Policies for the Ceramics Studio

CERAMIC STUDIO ASSESSMENT

Before reserving or using Ceramic Studio equipment independently, all members must pass a two-part assessment to ensure they can safely use our equipment and understand the Ceramic Studio policies. The two-part assessment includes both an online and in-person component.

STORAGE OPTIONS

Members will be offered storage spaces for clay and work in the studio on a first-come, first-served basis.

If storage space is unavailable, or if a member chooses to opt out of storage, they will receive a $5 discount on their membership fee. Members opting out of storage are responsible for transporting their supplies to and from the studio, including clay, personal tools, bisque work, and reclaim. Members opted out of storage will need to transport ALL items in and out of the studio space.

When all storage spaces are occupied, new members who wish to store their work or supplies at the Hub can request to be placed on a waiting list.

SAFETY AND ETIQUETTE

Safety Guidelines

For detailed information about safety concerns, please see our yellow SDS (Safety Data Sheet) binder located on the top shelf to the right of the emergency exit in the studio.

Hair and loose clothing must be tied back when working on the wheels.

Closed-toe shoes are recommended when working in the studio. Shoes must be worn at all times while working at the Innovation Hub.

Prolonged exposure to silica dust can lead to silicosis. Silicosis is a life-altering lung disease that arises from exposure to silica dust over time.

If you need to sweep, always use the sweeping compound and an N95 mask. The sweeping compound is on the bottom shelf to the right of the sink, and the N95 masks are on the top shelf to the right of the emergency exit.

Sanding of any kind is NOT allowed in the studio.

Members seen sanding in the studio are subject to suspension or cancellation of access to the Ceramic Studio. Even if you aren’t personally worried about the effects of silicosis, please consider fellow members and Hub staff who regularly spend time in the studio space. Always take every step to mitigate the production of clay or glaze dust. Silica dust can linger in the air for several hours after it is kicked up, so you could be long gone while it’s still hanging around. Remember to clean wet when possible and utilize a sweeping compound if sweeping is absolutely necessary.

Studio Etiquette

• Please leave the studio as clean as you found it.
• Avoid playing music on a speaker or taking phone calls in the studio.
• Be courteous and aware of the amount of space you are using. Make space for others as they come in.
• Clean and place all materials/tools back in their designated spaces.
• Do not touch any other member’s belongings or work without their consent.

RESERVATIONS AND CLEANING POLICIES

Studio Reservations

You are required to check in at the front desk before entering the studio.

There are 4 available handbuilding spots and 7 wheels reservable through Shopify. Each piece of equipment is labeled with its respective number and correlates to the number found in Shopify.

Reservations are required for Ceramic Studio usage. It is recommended to reserve in advance through Shopify to secure a spot, but the front desk can help with reservations if necessary.

Members must exit the building by 5 PM on M, W, F; 8 PM on T, TH; and 2 PM every 1st and 3rd Sat. Allow enough time to thoroughly clean up and be ready to leave by the close of business. Members must clean up their area at least 30 minutes before the start of a ceramics class.

If you reserve a spot but can’t keep your reservation or need to leave early, please let the front desk staff know so they can adjust your reservation.

Cleaning Policies

Due to the harmful nature of silica dust, clean wet using the large automotive sponges by the sink whenever possible.

It is acceptable to scrape pieces of wet clay from worktables, but never scrape any dry materials (clay, glaze, underglaze, slip) because this will produce dust.

Sanding of any type is NOT allowed in the studio. This includes sanding greenware or unfired glaze. Prolonged exposure to silica dust can lead to silicosis. Members seen sanding in the studio are subject to suspension or cancellation of access to the Ceramic Studio.

The right side of the sink has a clay trap, which protects our pipes from getting clogged with clay. Place any large chunks of clay into the Hub reclaim bins, or your own, and send any water that may have slurry in it down the right side of the sink only. Anything that may have clay, glaze, underglaze, or slip residue should be washed down the right side of the sink, but try to send as little clay down the sink as possible.

• Put all tools, glazes, and other materials back in their designated spaces.
• Brushes and tools should be washed, dried, and returned to their designated storage areas. Do not leave any tools at the sink. They will rust and wear out faster.
• Leave only bats and buckets in the left side of the sink to dry. All other tools and materials should be put away before leaving the studio.
• Spray out towels, wring them dry, and hang them on the laundry rack to finish drying.
• Throw trash away.
• Clean the wedging table as soon as you are finished so the next member can use it.
• Wipe down any tables, wheels, or glazing areas that you used.
• Wipe out the sink before leaving the studio.

