Ceramics/Pottery
The Clay School, Room 316
@theclayschool
kirstenbassion.com

Kirsten Bassion is the owner of The Clay School in the Lydia Pinkham Building. Kirsten received her MFA in Ceramics from Rochester Institute of Technology. Her colorful pottery is shown in museum gallery shops and art galleries around the country.

This is her 19th year running Open Studios, and this January will be our 20th anniversary at The Clay School.

Ceramics/Pottery
Kimberly Allison, Room 316
@kallisonceramics
kallisonceramics.com

My name is Kimberly Allison, and I’m a ceramic artist and instructor from Salem, Massachusetts. I’ve loved creating with my hands since I was a small child, but I never saw myself as an artist, because art was the stuff of museums, the “look but don’t touch” inaccessible masterworks.

Thinking that traditional art couldn’t be my path, I took a decade-long detour into a career in graphic design and film. But something was always missing, and in a quest to find it, I signed up for ceramics classes in 2012. The rest is history.

In clay, I discovered a medium that celebrates the connection between sight and touch, inviting interaction, not detachment. Pottery is for viewing, yes, but it also craves engagement and is designed to be used, cherished, and woven into our daily lives. It’s a part of our shared culture.

My current body of work celebrates and explores the materiality of clay, its raw, elemental beauty, and its inherent tactile qualities. Iceland’s volcanoes, lava fields, black sand beaches, glaciers, and breathtaking terrain inspire my textures, and I draw form inspiration from both Scandinavian and Japanese design.

For me, the creative journey is as important as the finished pot. I work in small batches of 6-8 pieces if I’m throwing on the wheel or 1-2 pieces if I’m building with coils. My process starts with a sliver of an idea, and then the clay and I work together through several iterations to make the idea a reality. I am also working to develop my own clay bodies and glaze recipes.

I use a wide variety of smooth and groggy dark clay bodies, and my surface texture is mostly achieved through experiments with a myriad of slips, textural additives, and application processes.

Most of my pieces have no glaze on the outside and a quiet, complimentary glaze on the inside, chosen to support the elemental beauty of the raw exteriors.

This is Kim’s 13th year participating in Open Studios, and her 12th as part of the planning team.

Ceramics/Pottery
Kyle Day, Room 316
@kdceramicdesign

Patina, permanence, and the passage of time.

In my work, I explore how time and our interactions with everyday objects affect the world around us, focusing on how manmade objects are gradually worn down over time.

My artistic process involves coiling and pinching the clay to form the final object. I then add layers of slip, colored with black stain and iron oxides, to create depth. Finally, I apply several coats of terra sigillata, burnishing between layers to give each coating a lustrous sheen.

My work is created in porcelain and fired to cone 7 in an electric kiln. This is my 13th year participating in Open Studios and my 12th as part of the planning team.

Painting
Christine Johnson, Room 301A
@cjohnsonstudio
cjohnsonstudio.com

In this crazy world where we are surrounded by all kinds of chaos, I use the influence of living near the ocean to try and create an environment that is calm and peaceful. To me, there is something magical and even spiritual that happens in the space where the sky meets the water. Is it liquid, or solid, or something else?

The intention of my painting is to portray a sense of depth by layering washes of color that can take you to a place that, although abstract, looks and feels like water or sky that you can swim or float through as you fall into peaceful contemplation, meditation or reflection.

I don’t always start with a vision in mind of the finished painting. I often start with a color and let it flow where it takes me. I enjoy producing larger size paintings that can fill my field of vision, and that involve my whole body to create, but usually produce small studies on paper first. Over recent years, I have come to realize that I enjoy the small works just as much and that they can stand on their own with the same calming effect.

Custom Clothing and Alterations
Michelle Fournier designer/ tailor, Room 208A

I make stuff you can wear.

Recycled Newspapers
Kathy Cormier, Room 114
@couture.planet
coutureplanet.com

Couture Planet is a woman-owned company that creates fashion handbags from 100% post-consumer materials. We are proud to be a Made in the USA company.

Ceramics/Pottery
Roy Natian, Room 316
@roysclayco
roysclay.co

Working with my hands has always been important to me, and pottery became my way to reconnect with my creativity. I started taking pottery seriously over three years ago at The Clay School, learning through classes with Kim Allison and independent practice. Influenced by my background in mathematics, minimalist design, and a childhood surrounded by art, I'm drawn to geometric forms and the interplay of shape and color in both functional and sculptural pieces.

I balance careful planning with adaptability, often allowing unplanned deviations to guide new creative directions. My goal is work that achieves visual coherence and, when functional, reliable utility.

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Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Roy earned a BS in mathematics and studied graphic design at UCLA. He works in tech but spends most of his free time at the studio working with clay.

