Our Purpose
We exist to give artists a space to say “yes” to things, by empowering them to make their craft their livelihood. We provide creative people the means to explore their gifts in a space designed just for them, and retreat to nature alongside a tight-knit yet diverse community where they can work, live, and create.
Our mission is to help artists live out their true calling.
Our Values
Access
We provide access to a fulfilling life of art through modern amenities, creative community, and durable living-meets-workplace. We remove the barriers to art by combining the place where artists work, live, and create.
Exploration
We help artists expand mentally, spatially, and creatively by placing them among nature with their fellow creatives. Without the constraints of urban artistic setbacks, residents are free to let their minds wander.
Community
We connect a diverse set of individuals, perspectives, and artforms within a calming community. Providing more opportunity for deeper connections, where moments of quiet solitude can be coupled with lively togetherness.
Our Story
The story is in the name itself. “Splitrock” is the name of the large glacial-erratic granite boulder sitting atop a hill in Ryan’s family yard, just down the road in Byfield, MA. Ryan spent his youth climbing this rock, exploring the split in search of crystals and treasures, and enjoying the woods from its peak.
Ryan’s parents, kind givers by nature, always instilled the importance of paying it forward to their two artistic, entrepreneurial sons. With their love and support, Ryan has become an award-winning sculptor with that same desire to pass generosity onto others and do the right thing. And so, it only made sense for the rock that taught him to reach for something bigger, to serve as the namesake for Splitrock Studios. A place to live, create, and keep climbing until you reach your dream.
And the next, and the next.
Who We Are
Ryan and Lindsay on the site of Splitrock Studios in 2024.
Ryan Kelley
Ryan is the visionary and passionate force behind Splitrock Studios.
Born and raised right here in Byfield, Ryan discovered art in high school, finding in the creative process a sense of purpose, identity, and direction that would shape the course of his life.
A self-taught artist, Ryan has spent more than a decade building a career defined by craftsmanship, connection, and the will to try. Through his practice, Wire By Ryan, he has created hundreds of original works and commissioned pieces, transforming wire, wood, metal, and stone into sculptures that balance strength with organic movement.
Beyond his own studio practice, Ryan has long been committed to nurturing the creative community around him. From his early involvement with the Newburyport Art Association as both a member and board member, to collaborations with schools, organizations, and fellow artists, he believes art thrives when it is shared, taught, and built in community. Splitrock Studios is the natural evolution of that belief: a space designed not only for making, but for helping other artists build lives around their work.
Lindsay Hall
Lindsay works behind the scenes to make Splitrock Studios a reality.
Also a North Shore native, Lindsay has been creating art for as long as she can remember. She studied both Art Education and Art History at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts and has spent more than a decade building a career that bridges fine art, arts administration, and creative entrepreneurship.
Through her practice, Lindsay Hall Art, she creates two dimensional pieces, often exploring themes of nostalgia and human connection.
Alongside her own studio work, Lindsay has spent years working with a Boston-based art consultancy, helping connect living artists with meaningful public and private opportunities across the country. Through this work — as well as other opportunities she has had to support fellow creatives with project management, client communication, and strategy — she has developed a unique understanding of what artists need not just to create, but to sustain creative lives. At Splitrock Studios, she brings with her that same passion for organization, advocacy, and artist support.