STONINGTON INDEPENDENT POTTER PROGRAM
Independent Potters are selected capable potters who work on their own in the studio with access to the studio at a wider variety of times during the week and weekends when classes aren’t in session.
STUDIO GOALS AND THE INDEPENDENT POTTER PROGRAM
The COMO Pottery Studio is designed to engage and support both the student and experienced potter as hobbyists, not commercial production. As a nonprofit organization who subsidizes the operations of the studio in order to keep the art form of ceramics affordable and accessible to the community, production with the intent to sell outside of the COMO umbrella changes the independent potter’s hobbyist status to licensed vendor. Licensed vendors who utilize the studio’s resources to generate wares for private sales are cost prohibitive to the COMO making commercial production prohibited.
INDEPENDENT POTTER REQUIREMENTS
COMO Membership
Annual basic COMO membership is required with independent potter status.
It’s the expectation that membership brings a sense of ownership to both the studio and larger nonprofit, as the organization trusts such members with access to the studio and larger COMO facility outside of business hours.
Yearly membership is renewed automatically and the member’s card on file is charged.
Prerequisites
Independent Potters are required to have taken one pottery class or workshop from the COMO within one year of applying, regardless of experience. This adds a sense of community and a greater understanding of the pottery studio prior to becoming an independent potter.
Individuals must show competence in the use of a variety of clay-forming techniques (use of the pottery wheel, hand-building, glazes), must demonstrate a good working knowledge of the studio (organization, machinery, equipment), and show an ability to carefully maintain the facilities. As a nonprofit organization, the studio is not designed to support for-profit endeavors of production potters.
Continuing Education and Engagement
Independent potters are encouraged to take one eight week class a year OR attend at least one quarterly weekend workshop a year to remain in good standing as an independent potter
Independent potters are required to attend all four of the quarterly cleanups throughout the year. In the case of a prior commitment to a cleanup, Independents may opt for a task to complete outside of the communal cleanup time. Cleanups promote a sense of pride and ownership to the community studio.
Failure to meet these yearly requirements will result in losing your independent potter status, opening up your spot to the next person on the waitlist.
SHELF SPACE FOR INDEPENDENT POTTERS
Each independent potter is assigned one (1) cubic foot of shelf space for in process work, bisqueware and tools.
Oversized pieces that do not fit on the designated shelf must be approved.
Work found outside of designated shelves will be removed for storage and a retrieval fee will be charged to the independent potter’s account.
Additional shelf space may be purchased at an added cost if space permits.
STUDIO AVAILABILITY FOR INDEPENDENT POTTERS
Independent potters are allowed access to the facilities outside of scheduled class time, seven dates a week from 6am to 10pm.
The studio is closed when the COMO facility is closed due to inclement weather or other incidents that require such a shut down; at these times no access is allowed to the building until the facility is open again to programming.
Independent potters gain access to a shared pottery studio calendar, which is used by independent potters to plan and track their time in the studio. It is required that all independents correctly log their studio time in the online calendar as this allows us to help understand the flow and capacity of the studio.