Studio Rules & Etiquette
POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE
Wheelhouse is an intentional community space.
As part of this community studio, we are all responsible for keeping our space safe and clean. Studio etiquette and cleanliness is not only a way we respect one another, but it is a foundational core of Ceramics. Safety starts with awareness, accountability and taking care of our SHARED space and resources TOGETHER. This is our meaning of community. Acting with mindfulness for the collective's well-being is the core of Wheelhouse.
Member Open Studio Hours:
Monday - Thursdays: 11am - 9pm
Fridays - Saturdays: 11am - 9pm
Sundays: 11am - 6pm
Student Open Studio Hours:
Monday - Thursdays: 11am - 4pm
Fridays - Saturdays: 11am - 9pm
Sundays: 11am - 6pm
*Closed during certain holidays.
1
ENTRY
Welcome! You will sign-in and out using our sign-up sheet by the entrance every time you come into the studio and check the studio calendar for reserved spots for classes and important announcements. Please be aware of Student Open Studio Hours!
Student Open Studio Hours:
Monday - Thursdays: 11am - 4pm
Fridays - Saturdays: 11am - 9pm
Sundays: 11am - 6pm
2
SAFE SPACE
We want everyone in our studio to feel safe, seen, and welcomed to have opportunities to thrive in clay and on a personal level. Please be considerate of others and be mindful of your personal perspectives, your privileges and especially your entitlement. THIS IS HOW WE (UN)LEARN AND GROW! We will not tolerate any disrespectful, discriminatory behavior, and micro-aggressions of dominance. We reserve the right to preserve the positive culture we have nurtured and continue to sustain.
3
CLAY IS A RESOURCE
At Wheelhouse, we treat clay as a majestic resource from the earth full of energy, possibility and so much healing! *Hugs a bag of clay* Someone bagged up this magical material for your ease of use and leisure. Please be mindful of this gift and try to use and recycle every bit of that magic! Clay holds resilience and history-- it has been here before you and will be here after you. We respect and do not take its preciousness for granted!
For safety of our beloved kilns and student/member work, clays bought elsewhere are absolutely not allowed.
4
CLEANING YOUR AREA
Please leave work stations better than you found them. Always use a clean sponge or mop to wipe down all surfaces and areas you worked on. Wipe down the wedging table, wheel, and splash pans thoroughly after use.
5
TRIMMING
Dry trimming is not allowed for it creates an insurmountable amount of clay dust. Please sweep clay trimmings off the floor while they are still damp if you must and throw them straight in the garbage.. If they become bone dry, lightly spray the trimmings with the sprayers and then sweep. Another method is to lay newspaper on the floor prior to trimming and then use the newspaper to lift up the trimmings when done.
Trimming Buckets - Unwanted greenware (unfired clay) must be broken down and thrown in the greenware bucket, which we will recycle to make new reusable clay! Please do not put any fired pieces (bisqued or glazed) and swept trimming from the floor in the trimming buckets– those belong in the garbage as we cannot recycle them!
6
SANDING & DUST
No dry sanding whatsoever! Please do all wet sanding outside over a basin of water while wearing a mask.
Ceramics is a forever way of life for most of us here in the studio. We try very hard to minimize dust inhalation as much as we can in all ways that we can to maintain the health of our lungs so we can keep going for years and years. We really appreciate all the support and care with this!
7
SAVE WATER
Please do not let the water run. Remove clay off your tools and hands using a sponge and the reclaim water in the sink bins. Then, quickly rinse with clean water from the faucet.
8
GLAZING
Outside glazes are prohibited to protect our kilns! We have plenty of awesome glazes to choose from that we have curated to fit our clay bodies and a wide range of aesthetics. =)
Please do not alter glazes! If there is a problem with consistency, please tell one of the staff and we will fix it for you! For Members: Outside glazes must be approved by a staff member before use to make sure they are okay to fire in our kilns.
Please rinse or toss excess glaze in the provided rinsing buckets. Absolutely no tossing glazes down the sink!
9
NO PRODUCTION POTTERY
Our small studio cannot accommodate production pottery. We want to make sure that all students and members get a fair chance of getting pieces in our firings. Our principles emphasize education to elevate techniques and hone artistic voices.
10
TOOLS & ITEMS
Please clean community tools thoroughly and put them back where they belong. For personal tools, please make sure they are labeled with your name on it. Be careful not to leave your precious personal items at the studio-- check those apron pockets! We are not responsible for any lost or stolen items— we don’t want you to lose them either!
11
GUESTS & VISITORS
Please be aware that Wheelhouse is an educational center first and foremost. As much as we like having visitors, we need to maintain a studio environment where our members and students can focus and be free of distractions at all times. There are lots of cafes, parks and restaurants around where you can freely socialize with your pals.
If they are curious about how our studio functions, they can get a visitor pass only during Open Studio Hours for a fee of $100 for a day with a 24-hour notice and approval-- this does not permit any making nor use of studio equipment. If they plan on enrolling for a class, this fee can go towards their enrollment.
12
FUR BABIES
As much as we love having pets around, we can only allow guide and assisting pets. We want to respect those who have allergic reactions or do not feel comfortable around animals. For yours and their safety, please keep them at home where they can’t inhale and transport clay dust with their fur. They'll thank you for it!
13
FOOD
Do not store any food on your shelves. No eating in the classrooms and glaze room please! Feel free to eat in our backyard area.
14
KILN & STORAGE ROOM
Only staff members are allowed to enter the kiln area and storage room. If you have any questions about kilns and firings, please ask one of the staff. Our kilns do not like to be disturbed. =)
15
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
If you have never used an equipment before, please do not use it before asking one of the staff members to show you how for your safety!
16
MAKE UP CLASSES
There are no make-up classes. We limit our class sizes and therefore cannot accommodate make-ups. We are happy to give you other informational resources that cover the topics and techniques you missed in class or give a refresher (if time and instructor permitting) during your next class.
17
CANCELLATION POLICY
To request a cancellation and refund, you must email wheelhouseclaysf@gmail.com. Clay Play classes are non-refundable and non-transferable. For 6-week sessions, refunds requested more than one week prior to the first class are fully refundable minus a processing and administration fee of $80. Refunds requested within one week from the first day of the beginning of the session are 50% refundable minus processing and administration fee of $80. There will be no refunds once the class begins.
Should a class not fill sufficiently, we may cancel it one week prior to the first class session and issue full refunds to those who enrolled.
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MORE THAN A CLAY STUDIO
Come for the clay, stay for the friends! We hope that you have a fulfilling and meaningful time at Wheelhouse. =)