Ceramics: Wheel Throwing (Tuesday)
Adult Class | Registration opens Tuesday, October 20, 2026 8:00 AM EDT
What makes a ceramic pot useful? What makes it beautiful to you? What makes a pot a “good” pot? This course will teach beginning wheel throwing and ceramic glazing skills by exploring these questions. We will cover the entire process of making functional wheel thrown pots, including design ideation, throwing, trimming, making handles, and surface decoration. We will also view images of pottery ancient to modern, and explore our own home ceramic collections. Focusing on craft, material sensitivity, and identifying personal taste, students will work on attainable forms to build new skills rapidly.
What You Will Learn:
- Basics of wheel throwing
- Ceramic hand-building techniques
- Advanced surface treatment with slips and glazes
Who This Class is For:
True beginners and anyone looking to strengthen their ceramic skills. Questions about whether this class is right for you? Email adulteducation@fleisher.org.
Firing Schedule:
Accessibility Note: This studio is accessible by elevator, but some auxiliary areas require stairs. For access needs or accommodations, contact adulteducation@fleisher.org.
Start the term with these supplies:
- Your first bag of clay is included in your registration - no outside clay is permitted. Additional clay can be purchased at the front desk.
- Basic clay tool kit (rib, cut off wire, pin tool, small sponge, loop trimming tool)
- Cloth hand towel and apron
Midway through the term students will need these supplies:
- 1” and 2” inch hake brush
- Personal supply of decorating tools
- Various carving tools
Amal Tamari
Amal Tamari (she/her) is a Palestinian-American craftsperson living in Philadelphia, PA. Amal received her BA in Studio Art with a focus in Ceramics at Earlham College in 2022. She was a 2025 Multicultural Fellow at NCECA and a Core Fellow at Penland School of Craft from 2023 to 2025. Much of Amal’s work is inspired by her childhood home in the Midwest and her travels to the Middle East, weaving together personal history, cultural heritage, and the intimate beauty of the every day. Amal makes recreations of moments in time, specifically focusing on the domestic still life. Her still lifes act as symbols for memories. A chair is a symbol of sitting together around a table, fruit is a symbol of a shared meal, and a key is a symbol of her Palestinian heritage. Much of her practice is ceramics-based, but she also utilizes wood and textiles to expand her visual language.