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Instructors
Karis Barry has been making a living as a potter for over 40 years, selling at art fairs and through galleries. She took an adult education class in MA one winter and bought a pottery wheel before she could even throw a good pot, thinking it would be a hobby. After taking more classes at some museum schools in the Boston area, she bought a kiln and hasn't looked back.
She has exhibited her work in galleries and participated in craft shows throughout the US, but is now enjoying sharing her knowledge about throwing pots on a wheel… and getting inspired by her students.
LP Keller fell in love with the Friendly City when she studied art at JMU. In 2016, she earned a BFA in Studio Art with a concentration in Ceramics. She is a certified art teacher in Virginia and used to teach in Harrisonburg City Public Schools. She has been teaching with FCCAC from the beginning and has loved getting to know this growing clay community. She loves seeing how her students express themselves through clay.
LP creates functional pottery designed to feel good in your hands and bring a touch of modern elegance to your home. Her pottery is an invitation to slow down, hold something made by hand, and reconnect through everyday rituals. She is a mother, a baker, a ceramicist, an art teacher, and the woman behind LPMpottery.
Julie Beard Foster enjoys sharing her love of clay with others. In fact, she believes time spent with clay is therapy for the soul. Julie wants to be a Glaze Fairy when she grows up since exploration of glaze combinations, surface textures and designs are a passion. She has experience with wheel throwing and handbuilding functional items at FCCAC and BRCC.
Malea G. earned her B.A. in Visual Arts from EMU in 2011 and later became certified to teach K-12 Art in Virginia. She loves creating her own art, but teaching art and seeing her students develop their own creativity, perseverance, and identity as artists has been even more fulfilling. She is currently teaching art to middle & high schoolers at Eastern Mennonite Schools.
Emily Rarity is a Virginia native and ceramic artist with a BFA in Ceramic Art from Alfred University (2019). Her work is influenced by early American pottery and is drawn to its simple, functional forms, which are inherently timeless. Emily believes that the pottery wheel is a magical place. The clay responds instantly to your hands, and every small touch makes a difference in your piece. She hopes her students will experience a sense of connection and joy with the clay as they create in the studio. She is excited to be a part of your pottery wheel journey.
