Grand Opening: Blue Ridge Ceramics & More – Fancy Gap

Blue Ridge Ceramics & More is a paint your own pottery studio opening May 1st in Carroll County. The studio is located in a cabin beside the Post Office in Fancy Gap. Following the grand opening, the studio will be open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Wednesday and Sunday.

There is no age limit on the classes. Blue Ridge Ceramics & More offers classes for special needs children and can set up a private party for them. The business also sells pieces online and on Facebook and can ship pieces customers finished themselves.

“If being in a crowded space is an issue, we will give you your own space to yourself, ” said business owner James ‘Scot’ Mauldin. “Typically, what I do with special needs kids is I get some basic instruction to the parent or guardian and let them do the instructing because they know better what the triggers are for their child,” said Mauldin. “With my special needs kids, the first piece they do is free…no charge…just to see if it’s something they enjoy and like doing.”

The studio has more than 1,000 items to choose from, most of which are made on the property. The huge selection at the studio runs the gamut from dishes, cats, dogs, figurines and wall plaques. Finished pieces are also available for sale and can be glazed at the studio and shipped. The studio also does a large number of cremation urns. There are some pieces, like coffee mugs, plates and tiles which aren’t practical to make on-site so they purchase these from wholesalers. Pieces which are not finished are called “bisque” and have been cast and fired once and are ready to finish. Students don’t have to glaze bisque, they can take the piece home and spray paint it or use their own acrylics.

See more about the business debut from The Carroll News here.