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Frequently Asked Questions

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I want to use the studio. Where do I start?
We recommend starting by enrolling in one of our classes and getting to know the space, though you can also add your name directly to the waiting list for membership.

I want to use the studio for a short-term art project. Can I do that?
If you're a current member or a ceramics class student, go right ahead! Unfortunately, we don't offer one-time access to the general community.

Who can be a studio member? Who can enroll in the classes?
Current undergraduate and graduate Stanford students are eligible to be studio members. Classes are open to all Stanford affiliates, but we reserve some slots in the class specifically for Stanford students.

When can I sign up for classes?
The same day that Stanford courses open for course enrollment for the corresponding quarter. Please read our classes tab.

When can I sign up to be a member?
You can get on our membership wait list at any time, though it can take quite a while to be offered membership. Please check out our membership tab to learn more about becoming a member.

I'm a Stanford affiliate. Can I be involved with the studio?
Yes! In two ways:

  1. You can sign up for a class. After initial enrollment, we fill slots left open by Stanford students from the waiting list of affiliates. It frequently happens that Stanford students' schedules change and they drop their ceramics course, so you can gain access to our studio via that route.
  2. You can also keep an eye on this website to see if 'studio helpers' are needed. Helpers are Stanford affiliates who are involved in the studio at a level comparable to that of our studio members and managers. On occasion, we are also in need of studio instructors.

Where does the studio get its clay?
We order clay at a bulk discount from Clay Planet and offer a variety of Clay Planet and Laguna clays to our members and students. The prices of the clays we have for sale in the studio are rounded up or down to the nearest dollar. As a student or member, you must buy your clay from the studio.

What chemicals are in the glaze? What are the safety concerns associated with being in the studio?
The biggest concern is controlling clay dust, which contains silica. There are trace amounts of transition metals in most of the colored glazes, which are usually trapped once the piece is fired. Please email concerns to ceramics-managers@list.stanford.edu and a manager will respond promptly with more detailed and specific answers.

The wait is awfully long. Where else can I learn ceramics?
There are a variety of wonderful ceramics spaces in the Bay Area, many of them geared towards beginning instruction.

Here are a few:
Higher Fire Ceramics Studio in San Jose
South Bay Ceramics
Foothill College Ceramics Program in Los Altos Hills
De Anza College in Cupertino
Palo Alto Art Center

Have more questions?
Carefully read all the faqs and other information and if you still have questions, email ceramics-managers@list.stanford.edu and a manager will get back to you shortly.