about black hound clay west
Black Hound Clay Studio West was founded in 2016 as an inclusive community space for ceramic artists. We are located in the heart of West Philadelphia right off Baltimore Avenue. Offering affordable studio workspace, classes and events throughout the year, BHCS aims to be the locus of the Philadelphia ceramics community west of the Schuylkill River.
For more information on our sister studio in South Philly, please visit Black Hound Clay Studio South.
Black Hound Clay Studio is committed to advancing anti-racism within the ceramics field. We are aware of the dynamics of a white-run arts organization existing in a majority Black neighborhood, as well as the fact that the ceramics field is a white dominated field where minorities are vastly underrepresented. Part of the mission of BHCS is working to shift the structural barriers that prevent minorities from engaging in ceramics. We offer sliding scale programming, installment payment plans and BHCS members may utilize the Member Support Fund to defray the costs of membership.
Visit us
Black Hound Clay Studio West
715 South 50th Street
Philadelphia PA 19143
(half block south of 50th & Baltimore and a half block from the 34 Trolley)
Open to the Public Hours
Thursday - Sunday
12-5 pm
Open to Members 24/7
Phone
(215) 558 - 0243
West@Blackhoundclay.com
Black Hound Clay Studio Staff
Bethany Rusen
STUDIO DIRECTOR
Bethany@Blackhoundclay.com
Bethany (she/they) graduated with a BFA from Tyler School of Art in 2003 and earned her MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 2010. She has completed residencies at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia and the University of Delaware. Now primarily a production potter, her functional ceramics line Stanley Chester & Albert can be found in shops in Philadelphia and around the country. She lives in West Philly with partner Douglas, dogs Penny and Moola and cats Smokey and Harold. Her hair is usually pink.
Lisa Belsky
Assistant studio director
Lisa@Blackhoundclay.com
Lisa (she/her) graduated from Tyler School of Art in 2004 with a BFA in Ceramics. She also earned an MFA in Ceramics in 2008 from Ohio State University. She taught studio art classes at universities and community art centers for 12 years, and now she’s one of the teachers here at Black Hound.
Lisa is a ceramic and mixed media artist who also loves to knit and crochet. She has exhibited artwork in juried and invitational exhibitions around the country and loves to participate in craft shows when she can. She currently lives in West Mt. Airy with her spouse and 2 dogs.
Lauren DELK
LEAD STUDIO TECHNICIAN
Lauren@blackhoundclay.com
Lauren Delk (she/her) is an artist currently living and working in Philadelphia, PA. She received her BFA in studio art in 2019.
Lauren works in a variety of mediums including ceramics and mixed media. Her work draws from a love of simplicity and minimalism as well as expressive line work and detail.
In her free time Lauren enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with friends!
Claire engelhardt
OPEN STUDIO MONITOR & Woodfire cooridinator
Claire@blackhoundclay.com
Claire Engelhardt (she/her) is a ceramic artist with over a decade of experience, building on her strong foundation in illustration and painting. Her work blends utility with whimsy, creating both functional objects and sculptural creatures that bring joy and personality to everyday life. Over the past four years, woodfiring has become a central focus of her practice, adding depth and character to her pieces.
In addition to her artistic work, Claire is an experienced art educator, having taught a range of classes for both children and adults at the Arts League, and Black Hound Clay Studio.
OLIVIA GIBB
STUDIO TECHNICIAN
OLIVIA@blackhoundclay.com
Olivia Gibb (she/her) received her BFA in Printmaking from the Kansas City Art Institute in 2014. Her work aims to reflect upon societal and spiritual dualities that women bear the burden of in daily life, manifesting at the crossroads of the prosaic and uncanny. Vehicles for this exploration take shape in clay, music, paintings and performance.The undercurrent of her work exists in tandem with her 15 year long relationship with punk music and the DIY (Do It Yourself) community. She currently lives in Philadelphia.
FranKIE Iadarola
OPEN STUDIO MONITOR
Frances@blackhoundclay.com
Frances Iadarola (she/her) is a potter based in West Philly who makes small batch, functional ceramics for everyday use. She has been practicing ceramics for over three years and sells her work in local stores and markets in Philly.
In addition to being the Open Studio monitor, Frances occasionally teaches One Day Workshops throughout the year. To keep up with Frances and see photos of her latest work you can check out her instagram @francesiadarola.
Cassie Jones
Administrative coordinator Cassie@blackhoundclay.com
Cassie Jones (she/her) is a maker in every definition of the word: she makes stuff! That stuff includes ceramics (yay!) as well as leather work, embroidery, natural dyeing, printing, weaving, book arts, spinning, pysanky, and paper making just to name a handful. At Black Hound you’ll find her instructing workshops on a variety of creative skill sets, organizing private events and throwing posi vibes wherever she can!