Before Studio Glob in Smithfield had pottery wheels spinning or shelves stacked with handmade mugs, it existed as a running conversation between Will Stiles and his wife, Michelle Antelo. Both worked steady jobs that paid the bills but left little room for creativity. The solution, Stiles says, came from a shared pipe dream.
“In every partnership, you have pipe dreams,” Stiles says. “We both worked monotonous jobs that sucked the soul.” Those conversations kept circling back to the same idea: a place where people could relax, try pottery without pressure, and make something tangible with their hands.
That idea began to take shape after the couple tried to find a pottery class themselves. “None of the studios in Rhode Island had single-day classes,” Stiles says. “If they did, it was pre-fired pottery painting. We had to drive an hour and a half into Massachusetts just to get on a wheel.” When he searched for “pottery studio near me”, the result was hard to ignore. “There was a gaping hole in the middle of Rhode Island, with Blackstone Valley as the center,” he says.
So instead of letting that empty space sit, they molded a solution – one built on spinning wheels, open access, and a whole lot of clay.
Today, Studio Glob is a bright, welcoming creative space designed for beginners, hobbyists, and seasoned makers alike. From the moment visitors walk through the door, the tone is intentionally playful. Colorful, oversized globs cover the walls, inviting people to tap into their inner child. “We want to show that anyone can make ceramics,” Stiles says. “There is zero pressure to be an artisan. Your commitment level is entirely up to you. Pottery is for everyone.”
Behind the scenes, the studio works because Stiles and Antelo bring different strengths to the table. Stiles, a former graphic designer and web developer, built the brand and website. Antelo handles scheduling, logistics, and the operational backbone of the business. “In many ways, we are complete opposites,” Stiles says. “But we fill in each other’s gaps.”
Building Studio Glob was a hands-on effort in every sense. The space required major repairs, from rebuilding walls to constructing shelves and tables. The couple spent nearly all their savings and worked around the clock to open in under a month. Early marketing was just as scrappy. Stiles stood on a nearby corner spinning a wooden sign that read, “Make pottery here.”
“People would come in and say, ‘We saw the guy with the arrow,’” he says.
Then one day, the arrow wasn’t needed anymore. Classes were full, members lingered, and the studio had momentum. “We looked around and realized we had arrived,” Stiles says.
What keeps Studio Glob thriving is the community that has formed inside it. Members cheer each other on, mourn kiln mishaps together, and bring cookies just because. “We treat each customer like friends and family,” Stiles says. “We didn’t open to make money. We wanted to create the studio space that wasn’t there when we needed it.”
With new classes, equipment, and a growing team on the way, Studio Glob continues to evolve – but its mission remains rooted in access, joy, and connection. For class listings, memberships, and upcoming workshops, visit studioglob.com.
Studio Glob
375 Putnam Pike Suite 9, Smithfield, 02917
(401) 391-4197
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