Terms, Conditions & Cancellation Policies
CLASSES/WORKSHOPS/PRIVATE PARTIES: Deposits and registration payments are non-refundable. If a registrant is not able to attend a class, workshop or private party after deposit and/or registration is paid, please see below for cancellation policies.
For Weekly Class Sessions and One-Day Workshops only, if a registrant can no longer attend, they must contact the studio before the start of the first class or workshop no less than 72 hours prior the first class or workshop to request a refund, and will be refunded for their registration minus a 7% cancellation fee (deducted from the refund). No refunds or credits after 72 hours prior to the start of the first class or workshop, or for missed classes or workshops. No pro-rating for missed classes or late sign-ups. For Private Parties, there are no refunds of the deposit if the registrant chooses to cancel the party. However, we can do our best to reschedule the party for a future date. Party dates and times cannot be moved or changed less than 48 hours before a scheduled party. Private Parties must be paid in full no less than 48 hours before the party date. If payment in full is not received, the studio has the right to cancel the party and deposits will not be refunded. No refunds of full payment for parties that are canceled after 48 hours before the party date. However, if the studio needs to cancel the party for an unforeseen emergency, the registrant will be refunded their full payment (including deposit). If a registrant has an extreme circumstance that arises prior to the first class, workshop or private party that hinders them from attending and they were not able to notify the studio before the timeframes listed above, they must contact the studio to discuss options. The registrant may be asked to provide proof of the circumstance and there is no guarantee that the studio will be able to make accommodations, but we will work with the registrant as best as possible. All accommodations or changes to a registration at any time are at the discretion of the owner. For weekly classes, there is 1 allowable make-up class per session per student for a missed class, and must be made up during another weekly class time during the current registered session. There are no guarantees that make-up classes will be available during weekly class sessions for missed classes. Make-up classes per session are at the discretion of the owner and dependent on instructor and studio space. No refunds or credits are given due to circumstances out of human control, such as inclement weather or the studio temporarily closing due to emergencies or unexpected situations. However in these circumstances, the studio will do its best to provide make-up classes for unexpected closures. Instructors assigned to teach are subject to change unexpectedly at any time before or during a class, workshop or private party due to unforeseen circumstances, and refunds or credits are not given due to instructor changes.
OPEN STUDIO: Only students currently enrolled in a weekly pottery class at Claybird Studio are permitted to attend open studio sessions. Open Studio time is based on availability of a Studio Monitor, which is a currently enrolled student who monitors open studio time, but does not instruct. The Studio Monitor is “in charge” of basic tasks in order for open studio time to take place, but not responsible for cleaning up after students or instructing pottery lessons. Students are expected to follow any instructions/directions given by the Studio Monitor present that day and follow the same studio protocols and cleanup policies as per the weekly classes. The cost of each open studio registration includes up to 3 hours of studio time per paid registration, a maximum of 10 lbs of clay per person per paid registration, and use of studio tools, glazes and kiln firings conducted by the studio. Open studio time does NOT include lessons by an instructor or the Studio Monitor. Students may utilize open studio time to practice and work independently on their pottery, with minimal direction from the Studio Monitor. Students are expected to cleanup after themselves properly and thoroughly, and to follow studio cleanup protocols as per the weekly classes and that which is outlined below. Students are expected to allow ample time for cleanup before the end of open studio time in order to vacate the studio at the designated end time. Anyone found to be in violation of studio protocols, policies, or Open Studio Terms & Conditions are subject to having their studio privileges revoked without notice or refund. Once registered, students who cannot make their registered Open Studio day can contact the studio to reschedule for a future date during that session via email no less than 24 hours prior to the start of open studio time. Rescheduling availability is not guaranteed and is based on studio time availability on other dates. No refunds given for missed Open Studio time unless the student notifies the studio via email no less than 24 hours prior to Open Studio time, and refunds are subject to a 7% credit card transaction fee deducted from the total paid amount. No refunds given after the registered Open Studio date has passed. However, for missed Open Studio time due to illness or other reasons, students may reschedule their missed open studio time to a future date during the current registered session, and rescheduling is based on available future dates with Studio Monitor coverage. If no future dates are available, the student may use their missed Open Studio registration during the following session only if they are registered for a weekly class, or they can choose to be refunded 50% of the paid amount.
STUDIO CLEAN-UP: Students are required to clean-up after themselves during class if necessary, and before leaving the studio at all times. Clean-up includes but is not limited to:
Thorough cleanup of wheels and wheel area, including: Top and sides of wheel head, splash pans, under wheel head, body of the wheel, and wheel legs), wheel stool surface/legs, shared center wooden wheel table, around wheel floor, large work tables, table stool surfaces/legs, clay wedging board, clay rolling cart, scale, tools, bats, wooden ware boards, glaze buckets, sink area, slab roller, and other common areas used during attendance at the studio.
