Clay Dreaming was independently established by Tracie. A native of Cape Ann, she has been working in clay for over 25 years.  Tracie spent several years in western MA earning her B.F.A. at UMass Amherst, where she also had the privilege to apprentice under Master Potters, Michael Cohen & Angela Fina.

Tracie’s utilitarian works are on display & for sale

Heather attended Salem State University, earning her BA in Business.  Always finding her way back to the art world she believes that art should be something everyone can enjoy on some level regardless of experience or skill.

“Watching people connect with one another and enjoy themselves while creating gives me great appreciation of my role here”

Jo-Alice has been working with clay for 30+ years at various North Shore studios.  What started as a hobby while raising a family and working as a pastry chef became her main focus: a passion for teaching and creating with clay. 

Much of Jo-Alice’s work is functional ware but she also enjoys producing saggar and experimenting with other alternative firing techniques.  Jo-Alice has a wide variety of clay experience to share and has taught with many beginners to advanced students to find enjoyment and creativity in clay.

Angela Cook enrolled in her first ceramic class at the age of eight and began her lifelong journey in clay and her passion for the art.  She enjoys bringing out that creative spirit in others and has been instructing the Teen Clay Class and participating as a studio potter at Clay Dreaming for over 10 years.

She draws a strong inspiration from nature and that is evident in her botanical and faux bois pieces.

  “Nature gives us so many wonderful tools for free, it’s hard not to be inspired”

Nancy Priest has been creating ceramics in the Greater Boston area since the late 1980s, and locally since 2003.  She has been teaching at Clay Dreaming for over 6 years.  She is a passionate champion of the environment, and her clay work is influenced by patterns and imagery she has gathered from kayaking coastal New England, hiking forests and meadows, and remembrances of bygone days as a text designer and rockabilly rebel.

Nancy considers user-friendliness an important aspect of her functional work, and her sculpture asks the viewer to allow for emotion, perhaps tapping into their own memory bank. You may view Nancy’s work on Pinterset and nancysanart on Instagram.

Samantha has been working with clay since she was 8 years old. She has a degree in elementary education.

When she’s not in the clay studio she can be found hiking in the woods with dogs

Neil has been working with clay for the past 20+ years mainly at the Clay Dreaming studio. What started as a hobby to provide some “me” time while the kids were young has become a passion for Neil which he is happy to share with others through teaching and creating with clay.

Most of Neil’s work is functional but he loves the way that nature can be worked into (and brought out) in the clay pieces we make – whether it’s through the shape, texture or the glazes we use. Being so close to the ocean has especially inspired him to see if he can bring some of that motion/energy into the pieces he makes

“I’m a potter with a passion for creating things from the mud. I enjoy being surrounded by the inspiration and community at Clay Dreaming. I love sharing the magic of clay by teaching others.”

Molly is a local artist in Beverly, MA. What started as her ‘fun, low pressure’ art medium has become her day job. With her background in printmaking, her ceramic works tend toward illustrative decoration and interesting forms. Molly loves teaching, and is always happy to nerd out with students and staff

Emily has been working at Clay Dreaming since November of 2024 after many hours spent enjoying the paint your own pottery (PYOP for short) studio. She now takes clay classes and is a passionate beginner in both handbuilding and wheelthrowing and she still can be found painting in the PYOP studio from time to time. You can follow her art Instagram @the.craft.faerie where her works make very occasional, very spontaneous appearances.

Sonia is an illustrator and nerd that rediscovered pottery in 2021 after decades of focusing on 2D art. They use their vast knowledge of art supplies and techniques in combination with their love for animals to make teeny tiny silly things. Sonia teaches the beginners hand building class on Fridays

Mariah is a local artist and has been working at Clay Dreaming since 2023. She has a love for playing with tactile materials like clay, fabric, and yarn. She also finds joy in seeing others experience the childlike process of playing with color and making a mess in the process like in our paint your own pottery studio!