What age is required to enroll?

Minimum age is 16 for Wheelthrowing 101.

Is the studio wheelchair accessible?

Yes — this class and the studio space are wheelchair accessible.

What does tuition include?

Tuition includes instruction, tools, glazes, firing, and 25 pounds of clay; one free open-studio session is included.

Can I purchase more clay or materials?

Additional clay can be purchased through the studio’s website—check the class guide for details.

How large are the classes?

Class size is limited to 12 students to ensure one-on-one attention from instructors.

Who do I contact with questions or registration issues?

Email south@blackhoundclay.com or follow the studio’s class guide linked in the listing for pre-class information.

Throw, Trim, Glaze: Wheelthrowing 101 at Black Hound Clay Studio South | Workshop

Black Hound Clay Studio South, located at 1701 Federal Street in South Philadelphia, hosts Wheelthrowing 101: Wednesday Mornings, an eight-week beginner pottery course led by instructor Sara Gallo. Meetings run April 1–May 20, 9 a.m.–12 p.m., and the three‑hour sessions are a practical dive into shaping, trimming, decorating, and glazing on the potter’s wheel. The studio itself is a straightforward working room: a bank of wheels, a kiln behind the scenes, work tables, and racks for drying and fired pieces. Students work with up to 25 pounds of studio clay included in tuition, use studio tools and glazes, and receive instruction from professional teaching artists in a class limited to 12 people. One free open-studio session is included with every class, so you can return to refine pieces between meetings. The course is wheelchair accessible and welcomes students with no prior experience; it’s deliberately paced to move a total beginner from centering clay to a finished glazed object. What makes this class special for South Philadelphia is its combination of focused technical coaching and the small-group atmosphere. Sara Gallo and the studio staff emphasize hands-on correction: instructors adjust your posture at the wheel, coach trimming angles, and demonstrate glaze application so your pieces fire successfully. The space is part classroom, part makerspace, and its weekday morning schedule draws a mix of local creators—students who are experimenting with ceramics for the first time and those building on home-studio attempts. Practically, the course covers the full process: throwing on the wheel, trimming leather-hard work, surface decoration, and glazing before kiln firing. The studio handles firing and keeps turnout manageable with clear glazing workflows, so beginners leave with an understanding of the ceramic timeline as well as tangible finished pieces. If you need scheduling flexibility, the listing outlines installment payment options during registration windows. Who should sign up? Creative beginners, hobbyists seeking a consistent studio routine, and travelers who want a substantial hands-on class while visiting Philadelphia. Minimum age is 16, classes run small, and the accessible workspace makes it a practical option for a wide range of students. Bring comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting clay on, an eagerness to learn, and a notebook for glaze recipes and trimming notes. Expect to get your hands messy, to make a pile of test pieces, and to discover the patient muscle memory that turning clay on a wheel builds. For questions or logistics, the studio directs students to their class guide and to [email protected]. Classes meet in the back classroom of the studio, and instructors offer one-on-one feedback during open studio hours so students can polish techniques between sessions. Enroll early—small class size fills fast. Payment plans are available for qualifying registration windows online.