Student Handbook
Welcome
Thank you so much for choosing to learn, engage and create at the London Clay Art Centre (LCAC). We are proud to be able to offer you the highest quality ceramic art programs in London and region. And with your enrollment in one of our many classes or workshops, you have joined a community of skilled clay artists, both student and professional, dedicated to the infinite benefits of creating with clay.
Please take the time to read about us and our policies so that you can make the most of your experience here.
We look forward to seeing you in our beautiful studio spaces!
Who we are: The London Potters Guild (LPG) was founded in 1981 to foster an appreciation of the clay arts in London and region. As the organization grew, the need for a permanent home dedicated to the clay arts became increasingly clear. In 2008, the LPG purchased and began the huge task of renovating an 1890s, Victorian-era building at 664 Dundas Street in the heart of London’s historic Old East Village. It would become known as London Clay Art Centre (LCAC). Through the renovation process, the LPG installed a geothermal heating and cooling system, the first vertically drilled, commercially applied geothermal system in London’s downtown core. In addition, LCAC is an accessible facility, open to all members of the community. LCAC includes open studios for classes and Guild members, private rental studios, studios for artists-in-residence, a store where members can sell their work, a glazing area, a kiln room, office space, and a vitally important loading dock. LCAC offers a range of classes and workshops for a variety of ages and skill levels.
Mission: Our mission is to be the leader in the education and promotion of the clay arts in Southwestern Ontario. We provide high-quality programming, nurture the development of professional clay artists, collaborate with other community organizations, and encourage fellowship in an inclusive and accessible facility
LCAC Classroom Policies
The Basics:
• On the first day of class you will receive a tour of the facility by your Educator. Details of parking, entering/exiting the building, washroom locations, fire extinguishers, first aid kits and a review of safety in the studio will be covered.
• Shelving designations will be assigned and labeled prior to your first class. Each shelf will have a letter assigned to it. This letter is your class symbol. You will use this symbol throughout your class to identify pieces created. It is important to write your name (not initials) with your class symbol on each pieces so it does not become lost.
• Your class includes one sleeve of clay (specialty classes excepted). You are responsible for the well-being of your own clay, i.e. keeping it closed tightly so it does not dry out and wedging any “reclaim” you wish to reuse. Your teacher will give you detailed instructions how to best care for your clay to ensure it is kept in workable conditions. Additional clay can be purchased from the LCAC.
• Wear stable, comfortable shoes. Bare feet or feet in sandals can be injured if anything is dropped - wear closed toe, slip resistant shoes.
• Wear comfortable clothing with nothing dangling that can get caught in machinery or in the wheels
Clean-up:
The LCAC is a communal studio and we are proud to offer our students and members a clean and safe work environment. Clay dust represents a health hazard but is easily curtailed by washing surfaces clean and not allowing it to accumulate. Therefore, be respectful of the studio space, and make EVERY effort to clean up after yourself.
Details about Cleaning Up: You are expected to wash all the areas you have worked in or around.
• Wheels need to be thoroughly wiped clean after each class, with the pedal, brick and stool placed on top of the wheel. Your Educator will demonstrate this cleaning procedure to you.
• Ensure the sink is wiped down, both inside and out, and all tools, sponges, and bats returned to the appropriate location. If you have used guild tools, stamps, molds and etc., please wash, sort and return to the space you found them. If tools are borrowed from the other studio, please make sure they are returned to that space.
• Use a damp sponge to gather any loose debris on the floor, and dispose of this debris into the trash.
• DO NOT put large amounts of clay down the drains. It damages plumbing, which is very sensitive. Throwing/or process water and other unwanted clay material should first be poured into the “CLAY RECLAIM” bins.
• Aim to leave the studio space (wheels, tables, etc.) 15% cleaner than you found it.
