Stacey Pottery Studio

The following is a necessarily sternly worded list of basic dos and don'ts for the studio. In order for the culture in the studio to be welcoming, for students to learn to be good clay citizens, and for the sanity of the Potter in Charge, they need to be said and adhered to. Please take a few moments to read through and then let's get down to having fun!

Disclaimer – no guarantee is offered, explicit or implied, regarding the quality or serviceability of fired work. Every precaution will be taken to ensure the best possible outcome for every firing. You agree that you will not hold the studio, it’s staff, volunteers or any other person associated with the studio responsible for work that is damaged or defective in any way while in the studio at any stage of process. ____ initial

While working with clay is relatively safe, there are hazards and risks. I acknowledge that I will not hold the studio responsible for any injuries or illness related to the use of the studio, materials or equipment even if the owners, staff or any representative of the studio were to be found negligent. I have been informed of the risks, and my responsibilities, and have signed the waiver. ___ initial

Studio etiquette

Students, members and those using the studio are to bring with them;

• a basic set of pottery tools,
• an apron,
• a towel
• a notebook,

and remove these from the studio when leaving. Any used towels or aprons left behind are a dust hazard and may be disposed of. Lockers are available for a fee.

Studio tools and materials, portable equipment, sponges and mops, are to be cleaned thoroughly and put back where they belong after use.

Slop and dried scraps only are to be placed in the reclaim barrel.

You are expected to have your own basic tools, however a limited number of tool sets for wheel throwing will be available and can be signed out and must be returned and signed off by staff. Missing wheel throwing tools often end up in the reclaim barrel and pose a risk of injury to staff and/or damage to equipment. If a tool is missing from your set, it is your job to find it.

Any equipment, ware boards, tables and floors around your work space must be cleaned thoroughly before leaving the studio.

If more than one person used a space, such as a table for clay prep, communicate with others using the studio to ensure the area is left clean.

At no time should staff be required to clean up after you.

Please clean to a standard that you would expect to find in the studio when you arrive.

As far as possible, used clay lumps are to be returned to the clay supply in good usable condition. Please allow time to reclaim your own clay by rewedging wet lumps on a dry surface or set in front of a fan before wedging and returning to the supply. Clay that has dried during handbuilding can be wedged with reclaim slop and brought back to a usable state. Clay reclaim is arduous work and if clay is being put unnecessarily into the reclaim, the cost of clay will have to be increased to reflect the extra workload on staff.

Please bring any substandard cleaning or unsafe situations to the attention of staff immediately.

Personal responsibility is expected at all times by every person using the studio, if we work together we can all have a safe and pleasant place to work.

Please take a moment before you leave, to wander with a clean damp sponge, and look for smears that you or others may have missed on door frames, counter tops, tool caddies and other surfaces. A clean studio is a safe studio and a pleasant place to work and create.

We reserve the right to revoke all studio privileges for prohibited behavior and no refund will be given.

At all times everyone using the studio shall endeavor to respect all persons, to communicate politely and to work in a safe manner.

Discussions in the studio should be age appropriate for all who are present.

Drinks in the studio must have lids. Do not eat while working. Wash hands thoroughly before and after eating or using the restroom. Dispose of your trash.
 

Limits of use

Creative use of the materials is encouraged, but there are some things that will not be made or fired in the studio. If found in any stage of production, the studio reserves the right to mitigate harm, up to and including destroying prohibited work without notice and without compensation to the artist. Communication is key, get permission from staff before starting work that could be borderline.

Pornographic or sexually explicit items are not allowed, the benchmark will be whether a person under 18 years old would be permitted to legally see/buy the work. There is a long history of nudity in art, nudity alone is not pornographic. Discuss with staff ahead of time if you are concerned that your artistic expression may cross the line.

Cannabis smoking ware can only be made by students/members over the age of 21. Ware in progress may be kept in a secure location if younger people are using the studio at other times. Please be considerate. 

Tobacco pipes and ashtrays are not prohibited but are discouraged.

Any work that doesn’t fall into the aforementioned categories but which does not exhibit any artistic or cultural merit and/or demeans another person, group, nationality, sexuality, religion, or is in any way promoting violence, at the discretion of staff, may be removed from the studio or destroyed without compensation to the artist without notice. 

We will endeavor to work with every artist who comes to the studio, we do not want to unnecessarily limit anyone’s expression. There will be, on occasion, artists whose work and style is incompatible with the studio and we wish to be very clear with our criteria for making that determination.

Kiln

Authorized persons only will be loading, unloading or otherwise using the kiln. The kiln and designated kiln area are off limits to non-staff.

Firing slips must be completed for each item and must be placed on the appropriate cart with the item to be fired.

A firing schedule may be posted and every attempt will be made to adhere to it, but factors such as volume of work to be fired, kiln repairs or scheduling conflicts may alter the firing schedule without notice.

