These ceramic mugs were created by Karen Hull, an instructor at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. (Photo courtesy Karen Hull)
If you like pottery, there’s something to get fired up about this weekend. The annual RVA Clay Tour returns for a third year, featuring more than 100 artisans from local studios. The works range from colorful pottery dishes to carefully crafted sculptures, ranging in price from $8 to $300.
The tour was inspired by similar clay arts festivals in Stanardsville and Charlottesville. The artists involved in the Richmond tour include veteran sculptors as well as students still perfecting their craft. One of the expert artisans is Leslie Messersmith of Locust Hill Pottery in Mechanicsville. Messersmith has been working with clay for over 40 years and says this event is a fun way to learn about the craft of pottery.
“People don't know how many potters and ceramic artists are in Richmond. They deserve a place to showcase all of their great work,” she says.
Some of the studios will have in-house demonstrations of pottery wheels and kiln-fired ceramics. A list of participating studios and artists is on the clay tour website along with a map of participating studios.
The RVA Clay Tour is Saturday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 3, from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call 804-918-7722 or visit rvaclay.com.
