General Studio Guidelines
Booking your sessions
-Please schedule and book your sessions online at shawstreetpottery.ca
-Take the time to read the cancellation policy on the website
-The scheduled session end time is not flexible
Studio use, guidelines and maintenance
-The clay provided for studio sessions is to be used exclusively in studio sessions - taking clay home is not permitted.
-It is recommended to book 2 or 3 sessions to complete your work (making, trimming, glazing).
- Potters are responsible to clean the worktable, equipment, and tools (dried and put away) within their 3 hours session. Plan on using the last 20 minutes of your shift for the cleaning process. When you are done, the space should be as clean as you found it when you arrived.
-Never swipe clay crumbs and dust from the table to the floor - use a damp cloth and gently push it in a bowl of water.
-Always clean surfaces with a wet cloth - dusting or sweeping is not allowed.
-If crumbs, clay slip or glaze falls onto the floor please wipe it immediately so that you or other potters don't step in it and spread it all over the studio.
-Using sanding paper on bisqueware is not permitted. Use the grinding stone and work over a bowl of water - or wet the grinding stone and your bisqueware to eliminate the risk of airborne dust.
-Yes – we are keen about keeping the studio clean : )
-Each project (set of 2 or 3 sessions) includes one kiln shelf for bisque and glaze firings, and pieces must be less than 6 inches in height. Regular firing fees will apply to additional kiln space (and taller pieces) if needed.
-Glazing and firings included in studio sessions are only for pieces made entirely in the Shaw Street Pottery studio. Taking pieces home to work on them between sessions is not permitted.
-All tools and equipment are the property of Shaw Street Pottery and must remain in the studio - they cannot be taken out of the studio.
Working with the wheel (April to November only)
After each use:
-Remove wheel splash pan and clean all sides of splash pan
-Clean wheel head (top, sides and under)
-Clean wheel shelf/table - top, sides, and around wheel head
-Clean all tools, wipe with sanitizing wipes, and place them back in their respective containers or shelf or hook.
-Wipe and dry stool seat if needed
-Do not drop/leave tools in the buckets of water - Thanks!
-If you have made a mess on the floor (it happens!), clean it with the mop and bucket of clean water provided.
-Remove all your pieces from the bats, clean and dry the bats
-Place your pieces on board(s) and cover if needed, label plastic covering(s) with your name.
-Turn off the wheel, and the overhead light.
-Please sign all your work – thank you!
Glazing
-Shake the glaze or underglaze containers very well before opening
-Open glaze or underglaze containers above a bowl of water so that glaze crumbs fall into the water
-Always use one brush per glaze or underglaze colour
-Do not mix glazes, and do now layer glazes
-Do not glaze the bottom of your pieces, and leave 1/8’’ at the bottom edge.
-Clean brushes very well after each use and place them on the drying mat.
-Close glaze containers very well, and clean container to remove any drips on the outside.
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Firing: One kiln shelf (one bisque and one glaze) included in the fee for up to 3 sessions booked.
Firing fees for additional kiln space (for all pieces measuring 3’’ to 5’’ in height):
$10 per piece
$12 per half shelf
$25 per full shelf
$2 per piece for items 3" or less - width and height
-Additional $10 applies to each piece measuring 5" to 7" tall (tall)
-Additional $15 applies to each piece measuring 7" to 10" tall (xtall)
-Additional $20 applies to each piece measuring 10" to 12" tall (xxtall)
-We do not fire pieces taller than 12", and/or wider than 14"
Shelves are circular and measure 15 1/2" in diameter, minus 3 shelf posts
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IMPORTANT PROVISIONS:
- Shaw Street Pottery is not responsible for a piece warping, cracking, breaking, blistering, exploding or any other type of unsatisfactory result.
-A $10 fee will be applied to each piece with dripped glaze stuck onto its protective disc.
-Any damage to the kiln or kiln furniture, including elements, shelving and posts, or damage to another potter's work, due to misuse of glazes and/or clay, or mixing /layering different glazes, will be the responsibility of the maker and a replacement fee will apply according to the repair or replacement cost required. For example the fee for a damaged kiln shelf is $75, which covers the full replacement cost of a kiln shelf.