Sheen Pottery Membership details.
Having Sheen Pottery Membership is having part time access to a well equipped and expertly run studio, without high studio rental charges and even higher electricity bills.
Who can be a member?
Membership is by invitation after an informal interview with Lindy Barletta. Membership is suitable for experienced potters, with some qualification in ceramic studies at a recognisable college or proof of apprentice with established potter/pottery. A good all round level of ceramic knowledge is required. If you are a complete beginner we recommend you take the beginners course, improvers course and then discuss membership. There are limited numbers of memberships and there may be a waiting list.
What types of membership:
There are two differently priced memberships, depending on the length of studio time you require.
Up to 8 hours a week £280.00 per calendar month, one month contract notice (3 month minimum contract). Payable by standing order/direct debit in advance. 8 weeks studio holiday for closures, exhibitions, repairs or renewals and to allow members holidays & time off.
Up to 12 hours a week £380.00 per calendar month, one month contract notice (6 months minimum contract). Payable by standing order/direct debit in advance. 8 weeks studio holiday for closures, exhibitions, repairs or renewals and to allow members holiday & time off.
One months membership fee is also required in advance to be held as a deposit and refunded when membership ends. This is to cover unpaid fees or kiln damaged caused by members work.
Sheen Pottery membership is for people aged 24 and above. The pottery is not set up to accommodate full time potters in the studio. Having one or more production potters would tie up our equipment and make it difficult for others to have access.
Member benefits:
With any membership plan you get your own personal storage shelf, advice and mentoring from our staff, use of the equipment. Also included is a Firing Allowance - up to 25 litres (approx. ¼ kiln load, 1 high shelf or 2 lower shelves) of set temperature firings, per month.
Use of Equipment and tools. All membership must have an induction to all the equipment before using it.
Access: The studio is open 6 days a week, closed on Sundays. Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Please check weekly for evening access. 6.30 to 9pm. Saturdays 10-4pm. There may be a few times, specifically during throwing classes on Thursday when access to a wheel may not be possible. Members can still have access to the studio at those times. Sheen Pottery has 6 new Shimpo Whisper wheels. There is a weekly time table available to view showing the class times and therefore the busier times, but as classes are limited to 6 students and membership is also limited, the studio should not be too busy.
Key Safe: It is possible to let yourself in and out in the evenings and on a Sunday using the key safe, but you will need to be inducted into this process, as obviously the studio is not open, but it is on the high street and people may see you in there and think its open!
Signing in and out: Membership is given on trust and members are expected to register their attendance at the front desk when entering the studio and record their time of leaving. If no time of leaving is recorded it will be assumed the members stayed until closing time and that time will count towards your weekly allowance. Missed weekly hours do not roll over.
GLAZES: Members may use the studio glazes included in the charges with clay and firings. There are 15 or so different glazes in different colours and textures. These are all stoneware fired and suitable for the studio clays (Porcelain and stoneware). If you would like to fire your own glazes, these must be test fired and approved by the studio technician before use in the communal firing. Glaze must be applied correctly before firing. There should be at least half a centimetre clearance around the bottom of each pot unless it is placed on a members own setter or firing bat. This is to prevent damage to the kiln shelves from running glazes.
FIRING: Studio technicians pack and unpack the kilns, so you do not need to know how to do this, but you must know how to prepare and glaze work for the firing so that it will not cause damage. The cost of damage to the kiln caused by incorrectly prepared work is passed onto the member whose work caused the damage. No work thicker than 1cm will be fired, it can explode in the kiln causing damage to others work and the kiln. The kiln will be fired once a week, however, at busy times when there is a lot of demand it may take up to two weeks for pieces to be fired.
TOOLS: A range of tools are available to use in the studio. There are communal tools available for most tasks, including throwing and hand building tools, water buckets, sponges and paintbrushes. Members are encouraged to collect their own tools as they develop their practice. There are also some tools for sale - please ask.
Plaster work: The studio is not big enough to accommodate working in plaster. You may however bring in and use a mould or there may be communal moulds available for your use.
Can I take Classes?
Members may sign up and pay for a 6 week course for a reduced rate of £270.00
CLAY INCLUDING GLAZE CHARGE: Members please weigh and pay for your clay, recycle and reuse as required. Your firing allowance is included in your membership and is 25 litres, once a month. That’s a tall kiln shelf or 2 low kiln shelves. Allowances can not be banked or carried over to the next month. A small cost for glaze materials is included in the Clay charges whether you use glaze or not.
PROLIFIC MAKERS: If you require more kiln space there will be an additional charge of £5 per kilo leather-hard.
These prices will be reviewed on a quarterly basis to keep in line with the current charges.
Currently (February 24th 2024)
Stoneware Special Fleck Per Kilo £5.00
St. Patricks white stoneware £5.00
Porcelain white stoneware £7.00
Porcelain Royale £7.00
Flax Paper Clay 1/2 kilo £15.00
Members recycle their own porcelain and paper clays.
Only clay bought from Sheen Pottery can be fired in our kilns. This ensures that only the right temperature and composition clays make their way into our kilns, to prevent damage to equipment and other peoples work. The clays have also been tested with the studio glazes are are a good fit to the clay body.
Bisque & Glaze firing is included: Members allowance is: 25lts. Please keep the Firing log book up to date, weigh your work at leatherhard stage before bisque firing and record the date, your name and weight and stamp the work whether it is included in your monthly allowance or paid for in addition to (see PROLIFIC MAKER below). Work without a stamp or not recorded will not be fired. Payment for clay can be made in cash or by card and totted up and paid for every 6 weeks.
Glaze and stoneware firing to 1260 (cone 9) is included in the membership.
25 litres of stoneware oxidation firing per month is included in the membership when you purchase the studio clay. If you are a PROLIFIC MAKER and require additional kiln space there will be an additional charge of £5.00 per kilo. Only work made by members with clay bought from the studio can be fired in the studio kilns. Kiln firing allowances do not roll over.
Payments: By standing order on or prior to the start date below please to: Lindy Barletta Ceramics, (Cooperative Business Bank), Sort Code: 08-92-50, Account: 68069847
Deposit and Notice: One months membership fee to be held on deposit incase of damage, loss or breakages to equipment, damage to kiln shelves or non payment of studio fees. Deposit or balance will be repaid within 14 days of the member leaving the studio having given one months notice to vacate. Lindy Barletta reserves the right to give any member one months notice and to cease membership for any valid reason.
Sheen Pottery and Lindy Barletta Ceramics reserve the right to make changes to these terms and conditions
I have read and agree to these studio terms and conditions:
Member name :
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Welcome to Sheen Pottery!
263 Upper Richmond Road West, London SW148QS
Tel: 020 8487 1038