Past Events

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 | 11:00 am – 6:00 pm

Hand Crafted Holidays Open House

Free and open to the public. Join us for our fourth annual Hand Crafted Holidays — a festive day of tastings, demonstrations, shop discounts, and hands-on activities intended to spark creative ideas for holiday decorating, gifting, and entertaining. Drop-in activities this year includes clay ornament making, a pastry decorating demo, gallery talks, and signature cocktails.

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Weekends | November 24 to December 24 | 11 am-6 pm

Old City Holiday Market

The Clay Studio parking lot will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland on the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. There will be trees, wreaths, garlands, handmade gifts, and delicious food from a variety of Old City venues: The Clay Studio, 36 Craven, Petit Jardin, Fezziwig's Sweet Shoppe, The Center for Art in Wood, Philly Socks, Terme di Aroma Spa, Elfreth's Alley, Betsy Ross House, Royal Boucherie, and High Street on Market. Sponsored by Fezziwig's Sweet Shop and Old City District.

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Saturday, November 17 | 12 pm - 5pm

Terrain Christmas Marketplace

The Clay Studio will have a selection of handmade ornaments at the Terrain Christmas Marketplace. The event features other vendors and makers including: Lavido, Barspoon Beverages, Curious Clay, Whim Jewelry, Chris Lytle, Fat Toad Farm, Runamock Maple Syrup, The Farm at Doe run and more! This event is free and open to the public.

Terrain Website

October 26 | 6 - 7 pm

Wheel Throwing at the Art Museum

Get prepped for All Hallow’s Eve with a hair-raising night of ghoulish fun at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Artists from The Clay Studio will do live demos at the potter's wheel in the Museum's Great Stair Hall Balcony. $5 off at the door when you come in costume. All programs are included with Museum admission.

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Saturday, October 13, 1pm-4pm

Open Studio Tours

To celebrate National Clay Week & Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) 2018, The Clay Studio will offer tours of our Associate, Work Exchange, and Resident Studios on the afternoon of Saturday, October 13th from 1-4pm.

September 29 | 11am - 3pm at 1425 N. American Street

4th Annual Clay Fest sponsored by PNC Arts Alive

Celebrate clay and community with a fun day of muddy festivities near our soon-to-be new home in South Kensington! Join us for hands-on activities for all ages, wheel throwing, a group sculpture extravaganza, artist demonstrations, an ice cream social, t-shirt making & more! LOCATION: 1425 N. American St, Phila 19122 across from the Crane Arts Building.

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September 7 | 5pm - 8pm | FREE

First Friday Hands On Clay: Wheel Throwing 101

Try your hand at throwing on the potter’s wheel with the expert guidance of our teaching artists. Make your very own mug or bowl at this fun and casual event sponsored by PNC Arts Alive!

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May - September

Hands on Clay

The Clay Studio invites people of all ages to use their imaginations as clay and creativity come together in The Clay Studio’s series Hands On Clay, funded by PNC Arts Alive. Free and open to the public, this series uses clay to break the barriers of who is creative by welcoming all to participate.

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May - September

Community Maker Days

The Community Maker Days consist of free artist led workshops where participants create one of a kind dinner plates made to used at a community dinner in September 2018. These events are a way to connect through food and hands on art making experiences with to the communities near The Clay Studio’s new facility in South Kensington that is planned to open in 2020. All ages welcome and no experience necessary. This programming is generously supported by the William Penn Foundation.

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Wheels and Deals | August 3, 5-8pm

August First Friday

There is so much good stuff happening at The Clay Studio this First Friday, August 3rd from 5-8pm! Check out our Resident Artists Pop-Up Sale with work by Ahrong Kim, Roberta Massuch, and Joshua Paul Hebbert! Then try your hand at throwing on the wheel at our FREE Hands On Clay event sponsored by PNC Arts Alive. AND, check out our brand new exhibition, "Wild Collaborations" — elegant works made by Hitomi and Takuro Shibata, using local "wild" clay from North Carolina. Finally, enjoy the evening with a taste of the new Guava Lava by Dock Street Brewery — a collaboration with Brian Giniewski (former Resident Artist and current Board Member.)

Sunday | June 3

Free Trolley Tours to Our New Neighborhood

We’re going places — want to come along? Take a free trolley ride with us to visit the vibrant, artsy South Kensington neighborhood where our future home will be. We’ll have 4 afternoon departures from The Clay Studio at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30. RSVP chuck@theclaystudio.org with the time slot you’d like.

Learn more about our new home

Saturday, June 2

Spring Market

Join us on June 2 from 12-5 for an outdoor Spring Market to celebrate Elfreth's Alley's Fete Day. The Clay Studio welcomes you to enjoy a special shopping pop up with 36 Craven, The Center for Art in Wood, Momo's Treehouse, Meadowsweet, and Millisime.

Friday | May 4 | noon - 8 pm

Spring Pottery Sale 2018

Get yourself armloads of ceramic treasures -- artist donations and student work -- at rock bottom prices. You won't believe the enormous selection! Be sure to come early for the best picks. And while you're here, you can tour our galleries and Shop.

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Thursday | April 26 | 10am - 2pm

Hands on Clay: Claymation at Science in the National Park

Join Claymobile teaching artists to learn how to make claymation just like you've seen in the movies as part of the Philadelphia Science Festival's Science in the Nation Park event! Work on a collaborative animated short film and see it on YouTube soon after the event. Sponsored by PNC Arts Alive.

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SAT | April 28 | 3 - 8pm

Our Community Cookout

Join The Clay Studio's great big family to celebrate all that we do and all that we dream! See the Our Community Exhibition that has inspired work made by Members, Resident Artists, Associate Artists, Teachers, Students, Work Exchange, and Staff, learn more about our future plans, and share a meal together.

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Thursday | April 26 | 6pm - 8:30pm

Urban Potters Exhibition Reception & Artist Talks

Join us for a kick of event as we open our group exhibition at The Clay Studio. Get to know us through short artist talks and enjoy refreshments provided by Crime & Punishment Brewing Co. and 12th St. Catering.

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Tuesday | April 24 | 7-9pm

Claymation at The Independence Seaport Museum

Presented by the Independence Seaport Museum, 211 South Christopher Columbus Blvd. For tickets visit www.phillyseaport.org. As the Independence Seaport Museum prepares to exhibit a 240-year-old artifact — a cheval-defrise from the Revolutionary War fortifications of the Delaware River — learn the story behind this incredible piece of history and meet the conservator working on its preservation. The Science History Institute and The Clay Studio will engage guests in interactive demonstrations to explain how the fate of the artifact was impacted by sitting for hundreds of years in clay and mud, and how the science of conservation

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thursday | April 5 | 6 - 8 pm

Artist Talk: Brad Johnson

Join us for an evening with Brad Johnson, who will talk about his work and what inspires him, along with sharing memories of his time as a Resident Artist at The Clay Studio. Enjoy light refreshments, a Q and A, and seeing his latest works in our gallery.

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Saturday | February 24 | 1:30 - 3:30 pm

Digital Demonstration in the Gallery

Tyler Schradnt, ceramic graduate student at Tyler School of Art, will demonstrate his 3D printer (which "prints out" clay in thin coils) as part of the Reinventing Clay exhibition. Join us and watch a clay vessel grow before your eyes!

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