rules & policies
rules & policies
Thank you for helping us keep The Vessel a safe and encouraging space for everyone.
CANCELLATIONS Multi-Week Courses: To request a cancellation and refund, you must email info@thevesselstudio.org. Refunds requested more than one week prior to the first class is fully refundable. Refunds requested within one week of the first class are 50% refundable. There will be no refunds once the course begins. Should a class not fill sufficiently, we may cancel it one week prior to the first class session.
One Time Classes: Cancellations made within 24 hours of your scheduled class are not refundable. If something comes up and you are not able to make it to your class, you can always send someone in your place.
MAKE-UP CLASSES If you miss a class, you may make up the missed session by attending a comparable class within the same session. The student is solely responsible for coordinating a make-up class with their designated instructor, do not email or call the studio. Each student may make up no more than one class per 6-week course or three classes per 12-week course.
Make-ups are available subject to the space in the class you wish to attend. If the class is fully attended, you may not make up the class at that time. Make-ups are not guaranteed, but are offered according to availability as a courtesy to our students.
OPEN STUDIO HOURS Open studio hours are for current members. Members must check in and out during open studio hours, and must affirm that they have cleaned their workspace before leaving the studio. Members and students are not permitted to observe classes for which they are not registered. Members must ensure that all their work, tools, materials and messes are adequately cleaned up by the end of the available open studio hours. For example, if Open Studio Hours end at 6:00 PM, everything should be completely done and cleaned up by 6:00 PM.
CLEANING Clean up your work area when done working, including wheel, wheel basin, stool, the floor surrounding your wheel, your bucket, and any studio tools used. Replace reusable plastic and newspaper in the appropriate areas, do not leave it around the studio.
Studio bats can be used during open studio hours, but must be fully cleaned and returned prior to leaving the studio. Remove work from bats and onto a ware board or personal shelf. No studio bats can be kept in use on member shelving.
When using the extruder, glaze buckets or any other common area you are responsible for fully cleaning after you have finished using it. Replace all tools, glazes, oxides, banding wheels, etc. after you are finished using them.
Collect all scraps and return it to the appropriate bucket before leaving the studio. Clean and wipe down the wedging table after use. DO NOT leave any clay on the wedging tables.
DUST & SANDING Do not do any scraping or sanding in the studio as it creates hazardous dust. We encourage wet sanding. As much as possible, avoid sweeping in the studio as it kicks up hazardous clay dust. Instead, use a wet sponge to clean up your area.
MEMBER RESPONSIBILITY Members are solely responsible for the making and monitoring of their work. Staff is not responsible for removing work from bats, covering member work to keep from drying out, moving work from member shelf to kiln room, cleaning off the bottoms of pots, etc. It is up to members to keep up with any task regarding their work.
FIRING SYSTEM Bisque Firing. Tier One Members are given one personal 24”x18” ware board in the kiln room to store greenware. This board can be filled as much as the member is comfortable with. Each Tier One Member’s work will be fired during the final week of the month. All work is due on this board for the monthly firing by the last Monday of each month to ensure work will be fired in that month’s bisque firing.
Tier Two Members will pay regular kiln service fees for all their work at $0.06/cubic inch for both bisque and glaze firings. Bisque firings will occur on a first come, first serve basis with the goal of a two week turnaround time. If members have not received their bisqued work within two weeks, you may contact us with your concerns at info@thevesselstudio.org.
All work should be completely dry and ready-to-fire prior to placing work in the kiln room. It is solely the member’s responsibility to ensure work is completely dry to avoid any damages to their own work and other member’s work. The Vessel Kiln Technicians reserve the right to deem any work unfireable at any time due to reasonable concerns to avoid any damage.
Glaze Firing. Glaze firings will happen periodically and will move work through the kiln at a first come, first serve basis for all members with the goal of a two week turnaround time. If members have not received their glazed work within two weeks, you may contact us with your concerns at info@thevesselstudio.org.
Kiln firings for any students in our one-time classes, workshops, private events, private lessons, or multi-week courses are at no additional cost to the student. Students in a multiweek course should have all work submitted for final bisque firing one week before the course ends.
our rules & policies
UNFIREABLE WORK All unfireable work will be returned to the member shelf with description of changes required to be fired.
EQUIPMENT TRAINING If you have not been trained to use a piece of equipment, DO NOT USE IT. Ask staff for training on how to use the equipment. This includes the extruder, slab roller, etc. If you break equipment because you used it without prior instruction, you will be liable for any damage caused.
Please be careful when moving glaze buckets. If you recklessly spill a glaze, you may be responsible for the cost of replacing it.
PERSONAL PROPERTY DO NOT use anyone else’s tools without asking them directly. Other members giving permission on their behalf is not sufficient.
DO NOT touch ANYTHING on a member’s shelf or on a class shelf that does not belong to you. If work needs to be moved it must be done by a staff member.
Be careful not to leave your rings or other important personal items in your apron pockets or at the studio. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items, so please keep track of your personal property.
GUESTS Members are permitted to bring guests for a fee of $30 per day. Members are responsible for the conduct of their guests and guests may not be in the space without the member. Member is responsible for providing materials and tools for their guest. If a guest wishes to fire work, they must do so at the regular firing rate. All guests must sign a liability waiver prior to working in the studio.
KIDS Members are permitted to bring their children to the studio while they are working. However, they should not be there for more than 2 hours at a time, and no more than once a week. There may not be more than 4 kids total at one time during open studio. It is the parent’s responsibility to supervise the child, keeping in mind that this is a professional, shared studio space. If a child breaks or damages another person’s work or studio equipment, the parent/guardian will be responsible for covering any expenses. Children may work with small amounts of clay, but if they would like to fire anything, it must be done in the same manner as the parent’s work at regular firing rate, the parent must assure that it’s safe to fire (no clay bombs!).
NO SMOKING Our studio is in a no-smoking building, including the sidewalks outside of the building. If you need to smoke, please go to the designated smoking area located at the end of Gas Light Alley (toward Charlie Foster’s).
OUTSIDE CLAY & GLAZES can be used only with the approval of studio manager or owner.
CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS Please be considerate of those around you by taking up only as much space as you need to work. Please be considerate of those around you by not talking too loudly, not talking to people wearing headphones, and generally by respecting the calming atmosphere of the studio.
Please be aware of offering unsolicited advice. If someone needs help, they will ask. If you’d like to offer help, please ask first and listen if they say, “No, thank you.” Remember, people don’t always want help even if you think it might be useful.
If you have a question about how to do something or how to use equipment, please ask staff, do not interrupt another member or student.
PICK-UP POLICY All finished work will be placed on the designated pick-up shelves in the shop. Work will be held for up to two months. After two months, work will be discarded/donated.