To clean wheels, follow these steps:

• Turn off wheel
• Make sure the bucket under white wheels are not going to overflow (pour contents in reclaim if nearing the top of the bucket)
• Wipe or spray out splash pan depending on the style of wheel
• Turn your stool upside down and place on wheel head
• Put foot pedal on wheel’s tool area so the floor can be easily mopped
• Wipe or mop any spills on the floor around you

CLAY POLICIES

Reclaim Clay

Studio reclaim clay in the large gray trash cans is for Hub staff use only.

Members can reclaim their own clay in a bucket or bin, but it must come and go with them.

When in stock, processed Hub reclaim will be available for purchase at a discounted rate.

Outside Clay

Because firing clay at the wrong temperature can damage kiln equipment, outside clay must be approved by the Studio Manager before it is allowed in the kiln. If outside clay is placed on the work shelves without proper notification or approval, Ceramic Studio access may be suspended or canceled.

Outside clay is fired by the shelf (½ shelf), half load, or full load, and incurs additional fees beyond your standard membership fee.

Hub Clay Costs And Types (Subject to Change)

Hub Reclaim Clay: $30/25 lbs (when available)

Alligator Clay: $40/25 lbs

• Barbuff – white stoneware, ideal for wheel throwing or handbuilding. Cone 6-12
• Lovestone – white, creamy stoneware, ideal for throwing or handbuilding. Close feel to porcelain. Cone 6-12
• Black Pepper – light brown, with dark speckling, ideal for wheel throwing or handbuilding. Cone 4-6
• Red Star – terracotta-colored clay, ideal for wheel throwing or handbuilding. Cone 4-6
• Potsalot – dark brown clay body with sand and grog, great for handbuilding. Not recommended for wheel throwing. Cone 4-6

GLAZE POLICIES

Glaze And Underglaze Usage

Brushable underglaze and glazes provided by the Hub are intended for experimental use. If you intend to use a large amount of brushable glazes, or underglaze, please purchase your own. The Hub does not guarantee continued supply of any specific glazes or underglazes found in our space.

Members are allowed to purchase their own bottles of Amaco Potter’s Choice brand glazes without being required to take the Glaze Chemistry class. However, all other brands of glaze, or any homemade glaze recipes, require members to take the Glaze Chemistry class to be able to safely use outside glazes in the Hub’s Ceramics Studio.

Glaze Testing

Members who wish to purchase and test outside glazes, must first take the Glaze Chemistry class, offered once a quarter, or book a private lesson.

Once the member has passed the Glaze Chemistry Assessment (part of the Glaze Chemistry class), outside glazes must be tested using a sacrificial ceramic cookie under the test piece.

The cookie must be a ½ inch larger, all the way around, than the widest point of your piece. This includes handles or spouts. See figure below.

A cookie is only required under the first test of an outside glaze unless the glaze proves to be runny or otherwise troublesome.

If you are testing an overlapping combination of Hub-provided glazes for the first time, you must treat the item as a test piece and place a sacrificial ceramic cookie underneath it to protect against adverse glaze reactions.

Use the same protocol referenced above.

Fill out the provided glaze testing slips found on the glazeware shelf when trying out new glaze combos and place the slip on the piece(s) so the kiln technician is aware.

KILN FIRING POLICIES

Work Placement for Firings And Pickup

Work should be placed on appropriate shelves when ready for firings.

The shelves are labeled “Greenware,” “Bisqueware,” and “Glazeware” and are located in the kiln room hallway by the kitchen.

Glaze-fired/finished work can be found on the member pickup shelves located between the Hub Gallery and the Ceramics Studio.

Members will be notified via email after each kiln load is unloaded and work is ready for pickup.

Once work has been glaze fired, you must take it home within 3 weeks. Work that is left for longer than 3 weeks will be discarded, donated, or repurposed.

Firing Policies And Kiln Schedule

Make sure your name, maker’s mark, or signature is on your work. Work with no name, stamp, or signature will not be fired and will be reclaimed after two weeks on the greenware cart.

Clay purchased from the Hub has firing costs worked into the overall clay cost ($40/25 lbs). No additional firing fees are collected when purchasing Hub clay.

Use of copyrighted images, characters, or slogans in work is strictly prohibited unless the maker has the express permission of the copyright holder. This is regardless of the user’s intent to sell the item or not.

The Hub bisque fires to cone 04 and glaze fires to cone 6.

Glaze can only be applied to bisqueware at the Hub.