Disposal of clay and materials: We encourage students to reclaim their clay. Reclaiming clay is the process of re-hydrating or drying clay to restore it to a workable state. If your Educator has not given a demonstration of reclaiming clay, kindly ask to be instructed. Reclaiming is an important and valuable part of the ceramic learning experience.
• Clay that you do not wish to reclaim can be placed in the designate “RECLAIM“ bin. Please keep in mind, you are encouraged to recycle your own clay.
• Clay that has been contaminated in any way (with glaze or plaster, dirt and floor debris etc.) must be thrown out.
• Please do not leave unwanted pieces on the shelves. Instead, throw them into designated “RECLAIM” or “TRASH” bins
Safety Procedures
As a student at the LCAC it is of great importance that you have a clear understanding of the hazards within the studio. Precautions need to be taken to create a safe environment for all individuals working within the studio. Safety procedures will be discussed by your instructor on your first day of class, however please read below to ensure the highest regard to your health and safety.
Safety in the Studio: Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease by inhalation of crystalline silica dust. Silicosis is a progressive, disabling and often fatal lung disease. Silicosis is an irreversible condition with no cure. When small silica dust particles are inhaled, they can embed themselves deeply into the tiny alveolar sacs and ducts in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide gases are exchanged. There the lungs cannot clear out the dust by mucous or coughing. Silica is used in glazes, in making clay bodies and in kiln wash.
Please follow these rules to keep you and your lungs safe!
• Always, always, always use damp sponges or damp mops when cleaning up.
• Sanding of bone dry or bisque ware is to be done outdoors and away from other people and at your own risk.
• Dust masks should be worn when sanding greenware or bisque ware.
• Gloves should be worn when glazing if you have any open cuts or sores.
• Absolutely no eating in the glaze, wheel or hand-building areas.
• Long hair should be tied back, especially important for wheel classes
• Wear stable, comfortable shoes. Bare feet or feet in sandals can be injured if anything is dropped - wear closed toe, slip resistant shoes.
• Wear comfortable clothing with nothing dangling that can get caught in machinery or in the wheels
Refund Policy: Please carefully review our refund policy as to avoid any disappointment.
For Classes & Workshops:
• Tuition is due in full at time of registration.
• Tuition is refundable up until two weeks prior to the workshop, minus a 15% administration fee.
• A 50% refund will be issued for withdrawal within two weeks before the class or workshop start date.
• No refunds will be issued for withdrawal within 5 business days before the class or workshop start date.
• Classes and workshops with insufficient enrollment will be cancelled and payment fully refunded.
• In the event of an emergency closing, every attempt will be made to reschedule the class or workshop. If it is not possible, payment will be fully refunded.
• No refunds will be given for missed classes; make-up classes are not available.
• Registration fees are not transferable to other classes or workshops.
For Camps:
• Tuition is due in full at time of registration.
• Tuition is refundable up until two weeks prior to the camp, minus a 15% administration fee.
• A 50% refund will be issued for camp withdrawals within two weeks of camp start date.
• A full refund will be issued if a camp is cancelled.
• No refunds will be issued after the camp begins.
Pottery Pick Up:
At the end of each class session a pottery pick-up day will be chosen, usually two Saturdays following the last class. However, to minimize storage, you are encouraged to take all finished pieces home. Cards with a confirmed pick-up date will be provided to you prior to your last day of class. If you are unable to make the designate pick-up date, you may come during store hours, daily: 11am to 4pm (closed on Mondays, after the pick-up date) to gather your pieces.
Parking at LCAC:
The LCAC is located at 664 Dundas Street, London ON. Paid parking is available along Dundas Street, or behind the Centre in a (paid) parking lot.
Closings:
The London Clay Art Centre is closed for the following holidays: Canada Day, Victoria Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day
LCAC Contact:
Program Coordinator | programming@londonpottersguild.org | 519.434.1664 x222
Useful Class Vocabulary:
BAT - A slab or platform on which clay is handled; a circular device attached to the wheel-head.
