In brief
A bundle of six three-hour long, facilitated open access pottery sessions. Independent working with use of our pottery studio facilities, tools, slips, press moulds and earthenware glazes (throwing and hand building). Clay included. Please bring your own apron and towel.
Suitable for me?
Are you currently attending a pottery course or an experienced ceramic artist looking for a place to make work? Do you have experience in working with clay and would like somewhere to practice and experiment, make your work at your own pace? Suitable for adults with experience in pottery or ceramics, who want to work at their own pace. No tuition included. Not suitable for children. Firing service to be paid for separately.
You must be experienced in all aspects of pottery making and glazing processes. If you are new to Kite Studios or this is your first independent session, please indicate this in the additional notes section of your order. Your first session will then include a 45 minute induction at the outset.
A technical pottery assistant will be available during this session, however there is no pottery teaching included if you book this option.
What we do
We offer pottery facilities in our beautiful fully equipped studio for independent working time, materials, slips, glazes and a firing service.
Experienced potters only
Please note that this option is ONLY OPEN TO YOU IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN CERAMICS / POTTERY and all the processes involved in making and glazing your work. We recommend that you complete one of our Adult Pottery Courses or at least three bespoke pottery classes such as Intensive Throwing and a Facilitated Glazing session before you consider this option.
Our Facilities
There are 6 pottery wheels in the studio and ceramics tools that are shared with others. We have a range of tools and facilities for hand building, as well as moulds for press moulding projects. You can bring your own earthenware clay or use the clay that is provided at the session and included in the price. Included also is use of our in house slips and glazes.
Additional costs
Firing costs:
By weight of leatherhard work: £1 per 100g for a bisque and glaze firing.
By size: £15 per kiln shelf (for pieces up to 12cm high).
Your responsibilities
Please sign in on arrival for contact tracing. Please leave the equipment and tools clean, and put them away in their places. Mop the floor around your area. Please allow 20 minutes clean up time within the time that you have booked for your session. For Covid-19 safety we ask that all tools are washed in hot soapy water and that you use the spray provided to wipe down the area where you were working and anything you may have touched.
Please adhere to social distancing at all times and wear a face covering while indoors, unless you are exempt. Please take your work home with you. We trust that if you or anyone in your household is exhibiting symptoms of covid 19 or has had a positive covid test, you will not be attending.
Storage:
If you would like to leave your work in the studio in between sessions, please sign up for our pottery membership program. A basic membership costs £30 and includes a 9L damp box for you to keep your work, with a little space left over for any tools etc and some storage space on shared shelving. Also covers firing costs. The membership program is paid monthly though standing order. If you are interested in joining please email us on info@kitestudios.org or ask at your induction.
Our firing service
Once you have submitted your work for firing, please book online for your glazing session. Please be sure to make this booking no sooner than four (4) weeks after you have submitted your work. If you wish your work to be tracked, please ask for an ID number when you pay for your firing and inscribe it on each piece.
When will it be ready?
Your work will be ready four weeks after being submitted for firing.
Can it be ready sooner? I need it for …
We do our best to have it fired as soon as possible, however as experienced potters know, it must dry properly or it risks being damaged in the firing and damaging the work of other people. During quiet times when there isn’t so much demand on our kilns, and on hot summer days, when it dries quicker, it may well be ready sooner. Unfortunately we cannot prioritise your work over that of other customers who came before you. Please leave enough lead time.
How long will you store it?
Your work will be stored at Kite Studios for a maximum of two months after it is fired. Please be sure to book a glazing session or collect your work within this time period. Due to the administrative load of this task, unfortunately, we are unable to contact you individually when your work is ready for glazing or for collection or if the storage period has elapsed.
If you have requested an ID number, you are welcome to contact us. We will be able to let you know if your work is ready when you call.