Community Pottery Studio

If you wish to contact the Pottery Technicians, please email [email protected].

Please write the name of a technician at the beginning of the subject line of your email if you wish to direct your email to a specific technician.

A reminder to all pottery patrons: The Fall studio clear-out deadline is Dec. 15, 5:30 PM. Studio will be closed from Dec. 31 – Jan. 3 for cleaning and will resume on Jan. 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM.

Please make sure your signature is in the signature booklet. Please re-sign the booklet every September 1st of each year.

Welcome

SAS Community Pottery

We offer Core Classes through the City of Surrey and our own Specialty Courses. To view the classes we offer, please check out our Courses page!

Subscribe to our quarterly pottery newsletter with this link! Access all past pottery newsletters here!

September - December Drop-in Times

From September to December, the hours of drop- in will be increased from 4 hours to 5 hours. Due to low attendance, Saturday Pottery Drop-in is removed. The Pottery Drop-in Schedule (except holidays and long weekends) will be:

Tuesdays: 8 AM – 1 PM
Fridays: 4 PM – 9 PM
Sundays: 1 PM – 6 PM

Starting Fall 2024, Pottery Drop-ins will be increased to $30 per session ($15 for those currently in an ongoing class). Included in this price increase are the following:

Access to Pottery Forms
Access to select underglazes
Access to specialty tools

Those only dropping off work at the bisque and glaze carts will also be subjected to pay the drop-in fee. Please refrain from using Semiahmoo Pottery Studio for at-home workshops or creating artwork not by drop-in participants. Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining our pottery studio environment.

Please purchase the drop-in tickets in the office and make sure you have been vetted by completing the Drop-in Vetting Checklist below.

Drop-in Vetting Checklist

Starting August 1, 2023, the following information will be required for pottery drop-ins:

A pottery drop-in access card is required to access the studio.
All participants must be a SAS member. (Link to become a SAS Member)
Participants are required to have pottery experience prior to applying. Experience can be through SAS classes or alternative means. Please state your pottery experience in your application.
All participants are required to read and sign our Community Pottery Studio Policy and Liability Waiver. The waiver must be signed in-person when the card is picked up. (Link to Community Pottery Studio Policy/ Waiver)
Sign up to receive our Pottery Newsletter. (Link to sign up to receive our Pottery Newsletter)
This application form must be fully completed. (Link to the application form)

Once you fill out the form, one of our Pottery Technicians will let you know the result of your application via email. If you are approved, a technician will fill out your access card and waiver at the SAS office for you to pick up.

* Access to pottery drop-in will not be available until these safety conditions are met.
* Drop-in approvals will be given to applicants at the discretion of the Pottery Technicians and SAS Staff.

Additionally, pottery drop-ins are now supported by a pottery instructor with advanced skill level. The drop-in fee will be $30 per session, and $15 for participants currently in a class at SAS.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding to these changes, please contact the executive director, Laurel ([email protected]).

Studio Clear Our / Clean Up

We have a quarterly full studio clear out/clean up. This includes all drop in shelves, clay, tools, items left in cabinets that were not approved by technician to store and more.

Please pick up all items Dec. 15, 5:30PM. Thank you for your cooperation!

New Studio Notices 2024

Clay Availability Changes	The studio will continue to supply: M340S, M370, M390, and Coffee. Other Cone 5/6 clays can be specially requested in advance through the technicians. For more info please ask a supervisor or technician. All special order clays must be available at GreenBarn. Please keep in mind that special orders can take up to 4 months before arriving at the studio.
Glaze Changes	Community Vote has been calculated and the current glazes are on the test tile wall. We will continue to make fun pop ups and review at the end of the year.
Fees	Drip fees and damages will remain in effect. Please wipe glaze off ¼″ off the side of the pots. If you have not seen your work it could be locked in the fee cabinet. Ask a supervisor for help. Thank you. All fees must be paid before further work is fired.
Signature Book	All pieces going onto the bisque and glazing carts must have a signature at the bottom of each piece and the signature must be documented in the signature book located on the glaze wall. Technicians will be checking the signatures of the pieces going into the kilns. If your signature is not in the booklet, your piece(s) will be rejected until it has been added. The signature booklet will be reset on September 1st of each year. Please make sure to add your signature. Signatures for Bring-a-Buddy events, the signature on the bottom of the buddy’s piece(s) must have the signature of the verified drop-in participant.
Pottery Drop-in Fee Changes	Starting Fall 2024, Pottery Drop-in entry fees will now increase to $30 ($15 for those currently in an ongoing class) per session. In return, Pottery Drop-in participants will have access to the following supplies: Pottery Forms Limited Underglazes Specialty Tools Participants attending Pottery Drop-in to only drop off work on the bisque and glaze carts will also be subjected to pay the Pottery Drop-in fee.

Expect Time Frames

Item Turnaround Times	Please allow for 2 weeks of kiln turnaround. If you have deadlines, complete multiple at least 1 month before your deadline to ensure it is out on time. Technicians are not responsible for your personal deadlines, please do not ask for specific dates of when items will be out.
Work Drop-off and Carts System	Never drop off or pick up items during class times! Place all items as you wish them to be fired. No special requests. If items are not safe to put in the kiln, technicians will place them on the oops shelf. Make your own cookies or trays that small items can be easily loaded in (jewelry in a bowl or plate etc). Place all work as far back and close as possible to limit others shifting items.
Item Removal	Please remove all items by the end of your class. On the last day all class shelves should be emptied by the students and placed on the drop-in shelf if they plan to come. If not take all items home, any work or materials left behind on class shelving will be donated to the studio. There are 4 major clean-ups per year and all items will either be disposed of or donated to fundraisers. Dates will come out 1-2 months in advance. These clean-ups will happen around March, June, September, and December.

Other Notes

Delays May Occur	Natural disasters including power outage, extreme weather, illness and kiln repairs may delay the kiln schedule. Please be respectful to all Semiahmoo staff members.
Clean Up	Students and drop-in participants are expected to clean up the space and equipment used once they are finished. Everyone is expected to begin cleaning up a minimum of 30 minutes before the end of the class or drop-in session. If cleaning up is an ongoing issue, you will be notified by a SAS staff member and drop-in privileges can be suspended.
Questions and Complaints	Questions related to studio operations need to be emailed to the pottery technician team at: [email protected] Complaints must go to the executive director Laurel Tien at: [email protected]