May 2020
Pottery Date Night
Go ahead and get a little dirty on Friday night! Couples, singles, and friends are welcome to join us at The Academy Center of the Arts Pottery Studio for an evening of fun, romance and hand building. Join instructor Anna Ellis in making Candle Holders with Pressed Flowers! Have something to remember your special Date night for many years! Beer, wine, light snacks, clay and tools are included. Wear or bring clothes to change into that you don’t mind getting dirty. Preregistration is required. Please register online, but if you have any additional questions contact Ted Batt at tbatt@academycenter.org or 434-528-3256 x127 for more information. The $40 fee is per person and the event is for adults ages 18 and over.
Find out more »Family Saturday: Lace Flower Vases
Instructor Anna Ellis will help students make Lace Flower Vases for spring flowers!
Find out more »Pottery Basics and Beyond
Ready to try your hand at the potter’s wheel? There will be helpful demonstrations and lots of hands-on time in this session. You will be learning the basics of wheel throwing, hand building, and surface decoration in this fun and casual class, taught by instructor Kim Clarke. You will get some tips and tricks that will help you create some beautiful pottery! This is a great way for you to take a break and explore your creative side in this fun introduction to clay. No experience needed! Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Beginning & Intermediate Pottery
For beginning and intermediate students with instructor Justin Rice. Introduction to and focusing on wheel throwing and incorporating some hand building and glazing techniques, with advanced technique instruction for returning students. Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Intermediate and Advanced Hand Building
Intermediate and more advanced students will learn hand building techniques with teacher Anna Ellis. Advanced students will continue to develop independent work supplemented with a demonstration each class. Demonstrations will cover use of under glazes, utilizing different techniques in a single piece, hand building larger, and complex forms. Students will be encouraged to develop a style with personal distinction motifs in order to complete a body of work by the end of the class. Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Thursday Independent Studio
FOR EXPERIENCED POTTERS looking for studio time without instruction. Have access to pottery wheels, tools, glazes and firing and work at your own pace. Must have two years previous experience in pottery. Includes a 25 lb. bag of clay with registration.
Find out more »June 2020
Introduction to Kiln Fired Glass
Acquire glass cutting skills and learn the basics of firing and slumping while creating projects in glass. Possible projects include sun catchers, bowls, vases and many others. Instructor is Suzanne Michaels. Class is limited to six students! Photo from inspiredfire.com.
Find out more »Fun Foods In Clay
Instructor: Emma Traylor Students will make the following projects with a food theme: Sandwich Trinket Box, Watermelon Cup, Avocado Bowl, and Berry Pendants or Earrings. Artist’s Bio: Emma C. Traylor is an artist who works primarily with digital and film photography and ceramics. She earned her BFA from the University of North Texas majoring in Studio Art with a focus in Ceramics, and is currently working on her Masters of Fine Art with a 3D focus at Liberty University. Emma was born and raised in the DFW area in Texas and currently lives in Lynchburg, VA with her husband. Emma’s ceramic work is largely hand built life-sized figurative sculptures, but she also enjoys making unique functional pieces. Her photography focuses on the hidden special moments that go unseen in daily life.
Find out more »Teen Wheel Throwing
Instructor: Justin Rice All skill levels welcome, from first timers to seasoned teen ceramics veterans. Feel clay between your finger tips and explore creating 3 dimensional forms in the round. This class is open to making functional as well as sculptural forms made of wheel thrown components. Students will learn the process from start to finish – forming, glazing and firing. Artist’s Bio: Justin Rice is a multi disciplinary artist working with drawing, printmaking, woodworking and ceramics. He earned his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, majoring in Drawing with a concentration in Printmaking. His large scale drawings, woodblock prints and etchings explore the narrative world of graphic mark making. Justin is a founding member and co-owner of Oxide Pottery in Lynchburg VA. He has been a full time potter and instructor for 10 years. His work is carried in galleries and museum shops across the United States, most notably: Museum of Art and Design NY, Baltimore Museum of Art, American Folk Art Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Art and American Visionary Art Museum. Justin’s current work at the Academy focuses on developing the tactile clay surface with the use of locally harvested materials in conjunction with the reduction atmosphere…
Find out more »The Solar System
Instructor: Anna Ellis Students will create Solar System themed projects including: Solar system wind chimes, Sun bowls, Earth plate and Moon cup.
Find out more »Raku Workshop with Brett Thomas of Mobile Raku
The Academy Center of the Arts is pleased to partner again with Brett Thomas of Mobile Raku in hosting a two day Raku workshop on Friday, June 26 from 6:00pm – 8:30 pm and Saturday, June 27 from 9:30am – 2:00pm at the Academy Center of the Arts. Class size is limited to 20 students, and each student may bring 4-5 pieces (raku clay only bisque cone 06), approximately 5” wide x 12” tall or smaller. Small tiles are acceptable however NO BOWLS OR SLABS It is recommended that students are either enrolled in a pottery class or have experience working with clay. If time allows, additional pieces may be fired after everyone has had a turn. Brett will provide his glazes and materials for firing. Please register early; pieces need to made and bisque fired before April 24. Students should plan to glaze their pieces before April 24 (the Academy will provide glazes). Class tuition is $85 which includes a 25lb bag of raku clay. Students currently not enrolled in Academy Center pottery classes will have access to the studio to make their pieces. Unused raku clay from this class can be saved for the next Raku workshop! Come…
Find out more »The Stars are the Limit
Instructor: Emma Traylor Students will make the following projects with a space theme: Rocket ship cup Planet beads (for necklaces) Planet coasters Constellation bowls Artist’s Bio: Emma C. Traylor is an artist who works primarily with digital and film photography and ceramics. She earned her BFA from the University of North Texas majoring in Studio Art with a focus in Ceramics, and is currently working on her Masters of Fine Art with a 3D focus at Liberty University. Emma was born and raised in the DFW area in Texas and currently lives in Lynchburg, VA with her husband. Emma’s ceramic work is largely hand built life-sized figurative sculptures, but she also enjoys making unique functional pieces. Her photography focuses on the hidden special moments that go unseen in daily life.
