An essential part of the human experience is to explore one’s power of imagination. Creativity is a skill that takes practice—and time—to develop.
Saint Philip’s invites anyone, regardless of artistic experience, to explore their creative spirit through hand-building ceramics in a friendly, supportive, and non-judgmental environment.
“It is imagination that releases us, that discloses alternative possibilities. Imagination is central to the health and heart of all human beings.” —Maxine Green, American educational philosopher, author, social activist, and teacher.
Some students’ work below:
2024 FALL SCHEDULE
August 20-September 27, six weeks
October 1-November 8, six weeks
November 11-December 13, four weeks (special Santa’s Workshop Holiday Session)
2025 SPRING SCHEDULE
January 7-February 14, six weeks
February 25-April 4, six weeks
April 15-May 23, six weeks
TUITION
$200.00 per 6-week session. Tuition includes clay, glazes, use of the studio and state-of-the-art tools, bisque and clear glaze firings, and instruction. Colored glazes need to be purchased by students—CONE 06 only!
Tuition is due by the end of the first class of each 6-week session. A late fee of $15.00 will be added to tuition if not paid by the due date.
Click here for details regarding enrollment, payments, pro-rated tuition, late fees, and refunds.
WHO CAN ENROLL
Adults 17 years and older. Students work at an individual pace so both novice makers and advanced sculptors are welcome.
Click here to read Eric’s letter to students—future and current.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Tuesdays 12:00pm-3:00pm Class I
Tuesdays 5:30pm-8:30pm Class II
Wednesdays 10:00am-1:00pm Class III
Wednesdays 5:30pm-8:30pm Class IV
Thursdays 9:00am-12:00pm Class V
Fridays 1:00am-4:00pm Class VI
Fridays 9:00am-12:00pm Open Studio* (for currently enrolled students)
*$20.00 per session. Students may attend as many “open studio” sessions as they like during the six-week session. 100% of Open Studio fees are applied to on-going costs related to the clay studio.
If you are interested in enrolling, email Eric Johnson at slowburnrecordings@yahoo.com.
MISSED CLASSES
A missed class can be “made up” by attending any other class during the same 6-week session. (Missed classes cannot be “rolled over” to another 6-week session.)
INSTRUCTOR
Eric M. Johnson - BFA, MA
Eric Johnson is a long time Tucsonan, artist, musician and educator. Johnson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) and a Master of Arts degree in Art Education from the University of Arizona in Tucson. His speciality in ceramics is hand-built sculpture and portrait/bust work. He also has a specialty in non-glaze finishing techniques.
Johnson believes that experience in the arts as a maker can lead to many helpful skills outside of the world of art. For example, the skill of creative problem solving, something that is central to the art classroom, is a skill that has broad application in people’s lives and work. The act of creation can lead students to a deeper understanding of one’s self and place in the world.
Tucson Pima Arts Council’s New Works awarded Johnson its grant in 2014 and he won the National Arts Program’s “People’s Choice” award for ceramic sculpture in the professional category in 2019. Johnson is also a multi-instrumentalist musician and owns and operates a recording studio in Tucson, Arizona. He has published over 30 CDs of original material, to critical acclaim, over three decades.
You can reach Eric by emailing him at slowburnrecordings@yahoo.com.
STUDIO LOCATION
The church campus can be accessed from Campbell Avenue or River Road. Once on-site you’ll see a large parking lot with solar panels—and a building to the west of the parking lot.
At the southern end of the building there is a stucco archway with an ornate iron gate. Walk through it and turn at the first right. The clay studio is the first room on your right.
