Virginia Clay Festival: The Perfect start to autumn

The Virginia Clay Festival was held on Sept. 21 and 22 at William Monroe High School in Stanardsville. While it was a fairly long drive, it was well worth it. Our plan was to look at the pottery and get kettle corn on the way out. We were greeted by two lovely ladies who handed us raffle tickets for a chance to win a piece of pottery. We gladly accepted the tickets.

Each booth was filled with extremely interesting art. One booth mixed different glazes to feel like a certain material; my favorite one was made to feel soft and smooth like silk, it was a lovely baby pink color. There was a booth with stunning sculptures of nude women, one with pieces of clay made to look like funky faces, some early Christmas decor, and so many mugs. I would classify myself as a mug hoarder, so it was nearly impossible for me to leave without a mug because almost every booth had at least one. But nevertheless, I made it without purchasing any mugs. 

We even saw one of my past PVCC ceramics professors, Tom Clarkson. He had his own booth with his incredible work laid out. His work was full of natural colors and intricate patterns. Outside of the building, food trucks with tacos, kettle corn, and ice cream lined the parking lot. The smell of kettle corn and the sound of live music filled the air. Also, small tutorials were also held outside for people who wanted to learn, which we thought were fun. Attending the Virginia Clay Festival was a great beginning to the fall season.