This is Roy's second year participating in Open Studios.

Enamels and More
Tim Hansen, Room 313C
@digsenamels
digsenamels.com

Tim's artistic path is an exploration of the boundless possibilities of copper enamels, rooted in an aesthetic inspired by rugged New England's landscapes and shores. It is a journey that celebrates the untamed beauty of nature and the imperfections woven through the tapestry of existence by the human hand.

Tim's enameling passion can be traced back to traditional European blue and white enamels of the 1970s. This spark of inspiration ignited the birth of Digs Enamels Studio in 2013, marking the beginning of an artistic odyssey. Through the years, Tim's explorative creative process has yielded a diverse and expressive body of work, reflecting the unpredictable nature of enameling.

From expansive multi-paneled sculptures to the intimate, kiln- fired creations of his studio and meticulously crafted jewelry, every element of the work emerges slowly, a testament to Tim’s unwavering craftsmanship. Each piece embodies alchemy– a harmonious fusion of copper and enamel that refreshes traditional artistry. Tim's background in design serves as the compass guiding his creative process, emphasizing the significance of the "how" in the act of making. He is attuned to the minute details of handmade creations, whether it be the intricacies of a clasp or the precision of a pin. Every resulting piece is a labor of love, marked by rich textures resulting from the synthesis of ancient and modern techniques.

In Tim's art, we find a celebration of the enduring allure of handcrafted copper and enamel, creating narratives that resonate with the soul. His creations tell stories; of the innate connection between the artist's hands and the raw materials they shape, and of the profound beauty that emerges from this union. Tim's art is an ode to the past, present, and future of enameling.

Pottery/Ceramics
Room 316
@kg_ceramic

I make small-batch, handmade ceramics that are simple, functional, and thoughtfully designed. I focus on clean shapes, natural textures, and subtle details that add a quiet beauty to everyday life. My pieces are made from stoneware, which is strong and meant to be used daily. Since I started working with clay in 2021, my goal has been to create pieces that feel grounding and bring a sense of calm to the routines and spaces we live in.

Paintings, Drawings
Freda Nemirovsky, Room 305
@freda_nemirovsky

Freda Nemirovsky is an award winning artist. She is inspired by a variety of visual rhythms in nature created by light and color. She works primarily from direct observation. As Freda tries to capture the beauty of a particular subject she relies on patterns of bold color and subtle tonal ranges.

She lives on the North Shore of Boston with her husband and three children.

Ceramics/Pottery
Gina Chase, Room 311L

Working in clay has been my hobby for over 20 years. I enjoy making functional pieces with designs inspired by nature and local architecture. I use mostly stoneware and my favorite decorating technique is sgraffito.

Metalsmith
Lindsay Welch, Room 314D
@_naladesigns
nala-designs.com

Nala Designs offers hand-crafted sterling silver and copper jewelry made by Lindsay Welch in Gloucester, MA using slow-fashion metalsmithing practices. Ethically sourced, upcycled, and found materials include silver, copper, wood, and stones.

Ceramics/Pottery
The Clay School, Room 316

Paint…Coffee…Wire
Artem Buynevich, Room 309
@absloth

Painting, Murals, Crochet, Dance, Wire Rings

Mended Cashmere and denim throws.
Michèle Fandel Bonner, Room 313C
michelebonner.com

I rescue and give damaged cashmere sweaters a new life. By visibly mending them, they regain their use, stay out of waste stream, and become beautiful one of a kind sweaters. I also transform jeans in to throws that will only get better with time and use. These are only available at The Lydia Pinkham Open Studio event.

Pottery
Room 316

Pastel and Oil Paintings
Annette Sykes, Room 403 AB
@PaintbytheOcean
paintbytheocean.com

Annette Sykes is an observational artist whose work captures the quiet presence of the ordinary. Through pastel, oil, and watercolor, she transforms familiar subjects—the curve of a glass bottle, the shifting light along the coast, the subtle gesture of a model—into moments of stillness and resonance.

Her series Antiquing with Bob, inspired by weekend excursions with her husband across New England, features antique glass bottles and objects once utilitarian, now treasured as relics. In her compositions, these vessels hold both memory and atmosphere, becoming stand-ins for people, relationships, and the emotional weight of shared time.

Sykes also works extensively in landscape and figure painting. Along the North Shore coastline, her plein air studies trace the rhythm of weather and light. In her figure work, she attends to the quiet gravity of the human form. Across all subjects, her process is immersive and contemplative, with drawing functioning as both meditation and record.

What unites her practice is a reverence for presence and a curiosity about how objects, places, and bodies hold meaning over time.

