Ceramics: Wheel Throwing (Thursday AM)
Adult Class | Available
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. Please note that wheel throwing involves sitting at the wheel for extended periods in a forward-leaning, hunched position. Questions about whether this class is right for you? Email adulteducation@fleisher.org.
Firing Schedule: All work should be placed on the bisque firing shelf by Friday, February 19, and on the glaze firing shelf by Friday, February 26 to guarantee it will be fired by the last week of classes. Students can continue to drop off work for glaze firing until Friday, March 8, however, finished work will be available for pick up during operational hours between terms, or the spring term. We will store unclaimed work for one term only. Questions about the firing schedule can be directed to Scott Cooper, Senior Studio Technician at scooper@fleisher.org.
All artwork, tools, and clay must be removed from Fleisher’s Ceramics Studio shelving by Monday, March 8, unless registered for a ceramics class during the upcoming Spring 2026 term. Please leave a note with on your shelf if you are returning in the spring to ensure your items are not removed.
Accessibility Note: This studio is accessible by elevator, but some auxiliary areas of the Ceramics Studio 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
Scott Cooper
Scott Cooper is a self-taught ceramicist living and working in Philadelphia, PA. He graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a Certificate in painting, and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. His formalist work is mostly functional, with an aesthetic interest in crude sprezzatura. He has shown work at galleries throughout the tri-state area, and curates’ exhibitions at Launderette Records in Port Richmond, Philadelphia. He teaches wheel throwing at Fleisher and is the senior studio technician.