Figure Sculpting in Clay: Monday Evening Course at Black Hound Clay Studio

Sculpting the Figure in Clay: Monday Evenings WAITLIST at Black Hound Clay Studio in Philadelphia offers a hands-on, small-group ceramics course for aspiring makers. Located at 715 South 50th Street in West Philadelphia, the eight-week Monday evening session (January 12–March 2, 6–9 pm) focuses on handbuilding and figurative forms under the instruction of Miranda Blas. This waitlist listing is your entry point if the class is full; add your name and the studio will contact you if a seat opens. The class centers on practical tableware and sculptural figure work: slab and coil techniques, surface texture, glazing, and kiln firing. Students work at communal bench space surrounded by stacked bisque and glazed shelves, a firing kiln, hand tools and studio brushes. Tuition includes instruction, tools, glazes, firing, and 25 pounds of clay, plus one free open studio session; additional clay can be purchased through the studio. Group size is intentionally limited to ten people to preserve close instructor feedback and a workshop atmosphere where critiques and demonstrations are easy to follow. This studio sits in a vibrant arts corridor in Philadelphia, where community ceramics programs and independent studios shape a lively maker culture. Accessibility is considered: the space is wheelchair accessible and open to students age sixteen and older. Expect evenings focused on tactile problem solving and repeatable techniques you can take home; each three-hour session balances demonstrations, hands-on work, and glazing time so projects can move through wet-form to firing stages. Plan to arrive with inspiration and steady hands; the studio supplies tools but a sketchbook and reference photos speed the creative process. The waitlist does not guarantee enrollment, and contacting [email protected] is the recommended way to ask questions or confirm a spot. With limited capacity and scheduled firing cycles, Black Hound Clay runs sessions that emphasize repetition, material conservation, and careful glazing practice. For visitors staying in Philadelphia, this class doubles as a cultural stop: you’ll leave not only with handmade pieces but with a clearer sense of local craft practices and studio routines that guide ceramics across the city. Whether you want to learn functional pottery or push into figurative sculpture, the Monday evenings course is a focused, hands-on way to build skills in a small, supportive workshop. Sessions meet at the studio’s address, 715 South 50th Street, where arrival timing is important to set up tools and clay bins; doors open fifteen minutes before class. Materials policy encourages students to conserve clay, recycle trimmings, and label work clearly on glazing day. The small roster and scheduled firings mean projects progress in stages — if you need faster turnaround, ask about additional open studio times. Joining the waitlist is a low-commitment way to secure a studio seat.