PINCH

Meet Mark Shapiro — owner of Stonepool Pottery Studio (a hub of national ceramic culture 🙌) and one of the seven artists from the Hilltown 6 whose work is featured in our month-long exhibition at Pinch! 🏺

Mark has had many apprentices throughout his career, including Michael McCarthy and Maya Machin, whose work graces our shop’s shelves full-time!

Explore Mark’s work (and Michael’s and Maya’s, too) at Pinch during our Arts Night Out celebration in honor of the Hilltown 6’s 20th anniversary! Admission is free and open to the public. We will be serving light snacks and refreshments! 😉

📍 Friday, June 12, 2026, from 5-8 pm

Can’t make it into the shop? Our Hilltown 6 collection is now live on our website, pinchgoods.com!

Meet Hiroshi Nakayama — a gifted ceramicist whose aesthetic is shaped by the understated beauty of Japanese art. He is one of the seven members of the Hilltown 6 that we are lucky enough to feature this month as the collective marks its 20th anniversary! 🥳

Hiroshi’s work is defined by his signature Twilight Glow glaze, which creates a highly responsive, light-interactive surface when fired. With a palette that shifts from reddish purple and deep blue to black, gold, and green, each piece emerges from the kiln with a one-of-a-kind finish that only firing can produce! 💫

Stop by Pinch to experience his work for yourself! Hiroshi will be in the shop on Saturday, June 6, from 5-8 pm for our exhibition’s opening and the Artist Talks segment of the reception hosted by Donald Clark.

Entry is free and open to everyone! 🤗 We will have light snacks and refreshments available, plus our owner, Jena, along with the Valley’s pottery community, will be there to celebrate.

More artist features from the Hilltown 6 are on the way, so stay tuned!

👋🏽 Say hello to Maya Machin — an incredible potter and one of the seven artists from the Hilltown 6 that we are spotlighting this month as the group celebrates 20 years together!

Maya throws her pots on a wheel from white stoneware and fires them in a wood-burning kiln for about 18 hours! The elements of surprise, unpredictability, and variation that come from wood-firing add richness to her pots that the hand alone could not create. 🪵🔥

Come see Maya’s work in person at Pinch! She will be in the shop on Saturday, June 6, from 5-8 pm for our exhibition’s opening and the Artist Talks portion of the reception hosted by Donald Clark.

Admission is free and open to the public! Light snacks and wine will be served. 😋 Plus, our owner, Jena, and the greater Valley pottery community will be there. We’d love to see you!

More artist features are on the way — keep your eyes peeled! 👀

Pinch and the Hilltown 6 are proud to announce a month-long collaboration in celebration of the group’s 20th anniversary! 🥳

The Hilltown 6 began as a group of nationally-recognized potters who wanted to create a coordinated studio tour showcasing the breadth of ceramic art being made in Western Massachusetts.🏺 To celebrate their milestone anniversary, we are hosting their group show in the shop from June 1-30 that features work from Michael McCarthy, Maya Machin, Hiroshi Nakayama, Mark Shapiro, Christy Knox, Robbie Heidinger, and Sam Taylor.

We’re kicking off the month-long exhibition with an Opening Reception and Artist Talks hosted by Donald Clark on Saturday, June 6th, from 5-8 pm at Pinch! The exhibition and corresponding events are free and open to the public! 🍷 Wine and light snacks will be served, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with the artists, explore the display, and celebrate the rich legacy of studio pottery in the region.

⏰ Opening Reception & Artist Talks on Saturday, June 6th, 2026 from 5-8 pm

🗓️ Hilltown Exhibition at Pinch for the entire month of June

📍 179 Main Street in Northampton, MA