Celebrate the rich tradition and creative future of clay at the Academy Clay Festival—a one-day event highlighting the best in pottery and ceramic arts. Set against the backdrop of crisp fall air and golden leaves in downtown Lynchburg, this festival brings together potters, sculptors, wheel throwers, and hand builders from across the region for a celebration of craftsmanship and community. Stroll through artisan booths filled with functional wares, bold sculptures, and one-of-a-kind treasures, just in time to kick off the cozy season.

Guests will enjoy artist demonstrations, educational talks, and live pottery-making in action. This juried event honors excellence in the field with cash prizes for First, Second, Third Place, and Best in Show. Don’t miss your chance to connect with makers, shop locally made ceramics, and soak in all the warm, autumn vibes.

Interested in becoming a vendor? Apply now to be part of this year’s Academy Clay Festival and showcase your work among the region’s best ceramic artists!

Juror: Kevin Crowe

Wood-Fired Potter | Tye River Pottery, Nelson County, VA

Since establishing Tye River Pottery in 1980, Kevin Crowe has dedicated his artistic life to creating functional wood-fired stoneware in the Blue Ridge foothills of Virginia. His work is deeply rooted in both Asian and English ceramic traditions, ranging in scale from delicate 4-inch tea bowls to monumental 48-inch vases.

Entirely self-taught in ceramics, Kevin holds a degree in English Literature from the College of William & Mary—a background that has informed the intentionality and poetry behind his craft. Kevin fires his pieces in a 450-cubic-foot anagama kiln, a traditional Japanese-style wood kiln he built himself. Each firing spans seven days, consumes eight cords of wood, and produces up to 2,000 pots. These firings occur just twice a year—timed with the moon and the soccer schedule.

Throughout his career, Kevin has built wood kilns and led workshops across the U.S., England, and Wales, focusing on kiln construction, large-scale throwing techniques, and teaware. His work and practice have been featured in Ceramics Monthly, Art and Perception, The Log Book, 100 Ceramic Artists, and Functional Pottery, among other publications.

Kevin’s pottery serves the rituals of daily life, grounded in the belief that quiet beauty has the power to enrich human experience—now, as it always has. He lives and works in Nelson County with his wife, Linda, while their sons, Bram and Kai, also call the area home.

Key Dates:
September 22 – Deadline for artist/vendor application
October 18 – Academy Clay Festival!

Tickets: Free
For more information or to reserve tickets to this performance, contact our Bank of the James Ticketing Office at (434) 846-8499.