About

Our Story

Blair Clemo and Rice Evans began working together in 2019, first as a student and a faculty member, then as colleagues, and now as close friends, studio mates, and champions of all things clay! They began planning the Richmond Clay Center in 2025 after seeing a need for high quality clay education in Richmond. They built RCC in 2026 to reflect the city's abundant creative energy. Their goal is to create a space that bridges the gap between the accessibility of community education and the quality of higher education.

Blair and Rice are serious about clay, and it shows in what they have created at RCC. They teach all the core classes, ensuring that each course is built on a foundation of experience and expertise. They have mentored hundreds of students through their collective 20 years of experience in higher education. From beginner to advanced and beyond, Blair and Rice want to help you get better at working with clay.

Blair Clemo

Blair Clemo received his Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2010. He served as a university professor for 16 years, most recently as the Clay Area Head at Virginia Commonwealth University. He left academia in 2026 to open Richmond Clay Center, where he currently teaches and mentors.

Blair has taught workshops at numerous American universities and craft schools, including the Penland School of Craft (NC), Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts (TN), Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (ME), and Pocosin Arts School of Fine Crafts (NC).

He has been an artist-in-residence at the Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), the Da Wang Culture Highland (Shenzhen, China), the Zentrum für Keramik (Berlin, Germany), the Jingdezhen International Studio (Jingdezhen, China), the Archie Bray Foundation Invited Artist Program (Helena, MT), and the International Ceramics Studio (Kecskemét, Hungary). In 2018, he served as a Visiting Professor at Shandong University in Jinan, China.

Clemo’s pottery, installations, and sculptural work have been included in over 140 solo and group exhibitions both nationally and abroad.

Blair's Website

Rice Evans

Rice Evans is a sculptural and utilitarian artist specializing in handbuilt ceramics. She received her BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2016 and her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2021.

Evans has served as a university professor and studio manager for five years, most recently at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Mary Washington. In 2026, she left academia alongside Blair Clemo to found the Richmond Clay Center, where she currently teaches, mentors, and manages the studio.

Originally from the Midwest, Evans moved to Richmond in 2019 to attend graduate school and was quickly inspired by the city’s DIY, scrappy culture. Her work has been included in more than 100 exhibitions throughout the United States, including at the Institute for Contemporary Art and the Modlin Center for the Arts, as well as solo exhibitions at Alma’s RVA, The Anderson, and Field Gallery.

Evans has received numerous grants and awards, including four research grants from the VCUarts Craft/Material Studies Department and the Excellence in Adjunct Research Grant from VCUarts. She has also received awards from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the University of Mary Washington, and Alfred University. In June 2024, Evans was an artist-in-residence at Medalta, a historic pottery in Alberta, Canada.

Rice's Website