Next Step Clay Advanced Teaching Lab
Out of Step Clay's New Advanced Learning Program
The goal of the Next Step Clay Lab is to provide our Out of Step Clay advanced students a greater opportunity to grow and refine their clay skills. All Next Step students will participate in weekly group gatherings(3 weeks of every month) where new skills can be learned, inquired about, and problem solved with their cohorts. Out of Step Clay and by extension, Next Step Clay, is focused on education and community building, so being a part of these regular gatherings is a requirement to being a part of the Next Step Clay Lab program. You must take our beginning wheel or handbuilding classes to be eligible for the Next Step Program.
What we are not: A membership studio. If you are just looking for a place to work independently, there are plenty of other spaces in the area we can refer you to. Please see above for our reasons why.
Each Next Step student will have access to our upstairs studio lab 6 days a week, 8am - 8pm(the studio is closed on Fridays for kiln firings and special events). This equates to 72 hrs a week of studio opportunity included in your monthly fee. Wheels will not be available during other Next Step Wheel Classes.
Next Step Classes will typically meet Mondays - Thursdays 6-8pm, and Wednesdays from 11am-1pm.
Monthly Costs: $250 a month with a minimum 3 month commitment. Costs include 3 weekly group sessions a month with an instructor(likely Joshua). Access to the upstairs studio space and wheels during non class hrs. 8am-8pm. A shelf to store your work(all work needs to be contained to this shelf when you are not present). A separate space to store your clay reclaim bucket. Opportunities for workshops and holiday group sales. With a 3 month commitment you will have the option to pay in full at registration, or pay half up front and the second half at the beginner of your second month of classes.
Additional Costs:
Clay: $55 for a 25lb bag. This fee covers the costs of the clay, firing costs, and any general studio glazes used. Clay can be purchased from an Out of Step Clay staff or online(your first bag of clay is covered in your class fee at registration). Absolutely no outside clay is allowed to be brought into and used in the studio lab. Students will be responsible for managing the recycling and disposal of their unused or unwanted clay.
Workshops: Next Step students will have first dibs at any workshops we offer to our students and the general public.
General rules of the Next Step Lab Space:
-it is required that all Next Step students participate in their weekly class gatherings(conflicts can happen, but if you regularly miss these you will be asked to leave the program).
-keep the space clean and free of clay, tools, glazes and other contaminants(You can use stuff, just clean up the studio after you make your mess). All of your materials and artwork must be on your shelf when you are not present in the studio space.
-be respectful and kind to your fellow Next Step students. As a shared space, you should always condense your work area to make room for others. If there are any interpersonal conflicts that can't be resolved peacefully, immediately bring them to Joshua ASAP. The Lab and all Out of Step Clay public spaces will be recorded by security cameras to protect you and facility, and for review of any incidents.
-no outside clay is allowed(this can seriously damage our equipment).
-Outside glazes must be approved by Joshua before purchase, and all new glazes must be tested before being put to general use on your artwork(again, protecting our equipment).
-there will be no access to the studio space before 8am or after 8pm each day. So if its 7:45pm you need to be cleaning and out by 8pm.
-When staff is not present, all doors are to remain locked at all times. Please check doors before exiting the building if you are the last to leave. Shut off all lights, and make sure all equipment used is unplugged and put away in a safe manner.
-the studio is only available to Out of Step and Next Step students. Friends and family are not allowed into the studio to work with clay, hang out, or keep you company. Friends and family will be welcome to stop by the studio for brief visits only at times when staff are present.
-Selling of work. Students can participate in the occasional sale of their work, but if you main goal to using our studio is reselling your wares, Out of Step Clay is not the appropriate space for your practice. We will try and host special student art sales at various times. But we will fire kilns as they are full and our schedules allow, and not by anyone personally needs or deadlines.
-No alcohol or drug use allowed on premises(there are plenty of places within 300 ft of the studio to go get your drink on).
Breaking any of these rules are grounds for removing you from our program and studio.
Parking: Parking will be extremely limited. Of the six spots, two are reserved for staff, and one for our apartment tenant. We ask that everyone choose street parking to allow late or injured students a place to park last minute(if you are that late student, hopefully a spot will be there for you). There are lots of 3 hr spots in the neighborhood.