WET WORK
• Check your class schedule for wet work, trimming, and glaze deadlines, as well as “chalking dates”. All important dates will also be sent via email in our weekly education newsletter.
• Production work is not allowed. Production work is considered more than 8 identical forms. You will be charged and extra firing fee of $10 per batch of work if you exceed these standards. High volumes of work are also considered production. Please see staff for additional information on what is considered “production.”
• All work must be made on-site with clay bodies sold at NCC; students are not permitted to bring clay from any other source. Clay stock is subject to supplier availability. We reserve the right to not fire work made with unrecognized clays. Students are not permitted to work elsewhere and bring pieces to fire at NCC. Students are responsible for any damage cause by outside clays.
• Maximum dimensions for work are 20” x 20”; you are allowed 3 pieces that range between 17” x 17” and 20” x 20”. You will be charged and extra firing fee of $10 per piece of work if you exceed these standards.
• Use of B-Clay is restricted to students in the soda-firing classes.
• Carefully sign all of your work or it may not be fired. We recommend recording all of your work in a notebook and sign each piece clearly and consistently.
GLAZING
• All high-fire glazes are located in the glaze bay in the center of the building; low-fire glazes are in Studio C. Please check with your instructor if you have questions about which glazes to use.
• For full term classes, begin glazing work by the fourth week of class to learn from your results and ensure a steady flow of work throughout the semester.
• Glazing must be completed by your last class meeting. If you glaze beyond that date, your work will not be fired. No exceptions!
• If glaze is too close to or on the bottom of a pot, it will be placed on the “Whoops” shelf. If you find one of your pots there, clean up the bottom and put it back on the glazeware rack.
• You may not bring in outside glazes or other materials with the exception of Amaco Velvet Underglazes.
FIRING
• Place your work on the correct shelf for greenware firing and glazeware firing. Separate shelves are clearly marked for bisque and glaze firing. Earthenware (low-fire) bisque and glaze shelves are located in Studio C.
• Continually check the bisque and glaze racks for your work to optimize the studio workflow. Periodically during the quarter, bisqueware will be “chalked” and disposed of to maintain this flow. See weekly newsletter for schedule.
• Bisque kilns are fired on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when there is enough work.
• Glaze firings are done when there is enough work to fill a kiln. We process classwork as efficiently as possible, but we cannot guarantee specific timelines.
• No dry sanding of greenware or bisqueware at any time. Do not sand or scrape glaze. Use water for all cleaning purposes.
• Cracked or broken pieces will not be fired, and will be placed on the “Whoops” shelf. Check the “Whoops” shelf often; it is your responsibility to take care of any “Whoops” issues.
• Multiple firings (refires) are not allowed.
• Check our website under Education in “Student Info” for up-to-date information on the unloading of glaze kilns.
FIRED GLAZE WORK
• All work from your term should be finished approximately two to three weeks after the last day of the term. Check our website under Education in “Student Info” for more details.
• Take your work and tools home with you on your last day of class, even if you are returning the next quarter. Items left on shelves and ware racks will be discarded. Keep track of your tools so they do not end up in the reclaim barrel.
• Fired glaze work is held for four weeks after the completion of the final glaze firing. Any work left at NCC beyond that date will be discarded.
STUDIO ATTIRE
Students need to wear closed toe shoes in the studios at all times. Individuals wearing shoes that are inappropriate for operating studio equipment, or that may pose a hazard to others, will be asked to change.
OPEN STUDIO
• Adult students currently enrolled in classes at NCC may use the facility and equipment outside of class. Open studio schedules are posted online but are subject to change at any time. It is your responsibility to check online for changes. Please check the schedule for any workshops or events that may be happening before setting up your workstation.
• Children, friends of students, and pets are not allowed in the classrooms during open studio hours.
• For safety purposes, the classroom entrance will be locked at 8:30 pm (9:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Please arrive for open studio before this time.
