Saltstone will be CLOSED from 12/24 - 01/01 for the holidays!

Student Info

We’re so excited you’ll be taking a class with us! We provide a warm, friendly environment where everyone is safe to explore and practice. We welcome potters with a wide range of backgrounds and skill levels, and our community works hard to create an inclusive environment. Everyone is welcome!

Be sure to take a look at our Studio Standards and Student Handbook before coming in to the studio.

Waivers and Covid Info

Please print out and sign these forms before your private lesson or in-person class. Thanks!

Masks may or may not be required, depending on the current COVID environment and who is scheduled to use the studio. You should bring a mask just in case.

We're doing our best to our staff and students as safe and healthy as possible. If you're experiencing any flu-like symptoms, shortness breath, persistent cough, or a loss of taste or smell, please stay home (even if you're vaccinated)!

For Workshop Participants

We’ll send you some workshop-specific info about a week before your workshop starts. If you haven’t heard from us a few days before the workshop, please get in touch to make sure you’re registered properly.

For Private Lessons

Private lessons are generally an introduction to throwing on the potter’s wheel. If you’d like to learn or develop a different skill, your instructor will arrange that with you.

Clay, glaze, and firing for the work you create during your private lesson is included in the cost of the lesson. It will typically take several weeks for your creation to work its way through the kiln and be ready for pick-up.

For 8-week session students

Here are a few notes to keep in mind before your first class:

  • If you have tools, bring them to the first class. Otherwise, we will have kits available for sale.
  • You’ll be buying a bag of clay, which lasts most students through the 8-week class. Each bag costs a little less than $20. This fee also covers the cost of glazes and other materials you’ll use during the class. To protect our kiln, we require everyone in the studio to use our in-house clays and glazes.
  • Bring a credit card; we don’t take cash.

Open Studio for 8-Week Students

  • Currently registered 8-week session students can sign up for Open Studio time, where they can practice their skills and move their creations along.
  • Please remember that this is a limited, shared resource, so be thoughtful about how many spots you book at a time. There are enough spots for everyone to attend Open Studio about once per week.
  • Due to the high demand for weekend spots, we ask that you only opt for two weekend sessions during your 8-week class.
  • If you reserve a spot but can't make it, please cancel your reservation promptly so that another student can get into the studio.
  • Students who often no-show (or frequently cancel at the last minute) may be restricted from booking future Open Studio sessions.
  • Check back here on the day of an Open Studio to see if any last-minute cancellations have opened up spots.
  • Open Studio spots are released two weeks in advance.
  • Don't forget to sign and bring your waiver forms!

Reference Sheets

One of our talented studio assistants put together these great reference sheets with tips for throwing and glazing. Take a look!

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this thing I see in your gallery?

Keep in mind that the ceramicists in our gallery put many years (or decades) of practice and refinement into the work they make. Our instructors will do their best to help you realize your vision for a piece, but if you see something you love, consider supporting the artist and buying it.

What should I wear?

Dress comfortably in clothes that can get dirty. Your clothes will get almost certainly get clay on them, and some clays, especially the red ones, can stain. We sell high-quality aprons at the shop if you want a layer of protection.

Shoes are required; they’ll probably get dirty too!

What should I bring?

Bring your pottery tools (tools are provided for private lessons and some workshops) and a towel or rag for drying your hands. An apron can help keep some of the clay off of your clothes.

Can you recommend a place to eat?

Definitely! There’s poke, pho, fried chicken, tacos, and great thai food all within a block or two.

Because of the presence of dust from clay and glazes, we request that you do not eat in the studio.

What if I miss a class?

Students who are enrolled in the 8-week session are welcome to come to our regularly scheduled open studio sessions to practice their craft. We cover a little bit of new material in each class, but in general missing one class won’t be a problem. Just try not to miss the first one or the last one.

Can I buy some cool stuff?

You bet! There’s always something new in our ceramics gallery, from t-shirts to tea pots. If something catches your eye, just tell your instructor.

What if I’m late?

The first half-hour of each class is “practice” time, where you can wedge clay, trim or glaze your previous work, or dive into throwing. The class’s specific lesson will start about half an hour in. But just get here when you can; we won’t be offended if you’re late.