MEMBERSHIP DETAILS
Open Workshop Hours
Attend Pottery Open Workshop
using your pass or monthly membership
anytime we are open!
Wed + Thurs 11-9
Fri + Sat 11-10
Sun 11-5
What is Pottery Open Workshop
Located in South St. Louis, Pottery Studio membership is for everyone: inquisitive beginners, hobbyists, and experienced artists. Your membership is an all-access pass to tools, equipment, glazes, firings, and even the occasional pot-luck! With a Monthly Membership or Hourly Pass, you'll have your own shelf space to store your work-in-progress between visits. Instruction is available anytime as teaching artists are on duty each shift to assist with your ceramic education. We also offer weekly pottery classes for members - where we cover the basics as well as intermediate and advanced techniques in wheel throwing and hand-building.
Pottery classes for members
Members Only Classes are FREE with your pass or monthly membership. Instruction is available to Monthly Members and Passholders anytime as teaching artists are available to assist with your practice, however to access more in-depth techniques we ask that you sign-up in advance for Members Only Pottery Classes. All new students are required to take Beginner Orientation. Students who are new to clay should sign-up for Beginner hand-building, and Beginner Wheel if you want to learn to throw on the potter's wheel.
How to use your membership
Students can learn to take their artistic processes of MaKing to the next level learning all about hand-building, wheel throwing or both! Attend anytime we are open Wednesday - Sunday. We will walk you through each step of the process whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced students. 10 & 28 passes can be used in 1, 2 or 3 hour increments. Monthly members do not have limits on wheel, table or glaze time except if there are wait times for wheels or table space, or if there is a class scheduled in a certain area of the studio.
Shelf Space
With studio membership, you'll have your own shelf space
to store your work-in-progress between visits.
10 Hour Pass: 1/4 shelf 12 x 8.5
28 Hour Pass: 1/2 Shelf 16.5 x 12
Monthly Membership: Double Deep Shelf 33 x 20
Expiration Dates
10 & 28 Hourly Passes
Expire 1 year from date of purchase.
Students who have expired passes or haven't attended in more than 30 days might have their shelf moved up high or boxed if we have a waitlist. Pottery that is left unattended more than 90 days may be discarded.
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP
Monthly Membership fees are paid by auto pay
monthly on your joining date. There is a THREE Month
Commitment required to start.
glaze & fire fees
X-tra Small $3 | small $6 | med $9 | large $12+
At SBAP Open Workshop we do not charge generic studio fees as students only pay glaze and fire fees for the pottery you want to keep. Pottery is weighed and Clay-Glaze-Fire fees usually range from $3 - $12 but can be more if you are making heavy or larger sized work.
Monthly Members get an extra 20% discount on fees.
kiln firing schedule
Bisque is usually 1 week from Saturday
Glaze is usually 1 week from Saturday
Bisque + Dipped Glaze = Usually 2 weeks
Kilns are unloaded and student pottery is priced weekly and ready for pick-up on Saturday Mornings at 11am. Students can learn how to paint on glaze, underglaze, and engobes. SBAP Staff can also dip your pottery for you in one of our own studio-made glazes. Pottery made here is fired to cone 6, which means it is food safe stoneware as well as dishwasher and microwave safe.
ACTS of the KILN GODS
While much of pottery is all about using proper techniques to achieve desired results. Sometimes there are circumstances beyond our control with student pottery and kiln firings. While we teach students to prioritize process over product we will also always go above and beyond to help you achieve that final product even when it means we must start over and try again. Usually all glazed pottery is ready for pick-up in 1-2 weeks but sometimes it is longer. Be sure to click here on the pottery pick-up page to see if your glazed pottery is ready for pick-up before making a special trip to the studio. We DO NOT send email and text notifications when your pottery is ready for pick-up so be sure to wait 1-2 weeks and check here too.
MORE Membership details
what if I have never made pottery before?
Even if you have never touched clay before you can find your path here. All of our staff and instructors are highly skilled, experienced and qualified to help you on your MaK-ing journey. From the very beginning, you learn there is more than one right way to work with clay - but you can spend a lifetime getting it just right. Come in, get dirty, make friends, meet your neighbors, make functional gifts or just find some inner calm in the making process. Membership is open to ages 16 and up. Children 13-15 years old would be considered as members only if their parent is also has a pass or Monthly Membership.
What can i expect from my membership
Membership is about more than renting your workspace or about how often your schedule allows you to come in. You are sharing the overall costs that make the studio possible - from rent, power, glaze materials and costs that keep everything running and to allow all members to access the space. If you have prior experience or an extenuating circumstance - talk to us - you might be a good fit for a working membership or a potential studio technician. Read more details about membership levels and benefits below.
