Education Committee
NOTICE...as of January 2025, we are again using the club website calendar for class information and enrollment!
Our club offers classes by outside instructors as well as member volunteers. In both cases, you may enroll if you meet any pre-requisite skills noted by the teacher.
The class flyer will have all the information you need, including WHEN you can sign up. When that date/time arrives, go to the Calendar listing on the website to “Enroll”. Enrollment is in order of sign-ups, and a Wait List is usually available if any enrollment limit has been reached.
Member-taught classes will have payment terms explained, may be pre-paid or paid on day of class directly to the trainer. There is no fee, you are reimbursing the trainer for supplies consumed by the class. For pre-payments, put your payment in an envelope marked with the trainer name, class title, your name and contact info, and put the envelope in locker #1 as instructed by trainer.
If you need to cancel, go back to the website Calendar, and Drop your enrollment as soon as possible. Late drops that are prepaid may be non-refundable, talk with the trainer. Outside instructor pre-payments are not refundable.
The website generates an automatic reminder email for class attendance. Please be careful to watch your status as Enrolled or on Wait List. You could be contacted when your status changes to Enrolled at a late time! If you are supposed to bring tools to class, make sure you do!
During calendared classes, there may be room usage restrictions. Members should be considerate of any class in session as having facilities priority and minimal disruption. Wheel-throwing, clay wedging, use of Sanding station, and orientation, for example, shall not occur during a class UNLESS approved by the instructor. Lots of other shared use is completely fine if you are working on your own project!!
Kiln Committee
SCA Ceramics Club Kiln Rules:
- Only Kiln Committee members are allowed in the Kiln Room; max. of 2 people at a time. Club members who belong to the Porcelain Club may enter in accordance with Porcelain Club guidelines but only touch Kiln #4.
- NO GLAZE ON GREENWARE. Underglaze or Commercial Engobes such as Mayco or Speedball Underglaze, and Duncan Cover Coat or E Z stroke can be applied to greenware and submitted for firing along with a note describing the product used.
- All items must be placed in the correct area for firing.
Greenware to be fired to Cone 04 bisque should be placed on the shelves between the slab roller and the kiln room door.
- Low fire/earthenware bisque with glaze applied for Cone 05 firing should be placed on the top of either of the two carts on the left side of the utility room; bottom shelves may be used if the top ones are full.
- Medium range fire/stoneware with glaze applied for Cone 6 firing should be placed on the Cone 6 shelf or cart on the right side of the utility room.
- Any item to be fired at a temperature other than Cone 04, Cone 05, or Cone 6 should be placed on the bottom of the two carts on the left side of the utility room along with a Special Firing Request Form detailing the requested firing temperature.
- Place your items on the shelves/carts the way you want them fired.
Do not submit items for re-fire if they are significantly warped or cracked as
they may break and damage other items during firing.
Do not place any item for greenware or low-fire glaze firing on ANYTHING when you place it on the carts or shelves. Bisque cookies are only to be used for mosaic pieces that are not glazed on the back. Stoneware items may be placed on cookies at the direction of the Kiln Stoneware Coordinator.
- Mark the bottom of your items with your name or initials and retrieve fired items from the storage shelves in the back of the utility room ASAP. Items left for extended periods may get broken or go missing.
Linda Sauer, Chairperson
Pouring Committee
Want bisque, not greenware? For a small fee you can have your order cleaned and fired to bisque. While the Pouring and Kiln Committees provide the services voluntarily, the fee will help recoup the costs of pouring and firing operations and expand our product selection.
On that note, we are excited to announce the addition of two "chimminarie" molds (chiminea shaped luminaries); one has a sunburst motif and the other is shaped like a fish. The samples will soon be on display, but you can see photos now in the Greenware Catalog.
Check out all the samples on the shelf over the sinks and order from the binder on the desk which has the price list and photos and all the information you need. Just fill out an order form with information from the list of selections, place the form with payment attached in the Treasurer's Box in Locker #1 and wait for a committee member to notify you that your item is ready for pickup from the designated shelf over the pouring table. Jan will process orders received by Monday and committee members will pour orders that week so they should be ready early the next week or sooner (drying time varies).
Debbie Miller, Chairperson
Window Committee
Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away so shoppers will be looking for hearts of all varieties and vases or pots for flowers. It is also time to start thinking about items for the SCA Spring Arts & Crafts Sale; pieces for the garden are always popular. Ceramics created by members are welcomed and appreciated gifts for all occasions so don't hesitate to offer your creations for sale.
Maridee Sothman, Chairperson