BISQUE - Unglazed clay, fired at a low temperature.
BISQUE FIRING - The process of firing unglazed clay to a low temperature to harden the clay and drive the physical water from it. The approximate temperature of this firing is 1815 F.
CLAY BODY - A mixture of different types of clays and minerals for a specific ceramic purpose.
COILS - Rope like pieces of clay.
COIL CONSTRUCTION - Ropes of clay that are stacked to form a wall. This technique is one of the most commonly used hand-building methods.
FIRE - To bake in a kiln. Firing is a term used for cooking the clay.
FORM - Three-dimensional shape and structure of an object.
GLAZE - A glassy coating that has been melted onto a ceramic surface.
GLAZE FIRE - Much hotter than a bisque fire. Firing to temperature at which glaze melts to form a glasslike surface.
GREENWARE - Unfired clay that is bone-dry, a state in which clay forms are absent of water molecules and hence the most fragile.
HANDBUILDING - One of the oldest craft techniques in which objects are constructed entirely by hand.
KILN - Enclosed containers of various sizes- built of refractor brick and heated by electricity, gas, oil, or wood to temperatures from 1500 F. to 2340 F. in which ceramic ware is fired. Also called the oven for firing the clay.
LEATHER HARD - Clay which is dried sufficiently to be stiff, but which is still damp enough to be joined to other pieces.
PLASTICITY - Quality of clay that allows it to be manipulated and still maintain its shape without cracking or sagging.
PRESS MOLD - A plaster form which clay is compressed into, resulting in a repeatable shape or texture.
UNDERGLAZE - Coloured decoration applied to bisqued clay, then coated with a clear glaze. Typically made of clay slip and raw pigment.
WEDGING - Method of kneading clay to make it homogeneous; ridding the clay of all air pockets.
GLAZE FIRING - Typically the second firing of a piece pottery which has been coated with glass forming materials. The approximate temperature of this firing 2300.
SLUMP MOLD - A plaster form which is used to support wet clay in the early stages of construction.
Thank you so much for choosing to learn, engage and create at the London Clay Art Centre (LCAC). We are proud to be able to offer you the highest quality ceramic art programs in London and region. And with your enrollment in one of our many classes or workshops, you have joined a community of skilled clay artists, both student and professional, dedicated to the infinite benefits of creating with clay.
Please take the time to read about us and our policies so that you can make the most of your experience here.
We look forward to seeing you in our beautiful studio spaces!
Who we are: The London Potters Guild (LPG) was founded in 1981 to foster an appreciation of the clay arts in London and region. As the organization grew, the need for a permanent home dedicated to the clay arts became increasingly clear. In 2008, the LPG purchased and began the huge task of renovating an 1890s, Victorian-era building at 664 Dundas Street in the heart of London’s historic Old East Village. It would become known as London Clay Art Centre (LCAC). Through the renovation process, the LPG installed a geothermal heating and cooling system, the first vertically drilled, commercially applied geothermal system in London’s downtown core. In addition, LCAC is an accessible facility, open to all members of the community. LCAC includes open studios for classes and Guild members, private rental studios, studios for artists-in-residence, a store where members can sell their work, a glazing area, a kiln room, office space, and a vitally important loading dock. LCAC offers a range of classes and workshops for a variety of ages and skill levels.
Mission: Our mission is to be the leader in the education and promotion of the clay arts in Southwestern Ontario. We provide high-quality programming, nurture the development of professional clay artists, collaborate with other community organizations, and encourage fellowship in an inclusive and accessible facility
LCAC Classroom Policies
The Basics:
• On the first day of class you will receive a tour of the facility by your Educator. Details of parking, entering/exiting the building, washroom locations, fire extinguishers, first aid kits and a review of safety in the studio will be covered.
• Shelving designations will be assigned and labeled prior to your first class. Each shelf will have a letter assigned to it. This letter is your class symbol. You will use this symbol throughout your class to identify pieces created. It is important to write your name (not initials) with your class symbol on each pieces so it does not become lost.
