Open Studio

Open Studio is for experienced potters (those able to work - and clean - independently) who intend to spend no more than 2 and a half hours per week in our studio.  If you are interested in coming more often than that, it is likely that Open Studio Community Membership would be a financially better fit for you and it would be useful to look at that page on our website.

Anyone interested in Open Studio Community Membership or regular Open Studio must call before booking to discuss their ability to work (and clean) independently (647 667 2259) and, it is also very much our preference, that interested parties also visit our studio first to check out the energy of our space and see if it is a fit for them.

We have made considerable efforts to create a physically and energetically warm atmosphere in our studio and ask Open Studio participants to help us maintain the wonderful feel of our space and adhere to studio policies naturally, rather than dogmatically, in recognition that our policies have been developed to protect the integrity and atmosphere of our studio.  Independent potters are expected to naturally lead by example in terms of maintaining the order and cleanliness of our studio, always leaving the space at least as clean as how they found it. We are intentional about keeping our studio free some signage.  Rather, it our hope that participants will be as present with their cleaning activities as they are with their pottery activities due to their sense of collective commitment.

Open Studio participants work alone or with Open Studio Community Members without interrupting registered classes or workshops. 

Communal Space

Wheels, hand-building, wedging and glazing tables (with accompanying tools - that must be cleaned and returned to their original state/place) are all available for Open Studio participants. However, priority for firing and all but 4 of the wheels goes first to our registered class students. The kilns and the kiln room are available only to employees – we fire everything for you! The rolling table may only be used alongside instructors.

Our studio has a fridge, microwave, kettle and Keurig K-express coffee maker. Please bring your own refreshment requirements and please leave our kitchen area and sink at least as clean as how you found it. We currently have very little in the way of plates (but we are a pottery studio so we might change suddenly at any time) so please be aware of that. Tea/coffee/snack donations for other Open Studio participants are appreciated as formal tea-time is reserved for those in registered classes/workshops. 

Clay and Kiln

Clay/glaze/firing can be purchased as a package (this package is available only to open studio students) for $90.40 ($80 + HST) for 1/2 block (6") of clay. Only pieces that take up large spaces in our kiln (pieces more than ¼ the inner working height of our large kiln or flat pieces such as plates/tiles/etc) will incur extra firing costs. Independent potters understand that heavy glazing or glaze that touches the bottom of the kiln can damage the kiln as can clay that contains bubbles or is very thick. Open Studio participants are responsible for kiln damage as a result of their pieces. Kiln priority goes to student works from registered classes and please observe our firing policy/procedures on the "Firing Services" section of our website at your convenience. Please take only the amount of glaze you need and modifications of unapportioned glaze are, of course, not permitted. Outside clay is not permitted and outside glaze must be pre-approved before being used. Pieces taken home before completion may not be returned to our studio.  We do not allow the recycling of clay on an individual basis.

Schedule

The non-holiday Open Studio schedule with the exception of the odd private rental will generally be:

• Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30am-1pm, 1-3:30pm, 3:30-6pm and, with somewhat reduced availability, from 6:15-8:45pm;

• Tuesday evenings (6:15-8:45pm) with, again, reduced availability;

• Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30am–1pm and 1-3:30pm.

*All times include 15 minutes of clean-up before time slots end and ALL Open Studio participants are required to leave the studio in the same - or better - state of cleanliness in which they found it so the rest of our community can have the same lovely experience they did. 

Open Studio participants defer to instructional students for space, equipment, materials, lounge area and (especially) sink utilization. Timing requirements for classes of all of the aspects of our studio fall reliably in their regularity and become easily predictable over time. For instance, tea time for classes typically happens about one-and-a-half hours into a class (typically lasting about 30 minutes) and the hand-building and glazing/painting tables only become busy during the 4th week for registered classes. Open Studio participants can therefore typically utilize the comfy space area for all but ½ an hour between the hours of 10:30am and 8:30pm during weekdays (and, even then, sometimes very few class students take advantage of tea time and those that do would welcome the company) AND wheels tend to free up greatly during the final week of registered classes. When classes and Open Studio time slots begin or end at the same time, members are encouraged to come early or late for starting and/or cleaning up. 

All open studio sessions are canceled during holidays and for private event bookings. We will do our very best to keep Couples Nights to Thursdays and will limit as best we can the cancellation of Open Studio on Friday evenings as a result of Couples Nights. Registrants will also receive communication whenever unforeseen circumstances occur that necessitate the closure of the studio (power outages, etc.)

Please note that the number of unclaimed slots may decrease (or increase) at any time due to bookings of private classes, workshops, etc.

Empty time-slots (times where no one has signed up) may be eliminated within 24 hours of when the time-slot is scheduled to begin: if no one has signed up, we’re taking a rest!