Find out more »July 2020
Introduction to Kiln Fired Glass
Acquire glass cutting skills and learn the basics of firing and slumping while creating projects in glass. Possible projects include sun catchers, bowls, vases and many others. Instructor is Suzanne Michaels. Class is limited to six students!
Find out more »Pottery Date Night
Go ahead and get a little dirty on Friday night! Couples, singles, and friends are welcome to join us at The Academy Center of the Arts Pottery Studio for an evening of fun, romance and hand building. Join instructor Anna Ellis in making Whimsical Wine Goblets! Have something to remember your special Date night for many years! Beer, wine, light snacks, clay and tools are included. Wear or bring clothes to change into that you don’t mind getting dirty. Preregistration is required. Please register online, but if you have any additional questions contact Ted Batt at tbatt@academycenter.org or 434-528-3256 x127 for more information. The $40 fee is per person and the event is for adults ages 18 and over.
Find out more »Family Saturday: Star Candle Holders
Join instructor Anna Ellis in creating summer fun Star Candle Holders!
Find out more »The Vegetable Garden
Instructor Anna Ellis will help students create Vegetable themed projects including: Tomato slice plates, Cabbage bowl, Carrot tray, and Bell Pepper mugs.
Find out more »Pottery Basics and Beyond
Ready to try your hand at the potter’s wheel? There will be helpful demonstrations and lots of hands-on time in this session. You will be learning the basics of wheel throwing, hand building, and surface decoration in this fun and casual class, taught by instructor Kim Clarke. You will get some tips and tricks that will help you create some beautiful pottery! This is a great way for you to take a break and explore your creative side in this fun introduction to clay. No experience needed! Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Beginning & Intermediate Pottery
For beginning and intermediate students with instructor Justin Rice. Introduction to and focusing on wheel throwing and incorporating some hand building and glazing techniques, with advanced technique instruction for returning students. Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Intermediate and Advanced Hand Building
Intermediate and more advanced students will learn hand building techniques with teacher Anna Ellis. Advanced students will continue to develop independent work supplemented with a demonstration each class. Demonstrations will cover use of under glazes, utilizing different techniques in a single piece, hand building larger, and complex forms. Students will be encouraged to develop a style with personal distinction motifs in order to complete a body of work by the end of the class. Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Clay Exploration
Is there an idea you have in your head, bud don’t quite know how to pull it off? Receive expert instruction from Kim Clarke or work independently. Bring your own ideas for projects. Demonstrations will be tailored to reflect each student’s individual needs and goals. Combined with personalized feedback from the instructor, this class will help you to make remarkable strides in your abilities to express yourself through clay. For beginners and experienced potters! Tuition includes a 25 lb. bag of clay and glaze and firing costs.
Find out more »Thursday Independent Studio
FOR EXPERIENCED POTTERS looking for studio time without instruction. Have access to pottery wheels, tools, glazes and firing and work at your own pace. Must have two years previous experience in pottery. Includes a 25 lb. bag of clay with registration.
Find out more »Clay Monster Camp
Instructor: Justin Rice Open to all clay skill levels. Looking at everything from gargoyles to cartoons, students will find inspiration for creating their own fantastical beasts and creatures. This class will focus on creating clay sculptures and wall hangings that bring the imagination to life. Artist’s Bio: Justin Rice is a multi disciplinary artist working with drawing, printmaking, woodworking and ceramics. He earned his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, majoring in Drawing with a concentration in Printmaking. His large scale drawings, woodblock prints and etchings explore the narrative world of graphic mark making. Justin is a founding member and co-owner of Oxide Pottery in Lynchburg VA. He has been a full time potter and instructor for 10 years. His work is carried in galleries and museum shops across the United States, most notably: Museum of Art and Design NY, Baltimore Museum of Art, American Folk Art Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Art and American Visionary Art Museum. Justin’s current work at the Academy focuses on developing the tactile clay surface with the use of locally harvested materials in conjunction with the reduction atmosphere of the gas kiln. When not in the studio, you can find Justin exploring the…
Find out more »Happy Camper Pottery Camp
Instructor: Anna Ellis Students will create Vegetable themed projects including: S’mores covered dish, Happy camper mug, Campfire candle holder, and Leaf rattles.
Find out more »August 2020
Family Saturday: Sand Dollar Bowls
Instructor Anna Ellis will help students create summer themed sand dollar bowls!
Find out more »The World Beneath Our Feet
Instructor: Chatham Monk Let’s consider the smallest forest friends beneath our feet. What could we make for them? This class is welcome to all levels focusing on hand building with some wheel thrown components. Students will design and build domicile improvements for our backyard friends. Possibilities include frog houses, spider coves, worm slides, mouse apartments and snake skin closets.
Find out more »
