Frederick Clay Studio Policy Guide
Table of Contents
COVID-19 Policies and Information
Safety Measures
Class Options
3 and 6 Week Adult Classes
3 Week Children’s Classes
One Day Classes and Workshops
Private Lessons
Makeup Classes
Refund Policy
Studio Use and Firings
Studio Attire
Open Studio
Firing Policies
Copyright Policy
Studio Parking
Cleaning and Safety
Sanding and Dust
Spray Booth
Kilns
Power Tools
Safety Measures
Airpura Air Disinfection Unit
We have decided to invest in a hospital grade air purifier. This disinfection unit features state of the art technology to both remove and destroy micro-organisms that pass through the filtration system. Read the spec sheet and performance report to learn more about what this unit does.
3 and 6 Week Adult Classes
Students must be 16 or older to be registered for a class. Tuition for all 3 and 6 week classes includes the following:
One bag of clay
Cubby space and cubby card with expiration date
6 hours Open Studio time (included free with each class)
Student rates for firing and additional Open Studio hours
Use of our 20+ in-house glazes
Use of all community tools and supplies
One-Day Classes and Workshops
Contents and subject matter vary heavily for our one-day classes and workshops! Please read the class description carefully before registering for any class.
One-day classes and workshops do not include cubbies, open studio hours or access to the studio outside of class hours. Clay is not provided unless otherwise stated.
Open Studio Hours
Open Studio time is available to currently and previously registered adult students only. Up to date weekly Open Studio hours are available on our website, under the Open Studio Schedule tab.
Students: Currently registered students have access to the studio at $3/hr and firing fees are included for work made inside the studio.
Non-Students: Previously registered students have access to the studio at $12/hr and firing fees are $.10/cubic inch for all work made. You must take at least one 3-week class at Frederick Clay Studio to qualify for open studio.
All students are expected to clean up and put away everything they use or get dirty, including wiping down all surfaces, tools, etc.
There will always be a Monitor on duty during Open Studio hours. They are there to manage the studio and should be looked to as the authority while they are on duty.
Please be sure to clean up promptly by the end of open studio hours. Students who are late cleaning up may be charged for additional time.
Open Studio may be closed on workshop days, during special events, or when a monitor is not available.
Private Lessons
Private Lessons are scheduled directly with the instructor and generally take place Friday-Sunday or as available in 2-3 hour blocks. We can accommodate up to 10 students at a time. Students must be at least 10 years old to register. Private lessons may vary greatly in their content, but generally will include the following:
One-on-one instruction and demonstration
Clay as needed
Trimming, firing and glazing of all work made
Private lessons do not include cubbies or access to Open Studio hours.
Making Up Missed Classes
Missed classes are not refundable, however students may make up a missed class by joining a comparable class, provided there is space available. Please check with the instructor of the class you wish to join to ensure there is a seat available. Missed classes can also be made up during Open Studio time in 1-hour increments.
In the event of inclement weather or other cancellations, a makeup class will be scheduled. We update our website, social media, and send email notifications in the event of cancellations. The Studio usually follows the Frederick County, MD Government Offices with regard to closings.
We reserve the right to substitute an instructor in the case of sickness, emergency, or teacher scheduling conflict for any single class or session.
Firing Services
We run two electric kiln loads every day, a cone 06 bisque and a cone 6 glaze. We offer firing services for artists making work outside of Frederick Clay Studio as long as they adhere to all policies listed below. We reserve the right to reject any piece from firing for any reason.
You must have proof of the firing temperature (cone) of all clay and glazes you wish to have fired. No exceptions! Pieces will be processed along with student work that is waiting to be fired. All work should be a maximum of ¾in thick for proper firing.
Each piece must be measured and approved by the teacher or monitor on duty. All charges for firing services must be paid in full at the time of drop off.
Currently Enrolled Students:
Bisque fire: $0.02 per cubic inch
Glaze fire: $0.04 per cubic inch
Minimum charge for any piece $.50
Previously Enrolled and Non-Students:
Bisque Fire: $0.04 per cubic inch
Glaze fire: $0.06 per cubic inch
Minimum charge for any piece $1.00
Currently enrolled students making work at home must follow the “50% rule”: if you made the piece 50% or more at home, firing fees are required. Ex: slabs rolled in the studio but constructed at home require firing fees. A piece constructed at the studio but decorated at home does not. Please contact cassidy@frederickclaystudio.com with questions.
