Art Alliance of Greensboro
Pottery Studio Guidelines
Because there are so many people using the studio, please be considerate of all other potters. Please keep in mind the following guidelines so this will be a pleasant learning experience for everyone. Feel free to ask your instructor or fellow students for help with any studio policy that is unclear.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Program Director – Liz Busch
Pottery Studio Manager – Patrick Rowe
Phone Numbers: Office 336-373-2725 and Pottery Studio 336-373-2901
Email: artalliancegso@gmail.com, potterystudiomanager@gmail.com Website:www.artalliancegso.org
STUDIO ACCESS
You are welcome to work in the studio whenever the building is open (8-10 Mon.-Fri., 9-6 Sat., and 1-6 Sun.) when classes are not in session. Ask your instructor for the lock box combination. Return the key to the lock box immediately after opening the studio. Please sign in to the studio using the sheet on the red bookcase by the phone when working during open studio.
If you visit another class on another night/day, please speak with the instructor first to make sure that there is space available. Registered students for that night have first access to wheels, slab roller, etc.
Please remember that only registered adult students should be using the studio to make pottery.
STUDIO SAFETY
When working alone, please lock yourself into the studio. Do not open the door unless you know the person. Anyone who needs to get into the studio knows the combination. Please use the buddy system when going to your car, especially at night. The guard’s telephone number is posted by the phone. Any sanding of pottery pieces must be down outside on the loading dock.
CLEAN-UP
Everyone is responsible for keeping the pottery studio clean. Clean your wheel thoroughly. Please make sure that you turn your wheel off and place the foot pedal and stool on top of the wheel. When the floor is wet mopped, we do not want the wheels damaged by the water. Please make sure the tables, slab roller, glazing area, etc. are clean before leaving the studio.
RECYCLED CLAY
Please do not put anything other than clay in the recycle buckets or throwing water. Once clay has been fired it cannot be recycled. If you do not want your bisqued pieces, please throw them away in the regular trash. When dumping your clay from your bucket at the end of class, please run your hands through your bucket and make sure you have not left anything in there. If you are dumping your throwing water in the large bucket in the clay recycling area, please dump it over the screen to help catch anything. For the safety of our puggers, you, children, and the pug mill, please make sure no pin tools, chains, pins, etc. find their way into the recycled clay. If there is plastic covering the recycled clay, please do not remove it. If you have any questions about recycling, please ask your instructor.
CLAY
All new students should be using recycled clay. Experienced and returning students get one bag of clay with the class fee. Additional bags of clay may be purchased—$35 for new clay and $25 for recycled clay. If you bring in a bag from outside, there is a kiln fee of $20 to help cover glaze and firing costs. If you need an extra bag of clay, please purchase it during your class night and give the money to your instructor. Please understand that we are a teaching facility and not a production studio. Students are limited to working with 50 pounds of clay per 8-week session.
WATER USAGE
Take throwing water from the water recycle bucket in the pugging area. Return the throwing water there and put the slurry in the screened bucket. If you take water from the sink, please use as little as possible.
YOUR PERSONAL SHELF
Please be sure that your shelf is clearly marked with your name and class night. Because of space limitations, students should only be occupying one shelf. Please clearly mark your bag of clay and your personal tools and store them on your shelf. Due to the safety of others, do not leave your recycled clay bucket or tool box on the floor for people to trip over. Please respect other potters by not helping yourself to their personal tools and items on their shelf.
If you are taking a session off, please clear off your shelf so that new students will have a shelf available. Again, please make sure that your shelf is properly marked. If it has no name and looks deserted, it will be cleared off.
STUDIO TOOLS, BATS AND BOARDS
You are welcome to use the studio tools and bats. However, please put the clean tools and bats back on the shelf when you are finished so that others may use them. All studio tools should remain in the studio.
Please do not dry pottery on the studio bats. Learn to move your pottery to the wareboards. There are other students that also need to use these bats. You are welcome to purchase your own bats and store them on your personal shelf.
KILN ROOM AND STUDIO STORAGE
Because of space limitation, please pick up bisque and glazed pottery in a timely manner. Please remember to use your personal shelf for storage.
The shelves against the wall when you first come in the studio are for drying greenware only, not for storage of bisque. We will be clearing off the racks in the kiln room at the end of each 8-week session and bringing all pots into the studio. Two weeks after the session is over, any remaining pottery will be discarded.
When placing your greenware on the carts, please start loading from the back first. This will help in eliminating the need for people to pick up your pot. All pottery will get fired. There have been a few accidents lately with people picking up or bumping pottery and breaking them. Greenware pottery is very fragile. When placing greenware on the carts, load the tall pieces on top and flat shorter pieces on the bottom so they can be seen. No students are to load or unload the kilns. If you have any questions about the kilns, please check with the kiln loader on duty. The schedule is posted beside the door in the kiln room.
GLAZES
Students are not to thin the glazes. If you feel the glaze is too thick or too thin, please check with your instructor.
PAYMENT
All class fees should be paid one week before the scheduled class for each new session. If you bring your payment after class has begun, please give it to the instructor to mark on the role sheet before it goes into the locked box near the entrance.
Preregistration for classes begins halfway through the class and notices are posted. It is best to pay at this time. You can register online or by filing out the form in the studio.
Students will receive shelf tags only when payment has been received. If you need special arrangements please email artalliancegso@gmail.com.
MEMO BOARD
If you have a question, you are welcome to leave a note on the white dry erase board at the right of the front door. Please leave your question or concern and your name so that it can be answered.
Again, please feel free to ask your instructor or other students if you are unclear in any way about a studio policy
Thank you!
Art Alliance of Greensboro