COMO POTTERY STUDIO HANDBOOK
COMO POTTERY STUDIO INFORMATION
The COMO pottery studio has a long legacy of serving as a community resource to the area’s potters. The pottery studio welcomes all levels of interest, from the beginner to the experienced potter, with the primary goal being to encourage creative expression.
The COMO pottery studio is designed to engage and support both the student and the experienced potter with independent studio member status. We are a community of potters supporting one another in a safe, friendly and welcoming environment.
POTTERY STUDIO STAFF AND MEMBERS
The COMO STEAM Director oversees all operations of the pottery studio and the COMO Makerspace. The COMO STEAM Director reports to the COMO’s Executive Director.
The pottery studio manager and pottery studio instructors are contractors engaged by the COMO. The role of the pottery studio manager is to keep the studio operational, maintaining an organized, clean and safe learning environment. Instructors provide both classes and workshops for potters of all abilities. All work in tandem to foster a creative and friendly studio atmosphere where all skill levels are welcome.
Independent Potters
Independent Potters (Indies) are experienced potters who have met studio prerequisites to work independently in the pottery studio. There are limited slots available in this program as priority is given to the youth and adult student potters engaged in classes. An annual COMO recurring membership is required and a recurring monthly fee is charged to the Indies credit cards on file. The pottery studio supports hobbyists, not production potters. Indies have access to the studio outside of scheduled class time, seven days a week from 6am to 10pm.
Students
Students have access to the studio during their scheduled class time and during designated bench time.
CANCELATION POLICY
Class Cancellation
Pottery classes are nonrefundable. There are no makeup classes for individual student absences. If a class is canceled due to inclement weather or an unanticipated instructor absence, the class will be made up during the scheduled make-up time.
Independent Potter Cancellation
Independent potters who wish to cancel their independent potter status must be submitted in writing to the COMO STEAM Director fourteen days prior to the end of the month in order to opt out of auto billing for the following month. Termination of independent status, automatically opens the independent potter slot to the next person on the waitlist.
BILLING
Class Billing
All classes must be prepaid in advance to reserve your spot. Payment is due at the time of registration.
Independent Potter Billing
The first month of membership is prorated from the start date.
Independents must keep an active credit card on file in their online COMO member account. The credit card on file will be charged for the upcoming month automatically four days prior to the end of the month.
The credit card on file will be charged for all clay purchases.
Independent Work Discount
Independents with a desire to have a more hands-on role at the COMO and/or financial assistance with their membership can receive a discount in exchange for helping monitor bench time for students or assisting at the Thrift Store. This position requires a once a month shift at either the Pottery Studio or Thrift Store.
STORING WORK
Leave all work in progress on the appropriate shelf before leaving the studio.
Unsigned work will not be fired. All work must be signed.
Any work (finished or unfinished) unclaimed in the studio after one month will become property of the COMO.
Do not touch other’s work.
Match the size of your work to the bat size.
All are required to transfer work from throwing bats to wareboards to prevent warping, to preserve the life of bats as well as conserve shelf space.
STORING TOOLS AND CLAY
Independent Potters have assigned shelves for works in progress and all tools and materials. Independent potters are responsible for their tools and materials.
Clay tools in common areas are considered community tools.
Students must label and store their clay in the designated space identified by their instructor.
The COMO is not responsible for personal belongings left in the studio.
BUYING CLAY
Only clay purchased from the COMO Potter Studio is allowed to be used. Clay is sold in 25lb bags. Bisque firing, glaze firing and glazing materials are covered in the cost of clay.
Clay for Students in Classes
New students must purchase clay (25 lb bag) at the time of class registration. Any clay leftover at the end of the class session must be brought home with the student.
Returning students may choose to use clay from previous classes; however, clay may not be stored in the studio between class sessions.
Any clay left behind on the last day of class becomes COMO property and is donated to the studio.
Independent Potter Clay Purchase
Independent potters may purchase two bags of clay a month.
Clay is purchased by emailing the STEAM Director and pottery studio manager. Your card on file is charged for the cost.
CLAY CLEAN UP
Independent potters and students alike must clean their wheel and workspace before leaving the studio. This includes any community space you use in the studio.
Clean Up Essential for All Potters
Do not let the water run while cleaning. Instead put the water in a container.
Absolutely no clay is to go down the sink drain. Drain excess water in the settling sink first, making sure no clay enters down the overflow pipe. Then pour the clay bits into the respective reclaim bins.
Always use a wet sponge or mop to clean up. When cleaning up, make sure to also wipe down the area below where you were working, storage receptacles holding materials, and tools.
Wedge clay at the appropriate wedging table. Leave the wedging table clean and wipe down the wires and scales with a wet sponge. Clay is not to be left unattended on the wedging table.
Scrape and clean bats before putting them away.
Class Clean Up
The final twenty minutes of each class is spent cleaning the wedging boards, pottery wheels, tables, tools and floor around the work area.
Independent Potter Clean Up
After Indies have cleaned up their work area and before leaving the studio, please do one extra task to clean up a part of the common area.
SAFETY
Long hair should be tied back when working on the wheels or with any other electric equipment.
Closed-toe shoes must be worn at all times.
Safety classes must be worn when engaging in any eye-threatening activity such as drilling, grinding, and sawing or when splashing may occur.
N95 face masks should be worn during activities that may stir up clay dust such as sanding or grinding.
All sanding or grinding must be done outside the studio.
GLAZE
At minimum, there are eight glazes available in the studio at all times.
Do not alter or add water to the glazes.
When applying wax resist, only use the designated wax resist brushes.
Mix glaze thoroughly before using.
Leave an unglazed area at the bottom of your work. If you’re layering glazes or using a runny glaze then leave more unglazed on the bottom.
After glazing, clean all the equipment used and mop and clean the work area, including the floor and any glaze drippings.
Staff reserve the right to reject poorly glazed work from being fired.
Class Glazing
Student glazing is monitored by the class instructor.
Independent Potter Glazing
When applied correctly, studio glazes will not run off a piece and damage a kiln shelf. Cookies and stilts are provided and must be left under piece if any running is anticipated.
If you incorrectly glaze your work and it runs and ruins a kiln shelf, it becomes the financial responsibility of that member to replace the shelf.
Independent potters who damage a kiln shelf will be charged $75, the replacement cost of a half-round kiln shelf.
KILN USAGE
Kiln firing is for students and independent potters only. Non-paying persons may not use studio members’ clay, studio glazes or space in the kiln.
Firing priority is as follows: youth students; adult students; and independent potters.
Loading and unloading of the kiln by independent potters or students is prohibited. Only the studio manager or designated instructor may load or unload the kiln.
Technical difficulties sometimes occur during firing; consequently, the outcome of fired work cannot be guaranteed.
COMPLIANCE
Potters who violate studio rules will receive a written warning stating that they will be asked to leave the COMO pottery studio unless their behavior is corrected. The COMO reserves the right to deny admittance or membership to anyone who does not observe the rules and procedures.
PROGRAM WITHDRAWAL/CANCELLATION POLICY
COMO credit will be granted, minus a nonrefundable 20% fee, when written notice of withdrawal is submitted two weeks prior to the program start date. A full refund will be granted if a program is canceled by the COMO.