Our Story
The Clay School
Established in 2005 is now celebrating 18 years in business!
The Clay School offers a variety of classes and workshops for students of all levels. The studio is located in the historic Lydia Pinkham Building in Lynn just over the Salem border and not far from Marblehead, Swampscott, Salem, Saugus, Lynnfield, Reading, Melrose, Peabody, and towns close to I-95/rt 128. Founded in 2005 by Doreen Mastandrea and Kirsten Bassion as North Shore Clay Studio. In 2010 the name was changed to The Clay School continues to be owned by Marblehead resident and professional artist Kirsten Bassion.
The studio is a wonderful environment for students and for artists who, like Kirsten, use the space to create work for galleries and shows. Our community returns year after year, and it is they, along with our excellent teaching staff and open studio policy that make us so special.
Our studios are open to the public every year for our annual sale called the Lydia Pinkham Open Studios. Open Studios takes place every year the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving and gives all artists in the Lydia Pinkham Building a chance to open their doors and show off their work (and sell some art).
Want to learn more about The Clay School?
New Article came out about the business in the Lydia Pinkham Building April 2021 in the Lynn Item Click this link
The studio is a wonderful environment for students and for artists who, like Kirsten, use the space to create work for galleries and shows. Our community returns year after year, and it is they, along with our excellent teaching staff and open studio policy that make us so special.
Our studios are open to the public every year for our annual sale called the Lydia Pinkham Open Studios. Open Studios takes place every year the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving and gives all artists in the Lydia Pinkham Building a chance to open their doors and show off their work (and sell some art).
Want to learn more about The Clay School?
New Article came out about the business in the Lydia Pinkham Building April 2021 in the Lynn Item Click this link
We Won! WE WON!!!
You aren't going to believe this! We joined the Intuit Love Our Local Business Make a Wish contest on a whim. It is a nationwide contest with almost 2000 small business asking for wishes to be granted and a chance for $5000. Our community, friends, and family all rallied and went online everyday to vote for our wish of a NEW KILN!
Intuit picked only 15 wishes to grant and we are psyched and honored that they chose us! Blown away really. So far we are the only art studio that won. Our new kiln is on the way! A new Skutt 1231 PK and new power is being installed in our space so we can run it at the same time as our other. This will be an AMAZING improvement for our studio and clay community!
THANK YOU FOR VOTING!! WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT ALL YOUR LOVE! AND THANK YOU TO INTUIT FOR MAKING OUR WISH COME TRUE!
Our new kiln has arrived!!!
THANK YOU FOR VOTING!! WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT ALL YOUR LOVE! AND THANK YOU TO INTUIT FOR MAKING OUR WISH COME TRUE!
Our new kiln has arrived!!!
Time laps video of Kirsten throwing a 25 lb platter