Studio Guidelines and Policies

Using the space

Members have the freedom to come and go whenever they want Tuesdays to Sundays 24/hrs.  Mondays the studio is closed for classes and maintenance.  Occasionally classes may run different days in the large or small studio with advance notice.

Each member will be given an orientation within the space.  We will cover all the following in detail.  

A key deposit of $25 is required at time of orientation.  Postdated payments with either cheques or recurring payments with your credit card ($5 transaction fee).  We now accept e transfers- recurring payments.

We ask that you please be respectful of the members around you, please respect their space, time and do not disturb others while they work.

We understand a space like this can nurture collaboration and learning, we support this for healthy growth in your practice, however, being mindful of how others want to work each day is key.

Please do not touch others' work or tools without their permission. 

Please mark all your own tools with your name.

Please refrain from offering unsolicited advice or criticism of others' work.  Keep it positive!

Inform staff or the member of broken or damaged pots right away- it happens.  Its clay:) 

Be mindful of the space you are occupying- make sure you make room for fellow members when they arrive if you’ve spread out.

If you are listening to music, please make sure others around you are ok with it.  If not, switch to earbuds/headphones.

Please label your studio aprons and shoes.

Each member is given the same storage space.   If you require more, if its available, speak to Becky to purchase extra.

Keep the studio free of dust, debris and mess. Always clean up before you leave. (see cleaning rules).

Keeping the studio clean

Clay is messy!  We all know this- but we need to do our very best each visit to minimize the silica dust we breathe and keep the drain pipes clear. 

Please make sure you are diligent about cleaning after yourself.  Little bits of clay on wheels, the floors the splash pan trays, Giffen Grips and work surfaces can easily contaminate others' clay and can be really disappointing. 

We won’t have cleaning staff so its up to each member to keep the space tidy and clean.

There is a mop and bucket for mopping the floors after each and every session even if you dont throw.   If you created a mess on the floor you are expected to clean it.  Use the mop and clean the space accordingly.  We suggest rinse the mop, take it to the area you occupied (after sweeping) and give a good mop.  Please rinse and do another pass and then rinse again to set aside to dry out.  Washing tables and around glaze buckets is much appreciated. 

Please don’t sand your dry pots in the studio- take that stuff outside:)

Cleaning the tables and wheels requires you to dispose of sloppy clay and water.  This is the most important of all cleaning procedures- clay and glaze can not go down the sinks.   We use a few buffer buckets and bags to dispose of the thicker sloppier stuff.  Washing hands and tools after they have been in the buffer buckets helps to minimize the clay in the plumbing. Rinse all of these items in the buckets first.

We cant stress enough that the clean up sink is very important to keep clean of any clay particles.  It can easily become a major $$$ plumbing problem for the studio and the building as clay is dense and sticky and can easily clog pipelines.  The studio has a clay trap under the sink as a safety precaution that we clean weekly.  Any slop should be added to the buckets as mentioned above and lumpy thicker bits need to be bagged and tossed into the garbage as mentioned.   We are not reclaiming in the space, unless you want to take yours home to reclaim. 

Please do not leave tools around the sink area.

Washing towels and aprons- we would appreciate you taking them home to wash.

Wheels need to be spotless after use (and turned off). Please clean the wheels and trays after each use and look all around to the other wheels to see how far your mess traveled:) sometimes you're washing the floors two wheels over.

Each member will probably use different clay bodies so it is important to keep things clean in case of contaminating work with dirty tables and in the Giffen grips etc.  There is a white table and two darker clay body tables.

Please use large sponges to clean the tables.  Sponges are not for the floors- only use the mop and rinse it well after each use.

Visitor Policies

Visitors are welcome for a short tour of the facility, however not for making or staying while you work the space.    *we are now offering a “friends and family” session in the studio.  This can be arranged with Becky ahead of time only.  Cost to bring in a single person is $20 each time paid in advance.  We allow one visit a month, excessive use of this is not encouraged so our members always have space to work in when they come.

Clay, Glaze, tools and Materials

All clay, glaze and supplies can be purchased at  S&S Pottery Supplies down the hall.  We use all Cone 6 clay and glazes.  There are clay charts on the wall of the studio and samples at the store.

The Corner Studio has some community tools like banding wheels, calipers, rolling pins, some batts and random tools in a bin.  All other items for making are up to the potter to bring along for their own use.

Kiln Firing

Please add your dry pots to the shelf, not damp or wet pots.  Please note all work needs to be marked permanently with a maker's stamp, underglaze pencil or signature so Becky knows who’s is who's.  Work on carts need to be identified for bisque or glaze.

Pots need to be clear of glaze on the bottoms and a tiny bit up the sides.  If they are not cleaned, they will be left with a note to be cleaned and ready for next time.

The Corner Studio is not responsible for cracking, braking, blistering, exploding or any other type of unsatisfactory firing.  Any damage to kiln shelves or equipment due to glazing will be the responsibility of the member who damaged it.   This could result in purchasing brand new or repairing it with guidance.

Building related

Do not give your key to anyone.   If you lose your key, report it right away.

Doors can never be propped open.

Do not let strangers in. OR past members who are no longer paying for studio membership. For a current members list please ask Becky.

If you are the last one out, make sure doors are locked, faucets are off, wheels are off, blinds shut, windows closed and light are off when you leave.  Make sure you shut the gate and lock it if you are the last one out.  Gate should be locked after business hours during the week and anytime on weekends regardless of other vehicles to keep tenants safe.

Report any damage or suspicious behaviour to Becky or if in case of emergency call 911

Social Media Etiquette

If you would like to promote, take pics or share on social media please ask the surrounding people for permission if they are in your shot in the background.  Permission is needed for others’ pottery in shots as well.   If you don’t mind, feel free to use the hashtag #thecornerstudiokw when posting.  If members gave permission also ask if they would like to be tagged.

We would love you to spread the word and share our wonderful space on your social media, just tag us #thecornerstudiokw or @thecornerstudiokw

Any other questions please reach out!

email @ beckywebsterdeleo@gmail.com