Annette Sykes works from her studio at the Lydia Pinkham Building in Lynn, Massachusetts, and exhibits regularly throughout the North Shore. To view more of her work, find new pieces, or contact the artist, please visit www.paintbytheocean.com

Annette's art reflects both her surroundings and her personal journey. Through her paintings, she seeks to capture not only what she observes but also the strong sense of belonging she feels within her community. Her work embodies the creativity, connection and inspiration that define her life as an artist on Boston's North Shore.

Ceramics/Pottery
Vicky Blanco
The Clay School, Room 316
@eeya_ceramics

Vicky Blanco is the potter behind EEYA Ceramics. She enjoys creating functional hand-made pieces that communicate warmth, strength and connection. Her work utilizes red clay and porcelain slip, and carved patterned surfaces that reference nature.

Vicky grew up in Bolivia. Surrounded by mountains, diverse culture, nature and a close family. She developed a love for artistic expression at an early age. She holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, and spent many years working on branding, interaction and information design projects. In early 2019 she started classes at The Clay School and immediately fell in love with this medium and has since focused her creative energy on clay.

Vicky crafts meaningful pieces – finding a connection with her roots in design, and exploring form and the creation of patterns on the clay surface. She believes in the power of living a life surrounded by beauty and nature. She values the sense of human touch and the energy to pass it onto others with each piece. EEYA is the phonetic spelling of “IYA”, a Guarani dialect word that refers to the energy found in things made from the earth. "EEYA" is created with new pottery and passed on to each owner as new "EEYA".

Vicky finds great joy in creating pots and wishes to share that joy with those who use them. Today she lives in Lynnfield with her family and is a happy maker.

Handmade Photography
Patricia Scialo, Room 301B
@patricia_scialo
patriciascialo.com

Patricia's concentration on historic and alternative processes in photography has lead to the creation of handmade, unique prints, that combine mixed media techniques such as hand-tinting, encaustic, and hand paper-making. Inspired by the interaction of material and subject, approaching an interweaving of the two.

Patricia has exhibited at numerous art centers on the east coast and internationally. She has been awarded state fellowship grants, several Best of Show Awards and she is the 2020 winner of the Women in Photography, 15th Julia Margaret Cameron Gala Awards, Barcelona.

Photography and Mixed Media
Christina Rootes-Hunter, Room 409

I am a local woman, semi retired, enjoying the beach and locsl beauty. I live to share my perspective and interpretation of the ocwan and local flowers. I do classes and decoupage for those interezted.

Oil Painting
Rosario Ortiz, Room 316
art_by_rosario
artbyrosario.com

I have been captivated and drawn to the arts my entire life, through painting, piano or writing poetry. For different and challenging reasons, I remained an autodidact painter. I fell in love with oils around December of 2019. This experience was so dramatic that I had to take painting seriously; it profoundly changed my path.

This media has helped me find my voice creating a language of colors that certainly invites an audience to engage in a conversation.

I am interested in creating, through layers, artwork that displays sensitivity and contains substance.

I need to express emotions and capture the essence of still life and landscapes, intimate encounters with the new experiences of the process of creating.

I keep on exploring techniques and colors, staying true to myself in my need to communicate through my art.

I have presented my paintings in several exhibits and juried shows in my area as well as at International Art competitions, earning awards.

Currently, I am trying to paint in diverse translucent layers to create my own technique in a faithful fashion from my home studio in South Florida.

Ceramics/Pottery
Erica von Schilgen
The Clay School, Room 316
@barnmothstudio
barnmothstudio Etsy

Erica von Schilgen has been working in several different media since receiving her BFA in Sculpture from MassArt in 2002. For many years she showed her kinetic sculpture in galleries and museums throughout New England. Recently she has fallen in love with clay and has applied her whimsical style and warm color palette to her pottery “Barn Moth Studio”. Inspired by her love of gardening, nature, and children’s books she creates intricately detailed stoneware pottery with unique surface imagery. In January she began teaching pottery at The Clay School. She lives in Nahant, MA.

Painting
Liana Kim, Room 402
@lianakimpaints

Liana Kim is an artist and art therapist working in Lynn, MA. Her paintings are colorful explorations of nature's patterns, from the micro to the macro and beyond. She is often inspired by the cosmos and loves to incorporate light and depth as main elements of her work. She has a BA in painting from the University of Colorado and a MA in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University, and also studied fine art at Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy. She believes in the healing power of art and is excited to be showcasing her work at the Lydia Pinkham Open Studios.

Ceramics/Pottery
Emily Stuart, The Clay School, Room 316
@essexmoonceramics

I am a ceramic artist living in downtown Salem. My background in graphic design and sculpture inspires the forms and motifs of my work. In addition to The Clay School, I have studied clay, stone and wood sculpture at The MFA Museum School and the Decordova Museum School.

