CLAY SCHOOL HANDBOOK

CLAY SCHOOL HANDBOOK

CLAY 

Clay is included in the workshop fee. Instructions on how to care and keep the clay workable will be given. Studio practice (this includes all other things except making) is essential. Clay is communal and how you take care of it, is what you get to use. Clay may not be taken home

Reclaiming clay, what do I do with it? :

  • Workable clay-
  • Stiff / too dry clay-
  • Little bits of hard clay-
  • Runny clay-

GLAZE

Glaze. TBD. We are working on a Clear / White / Black. There will be one surprise glaze per season. We also have a white slip. NO outside clay or glaze can be brought into the studio for use

  • Always put lids and tops on clay, glaze, slips, washes correctly to avoid drying out
  • Do not thin glazes or slips, if it seems thick, ask the teacher or studio tech
  • Do not glaze the bottom of pots or any area that will touch the kiln shelf
  • Do not put dry chunks of clay back in the bucket

Commercial underglazes may be brought in and used but not stored at the studio

TOOLS

An assortment of tools are available for communal use on a first come first serve basis. 

Pottery tool kits are available to purchase at Clay School for $30 or you may order them here

Please put your name on all your tools, aprons etc.

Bailey Pottery is a great local resource for ceramic supplies located in Kingston NY

ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN TOOLS – X-ACTO blades, small sharp instruments or any tool that has a removal blade, or sharp prong. Anything small and sharp that can get lost in the clay. NO EXCEPTIONS 

FIRINGS

Firing fees are .03 per cubic inch for a single firing and .06 for a double firing. Minimum firing fee is $1. All firing fees paid in advance of firing

Work must be bisque fired before glaze firing. We do not once-fire work

Size restriction for work: _________________

  • Do not let work pile up on greenware or bisque shelves, keep it moving
  • Bisque dry work, glaze bisque work, take home glazed work
  • Unclaimed greenware, bisque or glazed work that is not claimed will meet the green dumpster 2 weeks after the end of class
  • Work will not be fired until fully dry

Kiln is not available ‘for hire’ of outside work and we do not fire work made at home, or outside of Clay School

Clay School is not responsible for work that does not make it through drying or the firings ie. cracks, glaze issues etc. No firing fee refunds

STUDIO PRACTICE & CLEAN UP

Studio practice is an integral part of clay making and PART of your studio time, no exceptions. Leave studio as clean or cleaner than you found it

Sharing tools, materials, equipment & space are crucial to making a communal clay studio run well. Everything has a home, put it back where it belongs for the next person to find when they need it

We are here to have fun and make art, not to clean up after each other. Please be responsible for your own studio practice and conscientious of others, as well as forgiving. Everyone is capable of mistakes and oversights, so try be generous and clear in your communications

  • Do not store work on throwing bats, use the ware boards, or store directly on shelf to minimize shelf footprint
  • Put your name and date on the outside of your wrapped work each time you store it on the shelf
  • Do not leave work to languish
  • Do not handle or move the work of others, if something must be moved, ask the teacher
  • If you break something, please leave a note. It happens. And if someone breaks something of yours, please know that it is an accident
  • Do not 'borrow' someones tools without asking, use the communal tools
  • Do  not leave personal items at the studio. Please take your tools, clothes, aprons, underglazes, water bottles, phone chargers with you at the end of each class
  • Take care of materials and keep them 'workable'. If you have taken a container (glaze, slip, underglaze) or piece of clay to your table, cover or wrap it with plastic glazes- keep it workable and hydrated!  

CLAY DUST is a safety hazard, always clean up scraps & spills when clay is still wet or leather hard. Do not wait until it is dry. If it does become dry, clean with a wet sponge, and NO dry sweeping 

  • Rinse sponges before and after use
  • Wipe down sink
  • Tables, bats, ware boards, and banding wheels should be cleaned before being put away
  • Canvas should be wiped down and hung to dry
  • Dirty dusty plastic should be wiped down, plastic with holes should be tossed
  • Potter Wheels should be wiped down and cleaned, shut off and splash pans washed and put back
  • Floor around your working area should be clear of clay bits and splashed material - Clean up spills as they happen
  • Do no sweep dry clay
  • Sanding dry greenware, glaze, bisque ware is FORBIDDEN. If you must sand, do it outside

During the final 30 minutes of the last class of the session all students will participate in a group clean up, when there is no time to create new work

WATER & CLAY PROCESS NO CLAY DOWN THE DRAIN!! This is vital to the studio health. Chunks of clay go down the drain and clog it! Watery clay goes down the drain and the grog settles and the sediment accumulates and creates clogs. NO BUENO! 

Here is your clay and water cleaning up process:

  • Bucket 1- Clean all clay dirty tools, squeeze out clay dirty sponges, scoop all sludge from throwing trays. Do not drop tools in there! We put our hands in there and do not want to grab any sharp instruments. IF you drop something in there, get it out or ask for help. This clay will settle and accumulate on the bottom and we will reclaim it for future use. So CLAY ONLY
  • Bucket 2- Rinse everything you just cleaned out in Bucket 1
  • Sink- Final rinse. Everything in the stage should already be clean! 
  • Bucket 3- This is for anything else that cannot be added back to its main container. Underglaze, white slip, glazes

STUDIO SAFETY

  • First Aid Kit located in the bathroom
  • Do not enter kiln area
  • Use of slab roller only after orientation from teacher
  • No sharp objects may be brought in the studio such as detachable razor or X-ACTO blades, homemade pin tools, thumbtacks, needles, glass shards
  • Shoes must be worn at all times
  • Tie long hair back
  • Do not thrown with metal ribs

LET'S HAVE FUN 😁