Our Team
Chin Lin
Co Owner/ Instructor
Chin started pottery as a freshman in college to release the pressure of college life. He started teaching the year after in 1983. Over the years, he met many students who were able to use pottery to center their lives. He believes that a pottery studio should be a place of support through ceramics and the act of making art. He has been teaching for over forty years in different studios including MIT Student Art Association, MIT Glass and Ceramic Lab, UC Berkely Student Center, and LexArt.
Chin grew up in Taiwan and came to the US when he was 15. His work is influenced by both his oriental background as well as the modern US education. He throws classic forms and builds abstract sculptures. From potter Jeff Margolin, Chin learned how to stretch an almost leather hard cylinder, resulting in light weight large forms. He also studied under South Korea master potter Kaw-Kyung Tae, focusing on making Onggi, a traditional large storage container for fermentation.
To Chin, clay is a fluid material. It is up to the artist to transform it, just like life, it is up to you.
Sabina Berretta
Co Owner
Sabina is a co-founder of Tail in the Mud. She started doing pottery in 1991, at the MIT SAA, where she and Chin met. Although her research job often keeps her away from the studio for long stretches, her love for pottery is always there. She enjoys making everyday things that are both useful and interesting to look at. She treasures the humbling feeling of holding a piece of earth in her hands, with so many possibilities hidden in it. Just as much, she cherishes how pottery can help build a small community – how easy and playful it feels to sit, working on a piece, chatting with whoever walks through the door, sharing ideas and listening to music together. She hopes that everyone who spends time at Tail in the Mud, whether only once or over many years, will feel truly welcome into a safe, supportive, open and joyful shared space.
Elise is a multidisciplinary artist from Haverhill, Massachusetts. She received her BFA in Ceramics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is drawn to creating large abstract ceramic sculptures that explore motion, tension, and connection through vivid color.
As Studio Manager at Tail in the Mud, Elise enjoys supporting a creative and welcoming environment where people can experiment, learn, and grow through clay. She’s passionate about helping others discover the expressive possibilities of ceramics and the joy that comes from working with their hands
Sayaka Rawizza
Instructor
Sayaka grew up in Kamakura, a historical town on the coast of Japan. She received a Master's in Fine Arts from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and has over 30 years of experience in ceramics. In her studio located in Arlington, Massachusetts, Sayaka creates both functional pottery and decorative porcelain art. Her work is deeply inspired by nature, and she constantly experiments with glazes, forms, and surface decorations, eager to discover new ways to express her artistic vision. She is excited to share her love of ceramics with students and help them unlock their creativity.
