Open Studio is available exclusively to students (ages 16 and up) enrolled in a full-semester ceramics class. Students must register for Open Studio at the same location as their class to avoid transporting pottery between studios. Use this time to continue working on class projects. Tech support is offered during select Open Studio hours. 

• Monday: 9:00-12:00
• Tuesday: 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
• Wednesday: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• Thursday: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
• Saturday/Sunday: 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Note: There will be no open studio the following dates

• Sunday, October 11 for HYS Fall Festival
• Saturday, November 14 for Veteran's Art Day
• Sunday, December 13 for Holiday Stroll

Unlock the secrets of abstract and expressionistic painting with EO Omwake's tailored classes, designed to cater to each student's unique preferences. Dive into the essence of creativity, regardless of your painting experience, and learn foundational and advanced skills in the historic Chester Springs Fine Art Studio. Join a community of artists of all levels, working together to explore the nuts and bolts of painting, receiving personalized guidance from EO Omwake, and culminating in a valuable end-of-class critique. Elevate your artistry and enrich lives through your creations – take the plunge and enroll now to unleash your creative potential!

click HERE for a materials list for this course!

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Inclusive Clay classes provide ceramic art education for adults with intellectual disabilities, fostering an inclusive and empowering environment. Participants learn handbuilding techniques like slab building, coiling, and pinching, with sessions also covering surface treatments and glazing.

For more information, check out Inclusive Clay

This class is held in a ADA accessable studio space

Eligibility and Participation Requirements:

• Participants must be over 18 and enrolled in the PA Department of Human Services ODP-HCBS waiver program.
• A support person must accompany participants and stay for the entire class.
• Support staff can create pottery at no additional cost while ensuring their participant is adequately supported.

Students in Magic of Abstraction will learn to experiment with concepts and ideas relating to color, depth, perception and space. Working with your medium of choice, participants will learn to break down elements of abstraction including composition and rhythm, texture, movement, and balance. 

Students may be encouraged to work outside of their comfort zone at times, or experiment freely with new techniques with the intention of broadening knowledge of the materials (increased familiarity with various mediums can provide for more spontaneity and freedom when painting abstractly). From the Bauhaus to Basquiat, and from minimalism to surrealism, participants will review and analyze abstraction throughout history and begin to understand the choices and reasons behind painting “outside of the lines.” 

Click HERE for a materials list for this course

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Two 5-Week Sessions

Curious about learning to throw but not ready to commit to a full session? This five-week sampler is the perfect way to get a feel for working on the pottery wheel. Designed for beginners, the course introduces the essentials of wheel throwing — from preparing clay and centering to shaping simple forms like bowls and cylinders.

With hands-on instruction and plenty of guided practice, you’ll gain confidence at the wheel while creating a few finished pieces of your own. This short-format class offers a relaxed, low-pressure way to explore ceramics and decide if you’d like to take your skills further in a full 10-week course.

All materials, glazes, and firings are included.

This class is held in a ADA accessable studio space

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support our mission! Learn more about it's benefits and discounts!

Whether you are a true beginner or you are looking to brush up on your drawing skills in charcoal and pastel, this class is your opportunity! Become familiar with the tools of pastel painting. Approach the easel with confidence with an understanding of the Elements of Design, Composition, Shape, Value and Color. You will receive plenty of individual attention and groups critiques will be offered at the end of each class.

Click HERE for a materials list for this course!

• We believe art should be accessible to all. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
• Membership is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support the mission of HYS