Studio Policies & Guidelines

Guests in the studio:

Permission is required prior to bringing any guest to the studio. This includes children and family members.

Clay Trap, Scrap Bucket, & Rinse Buckets & Cleaning:

All clay tools must be washed first in the rinse bucket and then in the sink. Clay water must be poured into the clay trap. Unfired solid pieces of clay scraps go in the reclaim bucket. (Fired clay cannot be recycled. Unwanted fired clay must be discarded in the garbage) All glaze tools must be washed in the glaze rinse bucket in the glaze room. Never wash glaze tools in the clay rinse bucket.

Always leave your work space cleaner than you found it. We consistently make a big effort to maintain a healthy, clean, and safe environment but we can’t do it alone. Dry clay and glaze will turn into dust that is harmful to breathe. Remember the following:

·      Always clean with a wet sponge and never sweep dry clay or glaze.

·      All clay tools and dirty clay hands must be washed vigorously with a sponge in the rinse bucket to remove all clay. Never wash dirty clay hands or tools directly in the sink as it will destroy the pipes! After washing tools 90% clean of clay, wash a second time vigorously with a sponge in the sink to remove clay all residue. Return all communal tools to their designated storage spot after cleaning.

·      Wash small hand tools in a small bucket instead of the large rinse bucket so they don’t get lost.

·      Always turn off your wheel & put the stool upside down on top of the wheel head and the pedal on top of the wheel.

·      Empty and wash splash pans on pottery wheels. Wipe down the wheel, stool, pedal, and tabletop and dry with a clean rag.

·      Carefully reinstall pottery splash pans, ready for the next user. If you do not know how to attach the splash pans, please ask for assistance.

·      Rinse a sponge in the sink and wipe down all equipment with extra clean sponge one last time before drying with a clean rag.

·      Please use a mop or sponge to soak up water and remove clay scraps on the floor surrounding the pottery wheel.

·      Clean up clay left on wedging table and wipe down the surface with wet sponge immediately after use so it’s always clean for the next person.

·      Wipe down hand-building table and glazing table with a wet sponge.

·      Please bring your own rag to each class and open studio for drying your hands and studio equipment.

Clay & Firing:

Amphora does not fire any clay purchased from an outside source for students and Bronze members. Course fees include one 15lb bag of recycled clay and the firing/glazing fee. Clay sold separately for members. Clay is available for purchase during open studio hours. With each 25lb bag of clay we charge a $40 flat rate for glazing and firing. Recycled clay is $25 total with firing fee included. (We do not charge any additional firing fees)

Commercial Glazes:

Amphora does allow students and members to use glazes purchased from a commercial retailer, however, we require pre-approval of ALL outside glazes & underglazes to avoid kiln accidents. Our kilns fire at cone 5 and we allow many commercial cone 5 glazes, however, we reserve the right not to approve any glaze not suitable for our studio. See a staff member for a glaze approval sticker. See our glaze guide here.

Open Studio:

All adult courses come with 3 hours per week during open studio hours to practice skills you are learning outside of class. Hours roll over week to week but not session to session. Please sign in and and out at the front desk each day to keep track of hours used. Open studio hours expire 1 week after the end of your course to finish work made during your course. Open studio members have unlimited open studio hours. No instruction is provided during open studio hours. Open studio hours are drop in. Please be respectful and do not interrupt courses or private events by coming to the studio outside of open studio hours. To see current open studio hours please see our hours & calendar page.

Shelf & Storage Space:

All students are given space on a shelf to store in progress work during your course. It is up to you to properly manage your own shelf space and take your tools and clay home if you need the space on your shelf. If you need to store something that is too tall or does not fit on your shelf somewhere else you must get permission from a staff member for every piece. It must also be labeled clearly with your name on the outside of the plastic. Your student shelf must be cleaned off the Sunday after the last class meeting to make room for the next session of students. Anything left behind after the end of your course will be discarded.

30 Day Hold Policy:

After your work has been fired in the kiln it will be placed on the bisque ware and finished ware racks in the studio. If your work does not meet firing guidelines it will be placed on the correctional shelf. All work on the bisque ware, finished ware, and correctional shelf will be held a minimum of 30 days. Pieces left on these shelves for 30 days will be discarded.

Waiver of Liability:

You have voluntarily agreed to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury to your child(ren) or yourself (including, but not limited to, personal injury, disability, and death), illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind, that you or your child(ren) may experience or incur in connection with my child(ren)’s use of any Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC’s equipment (“Claims”). By participating in Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC’s courses and or membership program, on your behalf, and on behalf of your children, you hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless MVPS, its employees, agents, and representatives, of and from the claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating thereto. You understand and agree that this release includes any claims based on the actions, omissions, or negligence of Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC, its employees, agents, and representatives, whether a COVID-19 infection occurs before, during, or after participation in any Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC program or service.

Tools:

All adult students and members need to have their own set of basic tools, however, we also have some communal tools and equipment available. All communal tools must be washed before being returned to the communal shelf. All communal tools must remain in the studio. We have additional tools available for purchase in the retail area. Please ask our staff for assistance with any purchases.

Course Attendance:

Unfortunately, Amphora is not able to offer “makeup” classes, as it is disruptive to other courses and difficult to manage by our staff and instructors. If you miss a class you can make up the studio time in open studio hours.

If you know in advance that you will be missing part of your course, please communicate this with your instructor so that we can do our best to accommodate your situation. All students must learn studio etiquette and safety procedures in both the clay and glaze room before working independently without instructor supervision during open studio hours.

Cancellation/Rescheduling:

We reserve the right to cancel a course or workshop if the minimum enrollment is not reached. Full tuition will be returned if course or workshop is not conducted.

Enrollment in a course at our studio reserves attendance in a specific course for a specific series of dates in a scheduled session. Therefore, enrollment can not be postponed or rescheduled for a subsequent session. Rescheduling enrollment in a course follows the same policies as cancellations listed below.

Cancellations/ rescheduling a minimum of two weeks prior to the start of a course, workshop or event are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations/ rescheduling less than 2 week prior to the start of course are only eligible for a refund if the spot is filled by another participant. Cancellations / rescheduling received within 24 hours of the start of course are NOT eligible for a refund. No refunds or credit will be given for “No Shows” or last minute cancellations / rescheduling or any cancellation after the start of a course or workshop. No exceptions will be made.

Terms & Conditions:

By joining our studio space, you have agreed to the following conditions for your participation:

Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC is in no way responsible for your personal protection against COVID 19.

No refunds will be offered if you decide not to continue your participation in a course at any point.

You have agreed to follow the CDC and State Guidelines to: stay home if you have tested positive to COVID 19 until you have a negative test result.

Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC is in no way responsible for the safekeeping of personal belongings in the studio. We recommend all tools be stored at home and brought to the studio for class & open studio sessions.

Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC cannot be responsible for damaged clay pieces (for this is part of the learning process/experience). All participants acknowledge and accept full responsibility for any risk of bodily injury or harm, or property loss.

Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC staff may take photos or videos to document courses, workshops, parties or events, and participants must give permission for photographs and/or video to be displayed on promotional media (without name or identification) for Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC. Participants in courses/workshops/events acknowledge and accept full responsibility for any risk of bodily injury or harm, or property loss. Participants agree that neither, assigns or legal representatives will sue or make any other claims of any kind whatsoever against Amphora Ceramic Studio LLC or its members for any personal injury, property damage/loss, or wrongful death, whether caused by negligence or otherwise.