Welcome to our June edition of the Warwick Pottery Studio newsletter! We are officially halfway through 2023! Our June newsletter covers our upcoming holiday sale, an update to our website, housekeeping tips, and a new student spotlight!
– Marilyn
Our 3rd Annual Holiday Sale – Only 20 weeks to go!
When you think of June, it evokes images of beach towels, sunscreen, and your favorite patio drink on a hot night. At Warwick Pottery, we’re dreaming of winter evenings, gift-giving, and the anticipation of our annual Warwick Pottery Holiday Sale!
Last year we had a fantastic turnout and this year we’re doubling our space! This year’s Holiday Sale will take place Sunday, December 10, 2023. More details will be coming soon, via our official Facebook announcement. Stay tuned!
If you’re not already following us on Facebook, find us here!
Don’t Go Breakin’ My Pot
Individuals coming together to express their creativity and share their love for pottery, with honesty, mutual respect, and care is what makes up the essence of our studio.
Imagine a situation where, unintentionally, someone accidentally breaks your pot. In such a moment, honesty becomes the foundation of trust as the person responsible comes forward, admitting to their mistake. We understand that mistakes can happen, and with respect for each other, we respond with compassion.
As a reminder, we ask that you take extreme care when picking up or dropping off your pieces. An abundance of love and care has been put into each piece on our shelves and caution must be used whilst in the kiln room. We are sure that no one wants this to happen to their pot. Sadly, this has been happening more often than can be tolerated. To care for your own and other people’s pottery please keep the following in mind:
1. Never pick up a pot by its rim, even to gently move it. This applies to both greenware and bisqueware! The rim is the most delicate part of a pot and must be treated with care.
2. Make sure that your name is on the outside of the plastic which is protecting your pot. Orly has donated sticky notes to our studio and they can be found in the stationary drawer by the front door of the studio.
3. Please wrap the plastic around your pots, not around the bat upon which it is sitting. This way, even if there’s a gentle tap on the bat, the rim of your pot will not be dented.
4. Make sure you sign the bottom of your pot as soon as it is safe to do so! This is usually at the leather hard stage while you are trimming it. Please make sure that your signature is large enough for everyone to see. If you do not like how your name looks on your pots, please purchase a metal stamp with your name. We like Clay Stamps.
As our student body grows, we need to take care of everyone’s pottery as if it were our own! We are sure that no one ever would break another person’s spot intentionally… It is truly the nature of our fragile medium. More care will result in less breakage, which will benefit every person who enters our studio!
How to Clean Your Pottery Wheel – Cleaning with Health and Saftey in Mind
At Warwick Pottery, the health and safety of our students is our number one priority! Clay dust and debris are no joke! As a best practice, we like to regularly revisit the importance of properly cleaning your wheel, tools, and surrounding area. Properly cleaning our shared workspace before leaving is very important; not only for cleanliness and organization but for our health and safety as well! Wheels that are not properly cleaned can quickly become a health and safety issue by contributing to harmful clay dust! Below is a quick step-by-step on wiping down your wheel after use.
1. Pour a large bucket of warm water and grab a large work sponge
2. Using the sponge, wipe down the surface of the wheel head- don’t forget about the sides of the wheel head!
3. Collect and dispose of your reclaimed clay into our studio’s reclaim bucket or your own reclaim bucket if you have one.
4. Remove the splash pan from the wheel and empty the splash pan into the sink.
5. Rinse your splash pan off in the sink, removing all clay remnants. Once it’s clean, return to your wheel and put the splash pan to the side while you finish cleaning.
6. Using your sponge, wipe down the surface of the wheel where the splash pan sits, ensuring all clay, water, and slip have been absorbed and wiped away.
7. Wipe down the legs and foot pedal of your wheel, as well as the legs, seat, and back of the chair or stool you used.
8. Wipe the floor around the wheel, putting away any wooden footrests you were using. Once the floor is clean, dispose of your dirty water and pour a fresh bucket.
9. Lastly, using a clean bucket of water, do one last pass over everything with a clean damp sponge.
We are constantly updating our website to better serve our students and provide new resources. Visit our new Studio Rules and Etiquette page and FAQ section!
Student Spotlight: Meet Samira Bruhim…
Introducing Simara Bruhim, our esteemed Potter of the Month!
With a passion for art since childhood, Simara embarked on her pottery journey three years ago. Allured by the reward of a new challenge, she delved into the art of throwing pots, embracing the intricacies and challenges of the craft.
Throughout her clay journey, Simara discovered a synergy between her love for painting and the medium of pottery. Through the strokes of her brush, Simara breathes life into her creations, transforming each vessel into a beautiful canvas adorned with paintings straight from the soul. The fusion of her two passions has elevated Simara’s pottery, resulting in a mesmerizing body of work that inspires all who encounter it!
Do you want to be featured in one of our upcoming Student Spotlights? Please let Marilyn know and forward some photos of your favorite pieces to be featured in a future newsletter!