is looking for a studio to really learn the art of working in clay… this is the place. They have ²⁴⁄₇ access to the studio which I just love. I can go work anytime I want on my pottery. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The studio is full of talented artists and that has to be due to the teaching staff who are so well educated and talented in their own right. I have been impressed with how advanced some of the techniques they use are including turning my drawings into silkscreens to be used on the clay. They even get nationally known visiting artists every year to do workshops. This year is was Meredith Host and awesome!
I have been very impressed with The Clay School and would highly recommend it to others. They have a large following of students who go every session and that is a great sign that they are doing something right!

I love this studio! From the time you walk in to the little comfy seating area until the time you leave you feel like family. Everyone is encouraging and helpful, the space is great and the expertise is phenomenal.
Kirsten and Doreen are both excellent teachers as well as talented artists in their own right. They also have artists in residence who are friendly, talented and welcoming. There is plenty of space and lots of communal tools if you don’t want to have to invest right away until you know what you like. Also, each class includes the price of a 25 lb block of clay, so there are no hidden costs to start creating.
I am very happy with my mosaic tile class and will be starting a throwing class after the holidays. Highly recommended!
My only comment would be that the studio is a little hard to find the first time. It is in the Lydia Pinkett building on the third floor at the very back, but the staircases are not all in one place so it took me a few minutes the first time to wander around before I found it. There are no signs pointing the way.