Cleanup of clay/glaze requires using a cleanup sponge for large messes first, then a final wipe down with a clean, damp rag to remove final clay/glaze residue. Rinsing your sponge/rag multiple times may be required.
Wedging board: Scraping of dry or wet clay residue using plastic paint scraper, and a final wipe down with a damp cleanup sponge before leaving the studio to remove final clay dust/residue after class.
Clay cart: Surface wipe down with damp rag or cleanup sponge to remove clay dust.
Sink faucets and surface area: wipe down after use and/or before leaving the studio.
Wooden Ware Boards: After taking pottery off boards to put on greenware carts, ware boards must be thoroughly cleaned with a damp cleanup sponge at the sink before returning under the metal rolling cart. Please stack clean ware boards vertically to help save space.
Work tables and stools: Wipe down with damp cleanup sponge and THEN wiped with a clean, damp rag to remove final clay/glaze dust & residue.
Recycling Clay: Dried out or leather hard clay scraps or trimmings that are not able to be wedged for re-use must be broken into SMALL pieces no larger than a silver dollar before discarding into the yellow clay recycling bucket under wedging board. This includes hand-building and wheel clay. Clay slip or chunks of clay that are wet enough to smush through a screen can be recycled into the small green slip bucket near the sink. Push the clay through the screen! If it doesn’t push through, its meant for the yellow bucket.
Proper Recycling/Wedging of Wet Clay: Please do not assume it is the responsibility of the Instructor or Studio Monitor to wedge your clay! However, if you have trouble wedging your own clay, please ask your instructor for assistance or further directions on how to properly wedge clay. Tossing "messed up" pots from the wheel or slab-building should not be a regular practice as this causes alot of extra cleanup, clay waste and recycling. However, if you need to recycle wet work that cannot be salvaged, especially wet clay after throwing on the wheel, your wet clay should be smushed down as flat as possible onto a plaster bat so it can dry out enough for wedging before you leave. Flip the clay 10-15 minutes later for the other side to dry out on the plaster bat, or smush it between 2 plaster bats for both surfaces to dry simultaneously, and wedge and return it to the “usable” clay bag before leaving the studio. Each student is responsible for wedging their own "wet" used clay. If this cannot be done for any reason, please ball up your wet clay as best as possible and place it in an empty “communal” clay bag. Empty bags are located under the far left table in a plastic bin labeled "empty clay bags". Use one empty clay bag per class for this purpose, and put it aside on a worktable separate from the usable clay bags on the rolling cart/wedging table so we know its needs to be dried out/wedged before using it. Also, do not just liberally toss unwanted clay into the recycling bins. Do your best to dry it out as per the above instructions, wedge it, and return it to the usable clay bags.
Rags & Sponges: All rags, large cleanup sponges and small throwing sponges must be THOROUGHLY rinsed out after use and before returning them to their bins/hooks.
Throwing bats & tools: Scrape excess clay off throwing bats and into slip bucket, and rinse bats before returning to storage carton. Rinse all tools and return to their proper storage place.
Turn the power off on your wheel and put up stool and pedal before leaving.
Proper clay and glaze cleanup is essential to creating a healthy and comfortable pottery studio environment for everyone! Make it a practice to leave the studio cleaner than you found it. Many hands make light work! Respecting the studio space, supplies and tools is the same as respecting one another and helping everyone to have an enjoyable experience :)
AGE REQUIREMENT: All registrants/students must comply with the studio's age requirements for each class or workshop as advertised. If a registrant/student is discovered to not be in compliance with the age requirement after registration, Claybird Studio LLC reserves the right to cancel the non-refundable registration at any time before, during or after the session/class/workshop begins without providing a refund or credit. All accommodations or changes to a registration are at the discretion of the studio owner.
CODE OF CONDUCT: Students are expected to treat the studio equipment and property/building with care and not purposefully harm or cause damage to the property/building, studio equipment or works of pottery/art made by others. Students are expected to treat others with respect, kindness and acceptance while in attendance at the studio or any events hosted by the studio on or off location. Claybird Studio LLC does not condone or tolerate discrimination of any kind. Those found to be in violation of the Code of Conduct may be asked to leave the studio without notice and without refund of their registration.
ACCOMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: We currently can only accommodate those with special needs or disabilities during classes, workshops, private parties or events if discussed and planned in advance with the studio owner prior to registration, and students with disabilities must be accompanied by a supervising adult.
Anyone not in compliance with our studio terms & conditions and cancellation policies may have their registration and/or studio privileges revoked at any time at the discretion of the Claybird Studio LLC owner, operator, managers, assistants and/or instructors, and may be asked to vacate the studio by anyone in charge of the studio operations at the time of an incident. Refunds, credits or accommodations will not be given to anyone not abiding by studio policies.