About the Owner

Sue Hevey, owner of Clay Mates, has been sharing her love of art and ceramics with the community for more than five decades. Her passion for painting began in grade school and grew into a lifelong calling rooted in creativity, teaching, and connection.

Sue began taking ceramics classes in 1976 and started sharing her knowledge with friends in a small basement studio in her home in 1983. After earning her ceramics certification and winning Best of Show in a Pioneer Valley Ceramics Association competition, she pursued her dream of opening a studio where people of all ages could experience the joy of creating something with their own hands.

That dream became a reality in October 1994, when Clay Mates opened its doors in Belchertown, Massachusetts.

Since then, Sue has brought creativity, happiness, and countless smiles to generations of families throughout the community.

Over the years, children have hugged her at the end of birthday parties saying, “This was the best birthday I’ve ever had.” Parents have stopped in grocery stores when their kids excitedly whisper, “Mommy, look — there’s Clay Mates!” She’s even been recognized at a stoplight, waving back at a full school bus of smiling children.

Her granddaughter once told her, “Grandma, almost everybody in my school knows you.” When Sue asked why, the answer was simple: “I think you’re famous.”

Sue wouldn’t call it fame — she calls it joy.

After all these years, she can honestly say she has never woken up thinking, “I have to go to work today.” Because when you love what you do, it never feels like work.

Clay Mates is a locally owned paint-your-own pottery and ceramics studio in Belchertown, Massachusetts, created to be a welcoming place where people of all ages and skill levels can express their creativity.

More than just a studio, Clay Mates is a community gathering place — a space with no expectations, only encouragement, fun, and individuality. We offer walk-in painting, birthday parties, group events, classes, and seasonal workshops, along with a wide selection of ceramic pieces and painting options.

Families have watched their children grow up at Clay Mates, and many now return with kids of their own — continuing traditions that began with a first painted plate, mug, or keepsake.

Clay Mates is committed to providing a friendly, inclusive environment where everyone can relax, create, and leave with something meaningful they made themselves.

Because at Clay Mates, it’s never just about ceramics — it’s about memories.