Open studio membership agreement
Rules and Responsibility Agreement
This is a shared, fun, and welcoming-to-all studio. To continue the positive climate we have achieved over our years in Roslindale, we require all OS members agree to the following. By signing up for membership, you have agreed to the following.
General
- We encourage and support a creative, positive environment for all of our makers.
- We reserve the right to change and update these policies as needed.
- We retain the right to discontinue membership to any artists at any time without reason.
- We hope you'll have a fabulous time in the studio!
Shelving
- OS potters must respect the work of individual artists and their shelving space; no using others' space without permission.
- Artists are solely responsible for the items left on their shelves.
- JP Clay, it's owner, nor it's employees take any responsibility for work, tools, materials, or any item that is left in the studio, including on each artist's individual shelves.
- Artists are strongly encouraged to keep in-progress and drying work on their own shelves. This will prevent most accidental damage.
- This is a community studio. Artists must understand that many people of all ages go in/out of the studio every day and their work may get accidentally bumped, nudged, or otherwise damaged or knocked over. While we go to great lengths to prevent this, if this happens to your work please take this in stride and make another.
- All artists are required to maintain a clean shelf, free of dust, chemicals and contaminants.
Behavior and Dress
- Artists must behave in a suitable-for-public manner when in the studio. This means keeping voices down, personal conversations quiet, language respectable, and be aware of other artists who are sharing the space. Have fun, and ensure your fun isn't' encroaching on other artists' peace-and-quiet.
- Dress code: casual dress is welcome and typical in a clay studio. Clothing with words that are aggressive or insulting to others is not welcome.
- We encourage close toed shoes in the studio.
- Nobody is allowed to use the ceramic wheels with long hair that is not tied back. ALL throwing potters must secure long hair behind their backs before starting the wheel. No exceptions.
- No shirt, no shoes, no service
- Any complaints or other sensitive topics should be brought to management or ownership in a quiet and private manner, or via email.
Cleaning
- All artists must clean up after themselves, including: wheels, wheel pedals, wheel heads, splash pans, tools, sponges, workbenches, boards, and sponges. Everything must be wiped until clean and mopped, as relevant.
- No sweeping, ever, anywhere, for any reason.
Clay
- All clay used must be purchased at JP Clay. No outside clay is permitted.
- Payment is required via the website at the time the clay is received in-hand. Please show our staff member your payment confirmation.
- No clay work can be made at home; no clay is allowed to leave the studio raw. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please discuss with JP Clay prior to taking clay home.
- Bisqueware is permitted to be glazed at home with commercial glazes only. You may not take home JP Clay glazes ever. If this becomes a problem for any reason, we retain the right to change this policy.
Studio Sales
- OS members are encouraged to participate in the 2x annual sales. These are for the benefit of OS members and are volunteer run by OS members.
- Participants acknowledge that volunteers take no responsibility for the safety nor accountability of your work. Artists participate at their own risk.
- OS members may be asked to not participate in a studio sale at the studio staff's discretion.
Firing
- Only put work that is bone dry and ready to fire on the upstairs shelves, this will protect your fellow potters' work from being affected by your mistakes.
- We will not fire any work with walls that are thicker than 1 inch, this is for the health and well being of everyone else's pots.
- While explosions are extremely rare (1x- 2x a year), Jp Clay takes no responsibility for pieces that explode in the kiln, nor for pieces that may be unfortunate bystanders near an explosion.
- Kiln explosions delay firing for everyone. Please take care not to have your work be the cause.
- Egregious dripping of glazes may result in a donation request to our scholarship fund. There will be a note in your pot if this is the case.
- We aim to fire pots within two weeks of them going on the shelf. This is per firing. So a piece that is bisque fired and then glaze fired, may take up to a month, total, of waiting. We aim to move faster, but please plan accordingly for gifts and events.
Thank you, and enjoy creating with us!