Ceramics: Traditional Nigerian Pottery (Tuition-Free)

Ceramics: Traditional Nigerian Pottery (Tuition-Free)

Adult Tuition-Free Class | FULL (Membership Required)

9/14/2026-11/16/2026
6:30 PM-9:30 PM EDT on Mon
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$25.00
$50.00

Ceramics: Traditional Nigerian Pottery (Tuition-Free)

Adult Tuition-Free Class | FULL (Membership Required)

Come make pots with us! You will learn and explore a technique that has been practiced in the country of Nigeria for centuries. In contrast with Western notions of ceramics, students will learn about African art and aesthetic and become familiar with the important role of the vessel in Nigerian culture and around the world. Students should be advised that you do not need any prior art or ceramic background for this technique. Although this is a traditional practice and we want to keep it in its most authentic form - it is a very physical technique and can involve a lot of standing, leaning, bending and constant movement. Stretching before class is recommended. Please know your physical boundaries before entering the class.

What You Will Learn: 
- Introduction to West African art and aesthetic.
- Construct a vessel to take home at the end of class
- Become proficient in the Traditional Nigerian Pottery technique
- Learn a new non-Western ceramic technique
- Learn the history, importance, beauty, and function of vessels in African and other cultures of the world

Firing Schedule:  Once work is placed on the firing shelf, turnaround time is typically one week but may be longer depending on the thickness and size of the work, as well as overall studio production. All work must be placed on the bisque firing shelf by Friday, October 30, to guarantee firing before the final week of classes.

To accommodate increased demand at the end of the term, all work placed on the glaze firing shelf by Monday, November 16, is guaranteed to be ready for pickup by Friday, December 11. Work submitted after November 16 will be fired as studio capacity allows. Firings between semesters are less frequent and operate on a limited schedule, so work may not be available for pickup until studio hours between terms or the start of the following term.

Questions about the firing schedule may be directed to Scott Cooper, Senior Studio Technician, at scooper@fleisher.org.

All artwork, tools, and clay must be removed from the Fleisher Ceramics Studio shelving by the final class session, including by students registered for the Winter 2027 term. Unclaimed bisque or glaze work will be stored for one term only. Greenware will be discarded.

Accessibility Note: This studio is accessible by elevator, but some auxiliary areas require stairs. For access needs or accommodations, contact adulteducation@fleisher.org. 

Please Note: There is no class scheduled for 9/21 (Yom Kippur) or 10/12 (Indigenous Peoples' Day).?


  • Start the term with these supplies:

    - Clay is included in your registration - no outside clay is permitted
    - Comfortable shoes
    - Clothes that can get messy or apron
    - Bottle of water
    - Hand lotion
    - Ceramic carving tool kit
    - Coconut ribs

Robin Williams-Turnage

Robin Williams-Turnage is a Philadelphia-based artist and educator whose multifaceted practice is rooted in a consistent African aesthetic. Currently focusing her personal work on ceramics, she creates tableware and other vessels that reflect this influence. Her dedication to her craft is evident in her roles as an Associate Artist at The Clay Studio and at Allens Lane Art Center. She has taught here at Fleisher for many years  instructing courses on Traditional Nigerian and Ghanaian Pottery at various institutions in Philadelphia. In recent years, Williams-Turnage has actively exhibited her work at The Clay Studio and Fleisher Art Memorial, The Colored Girls Museum, Allens Lane Art Center and with The Drummond Art Legacy.

Gloria Davis

Gloria Gammage Davis is a mixed-media artist who first recognized her artistic abilities in elementary school. She was inspired by carving a lamb from a bar of soap and by observing her seamstress aunts as they created clothing. As she made doll clothes alongside them, they shared sewing tips and techniques, nurturing what would become her first artistic skill. This early encouragement sparked a lifelong desire to explore a wide range of artistic techniques and ultimately led her to earn a BFA from Cheyney University.

During this time, Davis also studied at institutions such as Fleisher Art Memorial and Schuylkill Academy and trained with master artists. Art was—and continues to be—her therapy. As an educator, she encourages students to create work that inspires continued engagement long after class has ended.

Her story quilts, created with scrap fabrics, photographic images, found objects, and embroidery, have been published in We Are the Story, Black Pioneers, The Calling, and As Long As I Have Breath in My Body. Her work has been exhibited at the African American Museum in Detroit, Philadelphia City Hall, North Carolina City Hall, the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati, the Textile Center, the James Museum, the Colored Girls Museum, Moody Gallery, and other venues. She has participated in several recent solo and group exhibitions and has been featured by ABC News, The Philadelphia Tribune, The Germantown Courier, and Wolf Nation.

As a dedicated teaching artist, Davis has taught at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Johnson House, Wynnefield Residents Association, the Nile Swim Club, Germantown Friends School, Emelen Elementary School, Fleisher Art Memorial, and Peters Valley School of Craft.