• Your class includes one sleeve of clay (specialty classes excepted). You are responsible for the well-being of your own clay, i.e. keeping it closed tightly so it does not dry out and wedging any “reclaim” you wish to reuse. Your teacher will give you detailed instructions how to best care for your clay to ensure it is kept in workable conditions. Additional clay can be purchased from the LCAC.
• Wear stable, comfortable shoes. Bare feet or feet in sandals can be injured if anything is dropped - wear closed toe, slip resistant shoes.
• Wear comfortable clothing with nothing dangling that can get caught in machinery or in the wheels
Clean-up:
The LCAC is a communal studio and we are proud to offer our students and members a clean and safe work environment. Clay dust represents a health hazard but is easily curtailed by washing surfaces clean and not allowing it to accumulate. Therefore, be respectful of the studio space, and make EVERY effort to clean up after yourself.
Details about Cleaning Up: You are expected to wash all the areas you have worked in or around.
• Wheels need to be thoroughly wiped clean after each class, with the pedal, brick and stool placed on top of the wheel. Your Educator will demonstrate this cleaning procedure to you.
• Ensure the sink is wiped down, both inside and out, and all tools, sponges, and bats returned to the appropriate location. If you have used guild tools, stamps, molds and etc., please wash, sort and return to the space you found them. If tools are borrowed from the other studio, please make sure they are returned to that space.
• Use a damp sponge to gather any loose debris on the floor, and dispose of this debris into the trash.
• DO NOT put large amounts of clay down the drains. It damages plumbing, which is very sensitive. Throwing/or process water and other unwanted clay material should first be poured into the “CLAY RECLAIM” bins.
• Aim to leave the studio space (wheels, tables, etc.) 15% cleaner than you found it.
Disposal of clay and materials: We encourage students to reclaim their clay. Reclaiming clay is the process of re-hydrating or drying clay to restore it to a workable state. If your Educator has not given a demonstration of reclaiming clay, kindly ask to be instructed. Reclaiming is an important and valuable part of the ceramic learning experience.
• Clay that you do not wish to reclaim can be placed in the designate “RECLAIM“ bin. Please keep in mind, you are encouraged to recycle your own clay.
• Clay that has been contaminated in any way (with glaze or plaster, dirt and floor debris etc.) must be thrown out.
• Please do not leave unwanted pieces on the shelves. Instead, throw them into designated “RECLAIM” or “TRASH” bins
Safety Procedures
As a student at the LCAC it is of great importance that you have a clear understanding of the hazards within the studio. Precautions need to be taken to create a safe environment for all individuals working within the studio. Safety procedures will be discussed by your instructor on your first day of class, however please read below to ensure the highest regard to your health and safety.
Safety in the Studio: Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease by inhalation of crystalline silica dust. Silicosis is a progressive, disabling and often fatal lung disease. Silicosis is an irreversible condition with no cure. When small silica dust particles are inhaled, they can embed themselves deeply into the tiny alveolar sacs and ducts in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide gases are exchanged. There the lungs cannot clear out the dust by mucous or coughing. Silica is used in glazes, in making clay bodies and in kiln wash.
Please follow these rules to keep you and your lungs safe!
• Always, always, always use damp sponges or damp mops when cleaning up.
• Sanding of bone dry or bisque ware is to be done outdoors and away from other people and at your own risk.
• Dust masks should be worn when sanding greenware or bisque ware.
• Gloves should be worn when glazing if you have any open cuts or sores.
• Absolutely no eating in the glaze, wheel or hand-building areas.
• Long hair should be tied back, especially important for wheel classes
• Wear stable, comfortable shoes. Bare feet or feet in sandals can be injured if anything is dropped - wear closed toe, slip resistant shoes.
• Wear comfortable clothing with nothing dangling that can get caught in machinery or in the wheels
Refund Policy: Please carefully review our refund policy as to avoid any disappointment.
