Debra Rice is a Richmond, Virginia ceramic artist with a BFA in design and art education. She spent several years as a high school art and graphics teacher, and experimented with many mediums before focusing on clay. In January 2021, Debra took her first ceramic hand building and surface decoration class and fell in love. She was thrilled to discover she could use clay as a delightfully malleable canvas, bringing in her background in painting and graphic design. Her creative world has bloomed thanks to an inspiring and supportive community at The Visual Arts Center of Richmond, where she creates and fires her work.

Debra decided to call her new venture “Muddy Paws Ceramics,” upon seeing her rescue dog frolic in the mud after years confined to a short chain. She feels that same indescribable joy and freedom when playing with “mud” herself. Debra sells at local markets, and teaches ceramics surface decoration and hand building at The Visual Arts Center. She loves being able to teach her favorite medium and help students discover the endless possibilities of clay.