Pottery Rules and Safety Guidelines
Thanks for being a member of our art and ceramics community! Here’s a current list of student expectations and procedures to make a safe and productive pottery studio for everyone.
Studio Operation
Shelves
Keep whatever you’d like on your shelf but do not store art work on our studio bats or it will be removed.
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Shelf should be clearly labeled with you name, teacher’s name plus year and Session (example “Spring 2024” or “Summer 2024”) or we may accidentally give your shelf away.
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Art work should be labeled with your name clearly - initials can cause students to mistakenly take each others work.
Clay
Clay purchased from our studio is only for use in the studio.
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Outside clay is not permitted unless approved by your teacher.
Student
There is no outside work fired at the our studio. Only work from enrolled students made during class time will be fired.
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Limit your work to 12 finished pieces a month - which means 12 bisque firings and 12 glaze firings. If your pieces are taller than 12 inches or wider than 12 inches speak to your teacher about reducing your monthly output to 8 or 10 total items. We are not a production studio but a teaching studio. And if you’d like to rent Magda’s Kiln you’re welcome to call her 310.702.8442.
Breaks
Taking a BREAK? If you are leaving the studio for a month or two AND we are not billing you, please remove your work and note that missed class time is forfeited and no make up time will be honored.
Studio Rules for Safety
Clean-up
All spills should be sponged/mopped up immediately. A wet floor is a safety hazard.
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Cleaning is necessary after each class and after open studio. You must begin clean up in ample time to be out of the studio by the time the session is scheduled to end.
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Tables are to be wet wiped clean, wheels cleaned after use (all areas of wheel including sides), and walls next to the wheels cleaned of splatter, if applicable
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Sinks must be free of bats and sponges and clay. Do not leave tools or equipment in sink area.
Wheel heads and pans must be cleaned after each use.
Clothing
Do not wear loose clothing that might be caught on equipment.
Shoes must be worn in and around the studio.
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Long hair should be tied back
Glazing
Only glazes and under glazes approved by your studio teacher may be used.
Studio teachers reserve the right to dis-allow any troublesome glazes.
Glazes must be applied by brushing or dipping
If Glaze instructions say “Runner” or “Only the top 1/3 of pot” - adhere to rules - ask your teacher.
A 1/4" glaze margin at the bottom of the item is required.
No glaze inside foot rings.
Check pieces to make sure glaze is wiped off bottom before putting on the shelf to be fired.
Inform the teacher if the glaze bucket is empty or low.
Make certain all the equipment is thoroughly cleaned of glaze before returning to proper storage area.
Cookies (piece of flat bisque ware under pots coated with kiln wash) should be used under pottery suspected of running - students make cookies for their use. Kiln wash touches the glazed piece - ask your teacher to explain.
Only bisque ware may be glazed, raw clay that is glazed causes explosions in our kiln resulting in ruined finished pieces for other students. Ask your teacher when pottery should be placed if unsure.
Open Studio
Open studio is for adults making up class time, approval from teacher.
Make up or extra time may be purchased $15/hour for current adult students only with approval from teacher.
Make up time is lost when the studio stops billing you. Students wishing to take the summer off lose make up time and shelf.