A Community Pottery Studio For Asbury Park

Hi there — I’m the very lucky human behind AP CLAY, and if you’re reading this, it probably means you’ve either driven by the new building on Springwood Avenue and wondered what’s going on… or someone told you there’s a new pottery studio in town and you said, “Wait… in Asbury Park??” Yep. Right here. Clay. Mud. Kilns. Community. And probably a little dust (it’s pottery — it happens).
Let me start from the beginning.

I bought this little corner of Springwood Avenue back in 2018. I didn’t exactly know how long it would take (spoiler: longer than I thought) but I knew I wanted to build something here that felt rooted in the community. Not just a building. Not just a business. But a space where people could come together, learn something new, make a mess, and maybe even surprise themselves.

And because I love this town — and I love a good pun — I called it AP CLAY. Asbury Park Clay. Simple. No mystery. No weird branding exercise. Just clay… in Asbury Park.

Okay, so I’m a neurologist by day (yes, really), and pottery? Well… pottery is my other brain. In 4th grade I made a clay mug in art class. Then a few years ago — way before I moved here — I took a pottery class in NYC because I was bored on weekends. My very first mug was, frankly, hideous. But I loved it. It was lopsided and wonky and absolutely perfect. It reminded me that we all start somewhere — and that there’s beauty in imperfection.

Fast forward a decade or so… and here I am building a whole clay studio from the ground up. Think of it like this: AP CLAY is part working pottery studio, part classroom, part community hub, part art gallery, and (hopefully) part magic.

We’ll have:

• Pottery classes for adults (beginners VERY welcome)
• Workshops with visiting artists
• Open studio time for members
• A small gallery & retail shop featuring local ceramics
• Live/work studio space for artists-in-residence
• Semi-private workspaces for local makers
• And my favorite dream project — AP Clay College — a non-profit to support young artists from Asbury Park who might not otherwise have access to a creative space like this.

If you’ve ever wanted to get your hands dirty, meet creative folks, or just sit at a wheel and zone out from your phone for a while — this place is for you.

It was never even a question for me where to build. Springwood Avenue is the heart of this community. It’s a street with history — with stories — and I’m honored to be a small part of its next chapter. Yes, I love being near the ocean. Yes, I wanted to be close to home. But this block? It spoke to me. This is where I wanted to build something that belonged to the community — not just to me.

Plus, with places like the Turf Club being revived, the Asbury Park History Museum coming down the street, and local programs like Kula Cafe already doing incredible things — it felt right.

We’re finishing construction this May (give or take a few finishing touches). There may be a soft opening this summer — think of it like a sneak peek — but we’ll be fully up and running come September. Trust me, I’m just as excited (and impatient) as you are.

This is a space for beginners, hobbyists, professional potters, and people who just want to look at pretty mugs. This is a space for neighbors. For community. For people who want to try something new.

Most of our classes and programming will be for adults (pottery studios and very young children don’t always mix — for obvious reasons). But AP Clay College — the non-profit piece — will be all about offering scholarships and opportunities for creative kids from Asbury Park, especially those who might not otherwise have access to an arts education. That’s personal for me. Art and pottery has brought me an extra level of happiness— and I want to pay that forward.

We’ll offer memberships — everything from casual access to semi-private studio spaces with shelving and storage for more dedicated potters. There will be classes and workshops throughout the week, open studio hours, and some retail/gallery hours where folks can pop in to see what’s happening (and maybe buy a local mug or two).

We’re still finalizing the hours and schedules — because let’s be honest — building something like this is part plan, part flexibility, and a whole lot of figuring it out as we go.

I know pottery might not be the first thing you think of when you think of Asbury Park. But I’m hoping to change that. Because clay has a funny way of bringing people together. It slows you down. It teaches patience. It involves problem solving. It makes you laugh at yourself (trust me). And when you make something with your own hands — something that didn’t exist before — it sticks with you.

Kind of like a good neighborhood. Or a good story. Or a lopsided mug.

Come see us at AP CLAY soon. Let’s make something together.