Clay Day has been a favorite happening at the Blue Ridge Parkway's Folk Art Center for over 20 years. Members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild demonstrate throwing on the potter's wheel, hand building and surface design on clay, among other techniques.

A highlight of the day is the Make and Take Raku Firing. Buy a $10 pot, glaze it and watch as expert potters, Gary Clontz and Steven Forbes-deSoule raku fire it for you. Raku is a ceramic firing process which uses fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs.

Jan Morris and Sandra Rowland will host a children�s table where kids will be invited to play with clay and make something to take home.

Other Clay Day participants include: Haywood Community College Professional Craft Dept students, Steve and Becky Lloyd (wheel throwing), Ann Gleason (hand building with clay), Tamela Wells (polymer clay), and Cindy Billingsley (clay sculpture). Glass artists have also been invited to participate in Clay Day. Jeff McKinley will be demonstrate flame-worked glass and Marc Tickle will be making kaleidescopes.

Clay for demonstrations has been generously donated by Highwater Clays of Asheville, NC.

While at the Folk Art Center, visitors will have the opportunity to visit Allanstand Craft Shop, the Eastern National bookstore and Blue Ridge Parkway information desk, as well as three exhibition galleries. Outside the Folk Art Center, there are hiking trails, picnic tables, grassy areas for a picnic and plenty of free parking.

For more information, please call 828-298-7928 or visit www.southernhighlandguild.org.

(Image provided by the Southern Highland Craft Guild.)

Looking for more happenings in the area? Check out Asheville.com's comprehensive visitor center.

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