Ceramics: Wheel Throwing (Monday PM)
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.
- 25lbs of earthenware clay is included in your registration - no outside clay is permitted (prolific students may purchase additional clay from Fleisher)
- Basic pottery tool kit: cutting wire, sponge, wooden knife, needle tool, wooden rib, metal rib, large and small trimming loops
- Sketchbook and drawing tool
- One or more small towels (dish size is good)
- Clothes and shoes you are comfortable getting dirty
- A variety of cheap paint brushes
- Sgraffito tool (optional)
- Apron (optional)
- Hand lotion/salve (optional but recommended)
Note: Students will have access to a variety of decals and underglaze pencils and pastels to explore as surface decoration.
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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.