Glaze must be wiped off the bottom of your piece, unless otherwise arranged with the studio manager via note on piece, or email.

The use of wax resist is permitted if all 4 requirements are met:

1. Used predominantly for decorative purposes
2. Applied in a thin coat with wax-specific brushes
3. Wax brushes are washed immediately after use
4. Beaded glaze is wiped from any waxed areas that may touch the kiln shelves

The Ceramic Studio is a small community space and, as such, is not equipped to handle the production of pottery. Any member producing large amounts of work, work that is particularly wide, flat, or large in scale, should understand that it may take longer for their work to be fired. If there is a deadline for work that fits the above description, please plan accordingly and allow 6-8 weeks for work to be processed. We want all members to have an equitable opportunity in our studio, so kiln space in each firing will be evenly distributed among members with work on shelves.

Barring extenuating circumstances (like above), registered studio members who purchase their clay from the Hub can expect to have their work fired within 1-3 weeks per firing.

The kiln schedule is posted on the whiteboard in the hallway by the kiln room. The kiln technician will do their best to keep an updated schedule, but please understand that it is subject to change based on workflow and other variables.

Members are not allowed to open or unload the kiln. Do not ask the front desk if you can open or unload the kiln.

The kiln will not be opened or unloaded, if above 120 degrees F.

Members will be notified via email when the kiln has been unloaded and work is ready for pickup.

The winter holiday season has cut off dates for bisque and glazeware due to an increase in member production. Notices will be placed in advance and members will be notified via email. Pieces placed on shelves after winter cut off dates are not guaranteed to be ready in time for the holidays.

Rush Firings

To ensure there is no delay between firings for you, both firing fees (bisque and glaze) must be paid in advance through Shopify. Please notify the Studio Manager if you will not need both firings and accommodations can be made.

Rush firings for outside clay are available for an $85 fee per firing.

Rush firings are not offered from October-December.

Hub Firing Fees

STORAGE POLICIES

Greenware in Progress Storage

Greenware in progress should be kept in the damp closet or file cabinet in the hallway between the Ceramics Studio and the Hub Gallery.

Work under plastic should be labeled with name and date using masking tape on the outside of plastic before being stowed in a damp closet.

Limit yourself to using 5 bats at a time for no longer than 3 days. Ware boards are available in the studio to store work on.

Members Opting Out of Onsite Storage

Members who have opted out of onsite Hub storage must come and go with all personal items/tools, clay, and bisque work.

The damp closet and cabinet are still available for storing works in progress for members without onsite storage.

Members with Onsite Storage

Members who opt into onsite Hub storage spaces will receive a 15 qt Tupperware bin, labeled with their name, to store their moist clay in. Those members will also receive a separate cubby space, labeled with their name, to store bisqueware and personal tools/belongings.

Hub provided storage bins accommodate one 25 lb bag of clay. All clay stored at the Hub must fit inside your member bin.

Please do not leave clay or any other tools/items outside of member bins or cubbies. Clay, or tools, outside of bins/cubbies will be assumed to be class materials.

Members are responsible for taking their clay and belongings home if membership is discontinued. Memberships that have expired for longer than 1 month will have their clay and belongings donated to the Hub for class use.

Bins belong to the Hub and should not be taken home without approval. Bins should be returned to the Hub if membership is discontinued.

Bisqueware Storage

Members can use the cubby referenced above to store bisqueware, tools, and personal belongings.

If a member has too much work to store in their cubby, it should be boxed and taken home until ready to be glazed.

Bisqueware should be removed from the bisqueware pickup shelf in a timely manner so there is room for the next load of bisque.

EQUIPMENT DAMAGE

Equipment Damage Fees

Accidents happen - Hub equipment that is damaged during normal use will be the responsibility of the Innovation Hub.

Hub equipment that is damaged while not adhering to studio policies will be the responsibility of the member. See the following breakdown of the Ceramic Studio damage fees*:

START YOUR CERAMIC STUDIO ASSESSMENT!

Do you have experience with ceramics and want to use the Ceramic Studio independently?! Once you're familiar with the Ceramic Studio policies, you can start the assessment process by scanning the QR code or clicking THIS LINK.

START YOUR DIP GLAZE ASSESSMENT!

Have you already passed the two-part Ceramic Studio Assessment? Do you have prior experience with dip glazing and want to use the Hub’s dip glazes? Scan the QR code or click THIS LINK to take the Online Dip Glaze Assessment. Once you pass the online quiz, you’re ready to use the Hub’s dip glazes!