For Classes & Workshops:
• Tuition is due in full at time of registration.
• Tuition is refundable up until two weeks prior to the workshop, minus a 15% administration fee.
• A 50% refund will be issued for withdrawal within two weeks before the class or workshop start date.
• No refunds will be issued for withdrawal within 5 business days before the class or workshop start date.
• Classes and workshops with insufficient enrollment will be cancelled and payment fully refunded.
• In the event of an emergency closing, every attempt will be made to reschedule the class or workshop. If it is not possible, payment will be fully refunded.
• No refunds will be given for missed classes; make-up classes are not available.
• Registration fees are not transferable to other classes or workshops.
For Camps:
• Tuition is due in full at time of registration.
• Tuition is refundable up until two weeks prior to the camp, minus a 15% administration fee.
• A 50% refund will be issued for camp withdrawals within two weeks of camp start date.
• A full refund will be issued if a camp is cancelled.
• No refunds will be issued after the camp begins.
Pottery Pick Up:
At the end of each class session a pottery pick-up day will be chosen, usually two Saturdays following the last class. However, to minimize storage, you are encouraged to take all finished pieces home. Cards with a confirmed pick-up date will be provided to you prior to your last day of class. If you are unable to make the designate pick-up date, you may come during store hours, daily: 11am to 4pm (closed on Mondays, after the pick-up date) to gather your pieces.
Parking at LCAC:
The LCAC is located at 664 Dundas Street, London ON. Paid parking is available along Dundas Street, or behind the Centre in a (paid) parking lot.
Closings:
The London Clay Art Centre is closed for the following holidays: Canada Day, Victoria Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day
LCAC Contact:
Program Coordinator | programming@londonpottersguild.org | 519.434.1664 x222
Useful Class Vocabulary:
BAT - A slab or platform on which clay is handled; a circular device attached to the wheel-head.
BISQUE - Unglazed clay, fired at a low temperature.
BISQUE FIRING - The process of firing unglazed clay to a low temperature to harden the clay and drive the physical water from it. The approximate temperature of this firing is 1815 F.
CLAY BODY - A mixture of different types of clays and minerals for a specific ceramic purpose.
COILS - Rope like pieces of clay.
COIL CONSTRUCTION - Ropes of clay that are stacked to form a wall. This technique is one of the most commonly used hand-building methods.
FIRE - To bake in a kiln. Firing is a term used for cooking the clay.
FORM - Three-dimensional shape and structure of an object.
GLAZE - A glassy coating that has been melted onto a ceramic surface.
GLAZE FIRE - Much hotter than a bisque fire. Firing to temperature at which glaze melts to form a glasslike surface.
GREENWARE - Unfired clay that is bone-dry, a state in which clay forms are absent of water molecules and hence the most fragile.
HANDBUILDING - One of the oldest craft techniques in which objects are constructed entirely by hand.
KILN - Enclosed containers of various sizes- built of refractor brick and heated by electricity, gas, oil, or wood to temperatures from 1500 F. to 2340 F. in which ceramic ware is fired. Also called the oven for firing the clay.
LEATHER HARD - Clay which is dried sufficiently to be stiff, but which is still damp enough to be joined to other pieces.
PLASTICITY - Quality of clay that allows it to be manipulated and still maintain its shape without cracking or sagging.
PRESS MOLD - A plaster form which clay is compressed into, resulting in a repeatable shape or texture.
UNDERGLAZE - Coloured decoration applied to bisqued clay, then coated with a clear glaze. Typically made of clay slip and raw pigment.
WEDGING - Method of kneading clay to make it homogeneous; ridding the clay of all air pockets.
GLAZE FIRING - Typically the second firing of a piece pottery which has been coated with glass forming materials. The approximate temperature of this firing 2300.
SLUMP MOLD - A plaster form which is used to support wet clay in the early stages of construction.