Welcome to the SAS Community Pottery page!
We offer Core Classes through the City of Surrey and our own Specialty Courses.
Subscribe to our quarterly pottery newsletter with this link! Access all past pottery newsletters here!
Take a look at our Spring Pottery Update newsletter!
A reminder to all pottery patrons: Spring studio clear-out deadline is Mar. 29, 8PM. Pottery drop-ins resume on Apr. 5. 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.
Handbuilt Tableware: Drop-in Projects | 18+
- Apr 10: PINCHED TEACUPS – pinch pot mugs + Coil handle
- Apr 17: SLAB MUGS – Slab mug+ extruded handle
- Apr 24: HAND-BUILT SOUP BOWLS – pinch bowl+ hand rolled coil top
- May 1: SPOON RESTS+COASTERS – Spoon rests+coasters+underglazes
- May 15: PLATES & CARVING – hump mold plate+sgraffito
- May 22: SALT+PEPPER SHAKERS
- May 29: HAND-BUILT VASES – extruded coil vase+slab base
- Jun 5: HAND-BUILT SNACK BOWLS – slump mold bowls
Ages: 18+
Instructor: Emma
Room: Pottery Studio
Try your hand at some handbuilt tableware pieces. Sign up to drop into this class by picking which project you want to learn. Suitable for new and experienced potters. Clay is included (M340S) or you are welcome to bring your own SAS purchased clay to create with. (no credit will be given if you bring your own clay as supply cost also includes glaze and other materials used in class)
Participation in a Drop-in includes access to a free Glazing Workshop as you will not be able to glaze your work the same day. Glazing Workshops are by invitation only if you have previously made items from a class to glaze Wednesday dates include: May 8 & Jun 12 Saturday night dates are also available, more information will be provided by the instructor.
March – June Drop-in Times
From March to June, our Pottery Drop-in Schedule (except holidays and long weekends) will be:
- Tuesdays: 9 AM – 1 PM
- 5 PM – 9 PM (Mar. 19 & Mar. 26 only)
- Fridays: 4:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Saturdays: 9 AM – 1 PM
- Sundays: 2 PM – 6 PM
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 must have either taken a pottery class or an assessment with SAS within the last two years.
- All participants are required to read and sign our Community Pottery Studio Policy and Liability Waiver.
(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, our Pottery Tech gets your info and lets you know the result via email. If you are approved, she fills out your access card and leaves it in the office for you to pick up.
*Access to pottery drop-in will not be available until these safety conditions are met. SAS reserves the right to deny applications.
Additionally, pottery drop-ins are now supported by a pottery instructor with advanced skill level. The drop-in fee will be $20 per session, and $10 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 before Mar. 29 8PM. Thank you for your cooperation! |
New Notices For Our Studio
| Clay availability changes | The studio will continue to supply: M340S M370 M390 Coffee Polar IceOther Cone 5/6 clays can be purchased in advance through the monitors. For more info please ask a monitor or technician. |
| Glaze orientation changes | The glaze quiz will continue to be mandatory, however, we will now issue a laminated card that helps monitors know what level of experience you have or if you are vetted to glaze outside of instructor supervision. We will also be providing a free video and $15 glaze workshops. For more info look at the one day workshops. |
| 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. Another vote will be held! |
| Fees | Drip fees and damages will remain in effect. Please wipe enough glaze off the side of the pots. If you have not seen your work it could be locked in the fee cabinet. Ask a monitor for help. Thank you. |
Expected Time Frames
| Item turn Around 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 kiln technicians will place them on the oops shelfThe only notes that should be left are to remind technicians that it has 2 parts or is delicate in some wayMake 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. 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 will be 2 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 June and December. |
Other Notes
| Please keep in mind 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 | Natural disasters including power outages, extreme weather, illness and kiln repairs may delay the kiln schedule. Please be respectful to all Semiahmoo staff members. |
| Questions and Complaints | Questions related to studio operations need to be emailed to the senior technician at [email protected] Complaints must go to the executive director Laurel Tien at [email protected] |
| Technician time is solely to prepare the studio, prepare, materials and run kilns. Please email if you can not find work after the 2 week deadline. We can not look for everyone’s work, if it has gone through the kiln it will be on the cart with finished work OR possibly on the oops shelve. You might also find it on the original carts you placed if it has not gone through. Or the Fee cabinet. | |
DID YOU KNOW that our Community Pottery Studio is self-sustaining? We charge market value for our clay and a small surcharge to cover our pottery technicians and two essential firings/glazing. This is one of the reasons why we are unable to accept clay that has not been purchased through us.
Alternative Pottery Drop-ins in the Lower Mainland
| Mudlab: https://www.mudlab.ca/dropin Claymates: https://www.claymatesceramicsstudio.com/ Clay warehouse: https://theclaywarehouse.ca/collections/studio-booking and https://theclaywarehouse.ca/pages/kiln-firing-service Community Clay: https://www.communityclay.ca/pages/studio-drop-in Hand Eye Design: https://www.handeyeceramics.com/friday-night-drop-in Semiahmoo Potters Society: https://www.semiahmoopotters.com/ Surrey Arts Center: Register as Open Pottery Studio Bahoo: https://www.bahoostudio.com/workshops/drop-in Just Potters: https://justpotters.com/pages/drop-in City of Vancouver: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/pottery-ceramics.aspx |
| Make at Home and Rent Firing Space Kiln share: https://www.kilnshare.com/ Shadbolt Centre for the Arts: https://www.burnaby.ca/recreation-and-arts/arts-and-culture-facilities/shadbolt-centre-for-the-arts/arts-programs/kiln-rentals BellaCeramica has a Pottery-to-go kit: https://bellaceramicastudio.com/ |