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Turn expired plastic into studio tools and learn to reclaim clay in a two-hour hands-on workshop with Jenifer Baldwin in Philadelphia. Leave with a metal and a plastic rib you made, a practical handout, and techniques you can use in any studio.
Turn expired plastic into studio tools and learn to reclaim clay in a two-hour hands-on workshop with Jenifer Baldwin in Philadelphia. Leave with a metal and a plastic rib you made, a practical handout, and techniques you can use in any studio.
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Operated by Black Hound Clay Studio South · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
DIY Ribs for Forming, Shaping, and Texturing with Jenifer Baldwin is a two-hour ceramics workshop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Taught on the classroom side of the studio, the session focuses on reclaiming clay and making ribs — the handheld shaping tools that refine forms and add intentional texture. Whether you work on the wheel or build by hand, this workshop shows you how to rescue material, make your own tools, and push surface vocabulary without adding waste.
The room feels immediate and practical: slabs of clay, benches with hand tools, and a tray of salvaged plastic and metal waiting to be turned into ribs. Students fabricate two signature pieces during the class — one metal and one plastic rib — and receive a printed handout that lays out reclaiming workflows and maintenance tips for a sustainable studio. Jenifer Baldwin leads demonstrations in scraping, compressing, and edge definition, and shows how expired plastic (gift cards and similar items) can be reborn as flexible shaping tools.
This is a hands-on experience designed for makers at every level. Beginners leave with clear techniques for wedging, joining, and refining edges; more experienced ceramists explore hybrid ribs and strategies for negative space and texture building. Practical troubleshooting is a core focus: instructors cover moisture management, preventing lamination on thrown walls, and preparing greenware for consistent drying and firing. Depending on how you use the work time, you may also leave with a greenware piece in progress.
Beyond technique, the class functions as a collaborative lab: students trade tool ideas, clay recipes, and hacks for stretching materials farther. That peer exchange, coupled with the studio’s emphasis on reuse, makes this workshop a distinct node in Philadelphia’s active maker scene. The session serves both as an economical way to reduce studio costs and as a concentrated introduction to material rescue techniques that translate to home or community kilns.
Logistics are straightforward: the session runs two hours; materials and equipment are provided; and participants are encouraged to bring thin flexible plastic they want to repurpose. There’s no specified minimum experience, but bring curiosity and clothes you don’t mind getting clay on. Students often return to test ribs on different clay bodies and glazes; the handout includes firing-range notes and tips for safely storing reclaimed clay. Book early; spots fill up quickly in advance.
easy.
2 hours.
No special fitness required; expect light standing and manual dexterity work.
No—this workshop is suitable for beginners through advanced makers; techniques are demonstrated clearly and adapted to different skill levels.
Materials and equipment are provided; participants will also make and take one metal and one plastic rib and receive a printed handout.
Yes—organizers invite you to bring thin flexible plastic such as expired gift or credit cards to repurpose into ribs.
You may leave with a greenware piece depending on how you use the allotted work time; the class emphasizes tool making and textures more than completing fired work.
The listing does not specify a minimum age; contact the provider directly for age or youth-class policies.
The handout includes tips on drying schedules and storing reclaimed clay safely; instructors cover best practices during class.
Philadelphia has a deep craft and studio-arts tradition; community studios and classes have long supported ceramic practice.
Reclaiming clay reduces landfill waste and lowers material costs; repurposing plastic ribs extends the useful life of single-use items.
Black Hound Clay Studio South is a community-focused ceramics studio offering wheelthrowing, handbuilding, glazing, and open studio opportunities. The studio presents a structured curriculum alongside one-day workshops and members-only resources, with offerings that include Wheelthrowing 101, Wheelthrowing 102, Intermediate Wheelthrowing, Intermediate Handbuilding, and specialty workshops like ceramic sculpture and tile carving. Classes are taught by named instructors listed in course descriptions — including Sara Gallo, Veronica Mehl, Madeline Rothman, Isaac, and visiting instructor Jill Allen — and range from beginner Wheelthrowing 101 courses to intermediate-level sessions and focused surface design classes. Several Wheelthrowing 101 listings reference an eight-week format, while other options include single-session workshops such as Make Your Own Tile and One Day Wheel Workshop. The studio supports members with dedicated classes and orientations, including Kiln Orientation, Members Glaze Refresh, and Members Reclaim Refresh, as well as open studio time for students focused on wheelthrowing or handbuilding and glazing. Multiple offerings show active waitlists for in-demand classes, indicating consistent enrollment. Black Hound Clay Studio South appears in class listings tied to South Philadelphia experiences and emphasizes hands-on instruction, small-class environments, and opportunities for creative practice and skill progression.
Book with Black Hound Clay Studio South