● Programs

Alternative Teapots!

8 Week - Hand Building Class

Thursdays 6-9pm June 11th - July 30th ($480) taught by Molly Bernstein

Register Here

● Program Overview

Alt. Teapots

Learn how to hand-build through the lens of creating your own teapot, whatever that looks like to you!

Explore different hand building methods - coil-building, constructing with slabs, press molds and cardboard and tarpaper templates to riff on the timeless form in ceramics.

What’s Included

  • 25lb. of clay

  • Use of all of our 10 shop glazes

  • All bisque and glaze firings

  • Communal work tables

  • Shared studio tools + heat guns

  • Storage for your work on shared class shelving

  • Vintage molds, tar paper, cardboard, measuring tools

    *If you’d like your own tools we have them available for sale if our studio shop

What You’ll Need to Bring

  • Please bring 1-2 hand towels (very important!)

  • An apron if you prefer to wear one

  • An open mind to try new things and meet new people :)

  • Feel free to bring your own tools if you prefer

Sample Syllabus

Press molds + templates

WEEK ONE

Making slabs - 3 ways + construction methods

WEEK TWO

Teapot anatomy, tar paper demo, and coil-pinching

WEEK THREE

On-going projects

WEEK FOUR

Surface treatments for greenware - water etching, stenciling, stamping, sgraffito+ continuation of surface treatments

WEEK FIVE

Glaze demo + continuation of surface treatments

WEEK SIX

Cardboard press molds and templates demo / on going projects

WEEK SEVEN

Glazing

WEEK EIGHT

You’ll be notified via KilnFire Email about 2 weeks after your class wraps up to pick up your work. Our pick up hours are during 10am-6pm daily. You’ll find your work labeled on your class shelf in our kiln room

*WORK PICK-UP

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No previous experience with clay is required for alt. tea pots!

  • The Ceramics Dept. is located on the gorund floor of VIA - The Village. of Industry and Art (formerly Hamiloton and Furness Hall of UArts) at 320 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia, PA.

    You will enter using a key code for the Broad Street entrance that you will receive in a welcome email the week your class begins with all the info you’ll need to be prepared for class!

  • Do not worry if you cannot make it to every single class. Although we do not offer make-up classes you are welcome to utilize open studio hours throughout the week to keep practicing until you can come back.

    Our teachers can also briefly recap and catch you up on what you missed when you return.

  • 10am - 6pm Daily

  • More clay is available to purchase at the studio shop. We sell Standard Clay and its sold in 25lb. bags. Firing fees are included in the price of clay to keep things simpler for everyone.

    The studio shop is open daily from 10am-6pm. Please come before class to purchase clay if you’re taking a PM class.

  • You’ll be notifed about two weeks after your class ends and you can come by during open hours (10am-6pm) to pick up your work from the Finished Work Shelves which will be labled with your class.

    We will send you an email as soon as your work is ready for pickup via KilnFire. Please do not call or email asking if it is ready. 

  • Please email us directly at hello@theceramicsdept.com, so we can speak directly to your accessibility needs to see if we can meet them! VIA was built in 1826 and Scout (our landloard) is working towards improving access for everyone.

  • General FAQ is coming soon