THE Y POTTERY STUDIO
The Y opened the Corning Inc. Foundation Pottery Studio on January 17, 2011. Located inside the Y Center on North Main Street in Blacksburg, the studio provides community pottery classes and opportunities for studio memberships. Come get your hands dirty with us!
POTTERY CLASSES
Registration for classes starting in September will begin at 12 noon on August 18.
Due to the popularity of classes, if you have taken two consecutive classes, please refrain from registering for one class cycle so that others may try.
Please note that students will have limited studio practice hours for classes starting after August, 2025.
Upcoming Classes
Clay Sculpture with Ben and Zach
This beginner friendly eight week class held on Mondays will focus on sculpture techniques, including clay conditioning, joinery, additive, and subtractive modeling. The instructor will work with experienced students on more advanced forms. All tools and supplies are included. Students must be 14 years old or older and any student under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian who is also enrolled in the course. Classes will be held 6 - 8:15 p.m. on Mondays beginning September 14 and ending on November 16, no class November 2 and 9. $300
FILLED
Wheel Class with Robbie
This eight week class held on Tuesdays will focus on the basics of making pottery on an electric wheel, including wedging and centering clay and making basic ceramic forms, such as cups and bowls. The instructor will work with experienced students on more advanced forms. All tools and supplies are included. Students must be 14 years old or older and any student under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian who is also enrolled in the course. Class will be held 6 - 8:15 p.m., Tuesdays, at the YMCA pottery studio at 1000 N. Main St., Blacksburg. Class begins on September 8 and ends on November 3, no class on October 27. $300
FILLED
Wheel Class with Jenny
This eight week class held on Wednesdays will focus on the basics of making pottery on an electric wheel, including wedging and centering clay and making basic ceramic forms, such as cups and bowls. The instructor will work with experienced students on more advanced forms. All tools and supplies are included. Students must be 14 years old or older and any student under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian who is also enrolled in the course. Class will be held 6 - 8:15 p.m., Wednesdays, at the YMCA pottery studio at 1000 N. Main St., Blacksburg. Class begins on September 9 and ends on November 4. There will be no class on October 28. $300
FILLED
Wheel Class with Susan
This eight week class held on Thursdays will focus on the basics of making pottery on an electric wheel, including wedging and centering clay and making basic ceramic forms, such as cups and bowls. The instructor will work with experienced students on more advanced forms. All tools and supplies are included. Students must be 14 years old or older and any student under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian who is also enrolled in the course. Class will be held 6 - 8:15 p.m., Thursdays, at the YMCA pottery studio at 1000 N. Main St., Blacksburg. Class begins on September 10 and ends on November 5, no class on October 29. $300
FILLED
Hand-building with Leah
This beginner friendly eight week class held on Friday afternoons will focus on the basics of making pottery using hand building techniques, including wedging clay, and learning pinch, coil, and slab methods of building. The instructor will work with experienced students on more advanced forms. All tools and supplies are included. Students must be 14 years old or older and any student under 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian who is also enrolled in the course. Classes will be held 12 - 2:15 p.m. on Fridays beginning September 11 and ending on November 13, no class October 9 and November 6. $300
Upcoming Events
Pottery Studio Memberships
The YMCA offers memberships to adults who have taken pottery classes with us who demonstrate proficiency. Monthly dues of $75 (submitted by autopay system only) entitle members to a 2' x 2' shelf to store tools and supplies, as well as access to electric pottery wheels, handbuilding space, shared tools, glazes, and member activities. Members are restricted to 20 pieces per month. Members must buy their clay from the studio, and we offer a range of options for different types of ceramics. Member work is bisque and glaze fired in two large electric kilns (mid-fire, cone 6). Contact us at pottery@vtymca.org for more details.
There is a waitlist for Pottery Studio Membership and it can take up to one year for a spot to open. The first step to getting on the member waitlist is taking a class with thour studio.
Studio hours and location
The studio at the YMCA at Virginia Tech, 1000 North Main St., Blacksburg, VA, is open to members from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. Holiday hours may change. Please check the whiteboard immediately inside the studio door for weekly information or send us an email at pottery@vtymca.org.
Meet the staff
Leah Boblitt, Studio Instructor
Leah grew up in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. "In high school, I had an awesome ceramics teacher who focused on hand building. After graduation, I came to Virginia Tech to earn my Bachelor's degree in Architecture in 2012. During this time, I was able to take ceramics classes again as part of my major. After graduation, I got married, moved to Washington, D.C., to work as an architect, and then was surprised with a baby! My husband and I decided to move back to Blacksburg to raise our kids. I love ceramics, hiking, animals, and house projects. I have enjoyed introducing my oldest, who is now five, to playing with clay, and I am excited to introduce you to it as well! See you in class!"
Zach Blevins-Goad, Studio Instructor
Zach Blevins-Goad is a working artist who specializes in multiple disciplines of sculpture with a focus on nature, emotional connection, and the human form. He is a double Highlander, obtaining both his BFA in metal-working and ceramics and his MFA in ceramics and sculpture studies at Radford University. With experience working with a variety of materials, such as wire, metal, natural found objects, and other sculpting mediums, he’s chosen to spend the last three years primarily working with ceramic clay to express formative experiences from his life through the lens of nature. Hand-building and experimentation with texture are areas of focus for him, and all levels of experience are welcome.
Heather Johnson, Education Coordinator
Heather first started wheel throwing 25 years ago and today loves to make pots for her plants. She has a rich background in community arts and cares deeply about supporting the creative process.
Ramiro Solórzano, Studio Instructor
Ramiro Solórzano fell in love with pottery as a high school student in California and has been drawn to clay ever since. Now based in Virginia, he continued to explore and refine his skills at the Art League in Alexandria, VA. With a Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech and a deep background in education, Ramiro brings a thoughtful, design-minded approach to ceramics—balancing structure, creativity, and expression.
At the heart of Ramiro’s teaching is a love for sharing. Whether guiding beginners through their first wheel-thrown bowl or helping more advanced students explore surface decoration, he fosters a fun, welcoming environment where everyone can grow. Ramiro believes clay is for everyone, and he’s excited to help you discover what you can create with your own two hands
Jenny Lawrence, Studio Instructor
Jenny has a long history with the studio, going back to the 1990s, when she took classes with legendary area potter Jim Gorman. She not only is a skilled wheel thrower, but focuses on artistic decoration and glazing techniques that are the envy of many members. She generously shares her skills with others, and member Tonia Moxley calls her “Queen of the Underglazes.”
Robbie Pannell, Studio Instructor
Robbie grew up climbing mountains barefoot and making mud pies in the lush Virginia hills of the New River Valley. Those mud pies, it turns out, foreshadowed a major obsession with clay and pottery making. "I love the tactile nature of working with clay. It’s primal! All the different stages of pottery make it practically impossible to ever become bored. When I'm not in the studio, I'm constantly researching different techniques to try out. The pottery community is so generous with sharing information, and I love passing on what I’ve learned from other potters to folks new to the craft!"