Sculpture
Mary Spitzer, Room 301E

My work is informed by many sources- the color and density of logs and tree branches, the shapes of found objects, and their history and whether they have been broken or not. Added to this palette of influences are my thoughts and emotions which consciously and unconsciously roam around my studio where my wood is stacked on shelves like volumes in a library, next to my tools hanging on other racks, metal gouges of various curvature and finally pieces of unfinished sculptures waiting to be resolved into an idea.

For the last few years themes of the damaged environment and the unrecognized people who lived before us have begun to be seen and appreciated in our society. My piece of sculpture, “ Canyon Rim”, that has emerged from the gorgeous cherry slab is a memorial piece and a celebratory piece about this moment as we look over that canyon of history.

Ceramics/Pottery
The Clay School, Room 316

Handmade costume jewelry, ceramics, and knickknacks
Next to the Mail Room! 102A

Piano Classes and Lessons
Bradford Alderman, Rooms 302 and 317
@northshorepianostudio
northshorepianostudio.com

Founded in 2018, North Shore Piano Studio is passionate about making music accessible to everyone. With three studios within the Lydia Pinkham building (rooms 216, 302, 317), we serve over 100 students weekly through individual lessons for all ages and welcoming group classes for adult beginners. Our experienced instructors focus on making learning piano fun and effective, helping students build both skill and confidence. Whether you're 5 years old or 95 years old, we believe everyone can discover the joy of playing piano!

Pottery, Algae Presses, Prints
The Clay School, Room 316
angelajjones.com
@angelajordanee

I am part of a family of artists and naturalists. I grew up with my great grandparents and grandparents always working on paintings. I am the only potter in the family, but I love adding hand painted elements of nature to my pieces. I took my first ceramics class as an undergraduate student in 2013 and fell in love with the medium. The majority of my work is wheel thrown functional pieces that have hand carved or hand built elements.

I am currently a PhD Candidate in Marine and Environmental Sciences, and I use ceramics as an outlet to express my creative inspiration and expression of the natural world. In 2022, I joined The Clay School after I moved to Massachusetts for grad school. This is my fourth time (Whoo hoo!) participating in the Lydia Pinkham Open Studios event. I am so excited to share more of the ocean art media this year in the form of Algae Presses and photographs I’ve taken while scuba diving or from under a microscope!

Ceramics/Pottery
Rhonda Hansen, Room 316
@leewarepottery

I liken my clay creations to the way I strive to live my life: with joy, serenity and a whole lot of whimsy.

My mostly handbuilt and sculptural pieces are inspired by the ocean shore and all its creatures within and without.

This is my first time participating in Open Studios and am truly thankful for this opportunity to share my art.

Ceramics/Pottery
The Clay School, Room 316

Sewing, Upcycling, Lessons
Tracy Walsh, Room 301
@lepetit.studio_

Ceramics/Pottery
Room 316
bisquettestudio.com
@Bisquette_Studio

Pottery/Ceramics
Room 316
@reve_drapeau_ceramics

Animation and Audio Production
Wil Renderos, Room 212
@audio_chemists
http://audiochemists.net

We use art, video, and audio to create a better world.

Audio Chemists is a minority-owned creative production studio comprised of a talented team of creatives, filmmakers, animators, audio engineers, video editors, and communications strategists. We bring multiple years of experience in crafting digital media projects and campaigns for federal, state, and local agencies that aim to improve the lives of BIPOC individuals and their communities, which have been made vulnerable due to inequitable circumstances.

With extensive experience in public health, youth engagement, and community organizing, we craft compelling, captivating narratives that effectively convey public health information for various communication channels, including print, digital, social media, and audiovisual platforms. At AC, we are focused on promoting health and wellness resources, dispelling misinformation and stigma, and championing change in communities. Our team is devoted to developing culturally sensitive projects that resonate with diverse audiences to inspire action, build community, and educate.

Additionally, we work closely with local communities and organizations to promote collaboration, foster a sense of shared ownership and empower individuals. One of our differentiators as a creative production studio includes our robust technical expertise in both digital media production and public health. The depth of our technical expertise in both areas allows us to provide nuanced approaches that allow for innovative and creative communication strategies which many digital media production houses without public health experience may struggle to provide.

Ceramics/Pottery
The Clay School, Room 316

Ceramics/Pottery
Emily Huckins, Room 315
@lets.get.em.pottered

Ceramics/Pottery
Lisa Markham, The Clay School, Room 316
@LisaPagePottery

Lisa Page has been at the Clay School for 12 years consistently honing her craft. She brings back to the Open Studios her ever-evolving unique, colorful, and whimsical pieces that put joy and delight into everyday ritual.