PHILADELPHIA WORKSHOP FIELD GUIDE
Handbuilt Holiday Warmth: Slab-Built Mug Workshop in West Philadelphia
A beginner-friendly, studio-led class at Black Hound Clay Studio West where you slab-build, decorate with stamps and textures, and choose a glaze for a functional mug that’s fired and ready in weeks.
Handbuilt Holiday Warmth: Slab-Built Mug Workshop in West Philadelphia.
Tackle your holiday gift list in a hands-on pottery workshop at Black Hound Clay Studio West. In this welcoming, beginner-friendly session you’ll slab-build a cozy mug, emboss it with stamps, textures, and stencils, then pick a glaze—studio staff handle the firing so your finished, functional piece is food-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Slab Building and Surface Play
Learn basic slab construction to form a sturdy mug, then personalize it using an array of stamps, textures, and stencils to create a one-of-a-kind surface.
Choose Your Glaze, Let the Studio Fire
After decorating, select your preferred glaze. The studio team will bisque fire, glaze, and refire each piece so the final mug emerges durable and ready for everyday use.
Functional, Gift-Ready Pottery
Finish with a usable object: the completed mug will be food-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe and available for pick-up in a few weeks—an ideal handmade holiday gift.
What the day feels like
What the Workshop Feels Like
Over the course of the session you’ll be guided through slab construction, surface design, and glazing choices in a relaxed studio setting; staff then handle all firing so you return to a finished, usable mug in the weeks after the class.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who the workshop suits — and who should consider alternatives.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The workshop runs for 2 hours.
No special tools are required; the studio provides stamps, textures, stencils, and materials for slab building and glazing.
Meet at Black Hound Clay Studio West, 715 South 50th Street in West Philadelphia; check in on arrival for the class.
Studio staff bisque fire, glaze, and refire finished pieces; expect about 3 to 4 weeks for completion and an email notification for pick-up during studio hours (open Thursday through Sunday, 12–5).
Workshops are offered on a sliding scale in three tiers; the studio provides a graphic explaining how the sliding scale works on its website before registration.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Who can attend the One Day Workshop?
Children 8 years and older may attend with an accompanying adult (the adult must also purchase a ticket). Teens 16 and older may attend without an accompanying adult.
How long is the workshop?
The workshop duration is 2 hours.
Where is Black Hound Clay Studio West located?
The studio is at 715 South 50th Street in West Philadelphia.
When will my finished mug be ready?
All work is bisque fired, glazed, and fired again by studio staff; you can expect it to be ready about 3 to 4 weeks after the workshop and you will be notified by email when it is available for pick-up.
Are the finished mugs safe to use?
Yes. Finished pieces are food-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe after studio firing and glazing.