• Open studio hours are available every day of the week: Mondays (4:30 – 9 pm); Tuesdays & Thursdays (9 am – midnight); and Wednesdays, Fridays, and weekends (9 am – 9 pm).
• Open studio begins after your first class session.
• Plan ahead of time while utilizing open studio; students are not allowed to interrupt or enter a class space that they are not enrolled in to retrieve work from the damp cabinets.
CLEAN - UP PROCEDURES
Dust created by clay and glaze left on the floors and tables can cause health problems with prolonged exposure. Clean up all clay from your workspace very thoroughly including trimmings and spills thoroughly before they become dust. Here are some general clean-up guidelines:
• Clay should never be discarded in the sink. Pour off water into studio sinks and put heavy slip and clay in the large reclaim buckets.
• Reclaim must be separated by high-fire and low-fire clays. If you are unsure, please ask a Teaching Artist or Studio Monitor.
• Clean all equipment and the surrounding areas after each use. Do not leave work on tables.
• Scrape and sponge clean all wedging and plaster tables after using them.
• Return glazes to their proper places and clean glaze counter and paddles after you are done. Glaze should only be disposed of in properly labeled sinks.
BUILDING INFORMATION
FACILITIES & SAFETY
• NCC bans guns on the premises.
• Our building is handicap accessible.
• Gendered bathrooms are located in the hallway near the classroom entrance, and gender-neutral single stall bathrooms are located near the entrance to the sales gallery and breakroom Do not bring clay into the bathrooms.
• A landline phone is located just outside the Materials Room; dial “9” first to get an outside line. Call 911 in an emergency (“9911”).
• Important notices for students are posted on the bulletin board in the hallway near the Teaching Studios entrance, and sent electronically in the weekly e-newsletter.
• In the event of severe weather emergency, students should go to the basement for safety. The stairs are located near the sales gallery and breakroom entrance.
LIBRARY
Northern Clay Center maintains an extensive library of ceramics materials including books, magazines, DVDs, and bisqueware. The library is open during office hours, Tuesday evenings 6 – 8 pm, Saturdays 12 – 2 pm, and by appointment to students and the public. You can stop by the office or email morganlee@ northernclaycenter.org to request an alternate time.
SHELF STORAGE & LOCKER USAGE
• Students will be assigned a shelf space on the white storage shelves during the first class check-in. Please keep items in the assigned shelf space (appx. one clay box’s worth of space) to allow enough storage for everyone.
• Lockers may be rented for an entire term for $5 and are available on a first come, first serve basis. You may rent a locker the first night of class during check-in or during regular sales gallery hours after your first class Students will be assigned a specific locker, and must provide their own lock.
• Lockers must be emptied at the end of the term for cleaning. Any remaining locks will be removed and the contents added to lost and found after the last day of the term.
GETTING HERE
• Parking is available in the lot on the west side of the building. Please lock your vehicles and make sure any valuables are stored out of sight.
• Metro Transit bus service (#2, #67) is available just west of NCC.
• Bikes may be locked on the Franklin Avenue racks or in the back parking lot.
• The back parking lot off 25th Ave. S. is reserved for staff and studio artists ONLY.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
EVALUATIONS & COMMENTS
Class evaluation forms are shared via email at the end of each term. We rely on these for guidance in designing our classes and selecting faculty, so please share any suggestions or comments you may have. If you have an immediate concern, stop by the office or leave a voicemail with your name and phone number and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
CANCELLED CLASSES
NCC does not prorate, refund, or reschedule missed or cancelled classes due to inclement weather and/or other natural or man-made
disasters. Please refer to our newsletter for the complete refund policy.
EXHIBITIONS & SALES GALLERIES
• New exhibitions open in the galleries approximately every two months. Students are encouraged to attend the opening receptions.
• Our sales gallery features work by selected regional and national artists. Hours are Monday through Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Holidays may affect these hours.
MEMBERSHIP
Members of Northern Clay Center receive discounts on many classes, workshops, and most Sales Gallery purchases. Please contact our staff if you are interested in becoming an NCC member.
