Pottery Education Outreach

• African Masks - Steps with Links is an after school enrichment program for minority sixth grade students in the Lynchburg City Schools. Every year the Academy of Fine Arts sponsors an African Mask workshop with Artist/Educator Mona Williams for the young people enrolled in the Steps with Links program. Ms. Williams covers the history and significance of masks in various African cultures, and guides the students inmaking their own clay masks. The masks are fired three times, the final firing being a "pit" firing which smokes the unglazed surfaces. Our workshop in 2008 was sponsored by the Imperial Trust Foundation..

• Bass Elementary, Lynchburg City Schools - is the recipient of a 21st Century Grant for After School enrichment. The Academy partnered with Bass to offer Children's Clay Classes for their after school program. Donna Headley, Jane Garrett, and Tori Banton instructed the classes. The pottery studio provided all clay, glazes, firing and tools for this program.

• New Vistas School - Roberta Scrivener's enthusiastic middle school art students came to the Pottery Studio for four sessions of instruction in throwing, handbuilding and glazing. Every student who worked on the wheel was able to throw one or more pot(s)! And the best part was cleaning up the wheels. Staff member May Carter provided instruction.