Drip Trays and Small Work
Pots glazed with more than two glazes, outside glazes, or experimental glazing techniques should be accompanied by a drip tray to prevent messes on kiln shelves. Drip trays should be approximately ¼ inch thick, and bisque fired before use. Drip trays should be between 1-2 inches wider than the work they are to be fired with. Students are responsible for making their own drip trays as needed. Drip trays will withstand many firings if made properly.
Very small pieces such as jewelry or sculpture should be contained on a drip tray for both bisque and glaze firings. This will prevent breakage and loss of small or delicate items.
Large Work Policy
Very large pieces that take up more than 50% of the kiln may require an additional firing fee, determined on an individual basis. Please speak directly with Cassidy if you are considering making very large work.
Unclaimed Bisque Ware and Finished Work
Unclaimed pieces may be discarded or donated 30 days after the end of a session. Please pick up finished work as soon as possible!
Refund Policy
We reserve the right to cancel class if minimum enrollment is not reached. Full tuition will be refunded if the minimum is not reached, or we will work with students to find placement in a comparable class.
If a student wishes to cancel registration they must do so 10 days before class begins to receive a full refund of class fee. Absolutely no refunds will be made 10 days before the start of a class, or after class begins.
Instructors reserve the right to ask a student to leave if he or she is disruptive or interferes with the safety of others, or does not obey studio rules.
Studio Attire
Wear clothes that can get dirty, and bring an apron and/or old towel with you to class, especially helpful for beginning students. Sneakers or work shoes and long pants are best in the studio. We suggest to trim long fingernails, remove jewelry from wrists or fingers, and tie back long hair before class.
Copyright Policy
There will be no tolerance for copying a trademark or using copyrighted material. The studio will not fire work that we perceive to be legally owned by another individual, corporation, or organization. If you are making work with marks or logos, please bring a copy of approval from the organization for which you are making the work.
Do not photograph, sketch, or copy the work of other students without their permission.
Studio Parking
Park in the lot directly across from the Studio, as well as the lot next to The Little Pottery Shop. Use the pedestrian crosswalks at the intersections of East and 2nd Street or East and Church Street for your safety. Individual spaces in both lots may be labeled with clear restricted parking signs, and those spaces should not be used.
Sanding and Dust
Please help us keep our studio environment clean and healthy! Dust created from clay and glaze contains silica, which can be very harmful to breathe. Making pottery is messy, but please be mindful of your space and clean as you go- clean wet and clean often! It is to the benefit of everyone who uses the studio!
All sanding, including finger sanding, must be done in the spray booth or outside, never in the studio. The spray booth must be wiped clean after sanding. Clay and glaze dust and debris should be cleaned with a damp sponge or mop. Sweeping will kick up particles into the air and must be done slowly and deliberately, on leatherhard clay scraps only.
Students are responsible for cleaning all classroom tools they may use, including community tools, buckets, bats, wedging tables, extruder and work areas during class and open studio hours. Splash pans should be emptied in the large recycle barrel with screen top and clay pushed through the screen. Buckets to the left of the sinks should be used to pre-wash all tools and splash pans. A final cleaning may be done in the sink. Please do not leave the faucets running, and do not put clay in the sinks or remove the pipes from the drains.
Clean up everything which you have exposed to clay or glaze before you leave the studio. It is not the monitor or instructor’s job to clean up after you!
Spray Booth Safety
The spray booth may not be used for glazing without proper training and the permission of your instructor.
Anyone using the spray booth must wear a NIOSH approved respirator that can be obtained at most hardware stores. These respirators should not be shared. The fan must be on when using the spray booth, and turned off immediately after cleaning the booth. Spray booth, spray guns, and canisters must be thoroughly cleaned with water after you are finished spraying your work. Compressor must be turned off and unplugged after use. Anyone who uses the spray booth and does not clean it or the equipment after spraying will not be allowed to spray their work.
Kiln Safety
Students should always be aware that multiple kilns are running daily in our kiln room. They are very hot and should never be touched. No one, at any time, should ever go near the kilns, take items off of kilns, place items onto kiln tops, or open up the kilns, except the appointed kiln crew in charge of loading and running kilns. We run two full kilns every day; large, thick, or heavily detailed pieces are given longer to dry to help ensure that they don’t crack during firing. Please be patient and wait for your pieces to be put on the return shelves in the studio.
Power Tools
Power tools are not allowed in the studio unless an experienced instructor is supervising. Bench grinders, heat guns, and other power tools will not be available to students during Open Studio. It is recommended that you grind or polish your pots with your own equipment at home.