The kiln is not routinely for hire. The kiln is for firing work made in house, using studio materials, by students, members and staff. 

All items to be fired must have a legible name, usually on the bottom, that will be visible after glaze firing and be accompanied by a completed firing slip.

Items that will not be fired

• any clay not originating in the studio without prior approval
• any glaze not originating in the studio unless approved by staff, bring the bottle(s) with legible label
• any glaze containing lead
• previously fired items from outside the studio
• any item with additives or inclusions not cleared ahead of time by staff
• any item with a armature, or anything inside it, not cleared ahead of time by staff
• cracked ware
• studio ware with walls or areas thicker than ½  inch unless approved by staff
• studio ware with flaking or too thick glaze
• studio ware that does not have a legible name on it or a complete firing slip
• studio ware with glaze on the foot or shelf contact area of the piece
• studio ware that is at risk of breaking, falling over or damaging other ware or the kiln
• any item that is prohibited in the studio policies

Work left behind in the studio

Completed work is to be removed from the studio within 1 week

Bisque ware must be glazed within 2 weeks of firing and any bisque that has been on the shelf for 30 days will be disposed of without notice or compensation to the artist. Ware at any stage of completion can be picked up any time the studio is open (do not disturb classes in progress)

Green ware that has become bone dry before appropriate trimming/finishing will be reclaimed.

If clay was purchased from the studio by the student/member/staff, it is the responsibility of the owner of the clay to reclaim it into their own supply, no compensation is given for clay put in the studio reclaim barrel. 

Staff are not responsible for any materials, personal items, ware, tools or equipment left in the studio. Any items left behind by anyone who has not been active in the studio for 30 days will become the property of the studio. Items that are left behind and are not labeled with the owner's name become studio property immediately.

Special circumstances regarding the late pickup or storage of any items including unfinished work, tools, or personal belongings will only be considered in advance, so contact staff ahead of these deadlines and arrangements may be made. Fees apply to certain accommodations, such as storage, delivery or shipping.

Studio Safety

The safety of staff, members, and students, as well as members of the public, is of paramount importance. The biggest threat to human health in the pottery studio is airborne silica. The creation of dust is to be avoided in every step of the process, and where dust is unavoidable, ventilation, local filters, and masks shall be used. All cleanup methods of ware, studio or equipment must be wet. No dry sweeping, sanding or similar activities are allowed. Safety will be covered in studio orientation and reviewed as needed. Anyone found repeatedly violating the safety rules may be banned from the studio.

Studio Use

The studio may be used by anyone currently enrolled or who has taken a class within the past 3 months, or who has attended a studio orientation. Applicable hourly or monthly fees, tool purchases, locker rental or clay purchases must be paid at the time of use and members must be in good standing to use the studio.

Students and members may not bring friends, family or other persons into the studio during class or open studio hours without the express consent of staff. Minor children must be under adult supervision at all times and any damage to studio materials, fired or unfired ware, fixtures or equipment are the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Anyone who has not been trained in this studio is prohibited from using any of the equipment or materials until training has been signed off by staff and a waiver has been signed.

Open Studio

Students currently enrolled in a class - up to one hour of open studio time is included in your class fee immediately before and up to one hour immediately after each scheduled class. These open studio hours are provided as a courtesy and may not be used at any other time and they do not accumulate.  Additional open studio hours may be paid for at the date and time of use. Instruction will not be provided outside of class hours but students may ask simple questions. Studio use includes all activities in the studio, including clay prep and cleanup, please manage your time to include adequate cleanup time and leave everything you used in the studio clean and organized. Please be considerate of staff time outside of class hours, staff use this time to prep for classes, maintain the studio, and engage in their own work and occasionally relax.

Open studio hours cannot be used for free to make up missed classes. 

Open studio hours will be available any time the building is open and class is not in session. Some open studio time may be available during class times, check with staff  ahead of time. The fee is ______ per hour, rounded up to the quarter hour, and includes the use of studio equipment. Clay must be purchased from the studio at ____ per pound which includes glazing and firing. Most students will find that weighing their work after trimming but before it is dry is the best way to purchase clay. Bulk clay can be purchased but then it has to be taken home between classes and reclaim managed by the purchaser. Any clay put in the reclaim belongs to the studio and will not be reimbursed.

Members – membership includes the number of open studio hours purchased per month. Unused hours do not accumulate. Clay must be purchased from the studio and the member discount is ____% There may be “Members only” studio hours, activities and benefits periodically that are not covered in this document.  

There may, at times, be a list of tasks that can be performed in exchange for open studio time. These opportunities will be offered on a first come first serve basis and will fluctuate depending on the needs of the studio. This transaction must be authorized and checked off by staff.