Potters' Press 4 March 2022

We have some new members this year so it's a good time to go over a few of the rules for using the studio that are being overlooked by new and not-so-new members lately. As this is a shared space, all studio-users need to help us out a little to ensure everything is running smoothly.

• Cleaning up after yourself: this is not the responsibility of your tutor or WSP volunteers or staff. 
  • Blue cloths (slab roller) - these need to be rinsed out and hung on the clothes horse to dry after use. There are too many used and unwashed cloths in the tub under the roller. Please be considerate.
  • Extruder - if you use this, you are responsible for cleaning it out. This also goes for classes using the extruder. It is unfair on the next person to leave the messy job of unjamming the drying or dried clay.
  • Tables, wheels and stools - like the above, if you use any of these, please clean up after yourselves. If you are in a wheel throwing class but used the handbuilding tables to cut or wedge clay, please clean the surface after yourself using water and a sponge. We are noticing that, especially after evening classes, there is a lot of dried clay left for someone to clean the next morning
• Payments/Eftpos transactions - All transactions, cash and Eftpos should be carried out by the tutor, volunteer, Artist-in Residence or staff member on duty. Please don't put these through yourself. You may think you are helping to save us time and effort, but it actually creates more work for us when it comes to doing the accounting. I recall Bea sending multiple requests for the same thing in newsletters so this is not a new development.
• No firing other people's work - we have noticed a few incidences of people firing on behalf of others. This is against club rules. Please only fire your own work through our kilns unless you have been given approval by the manager in advance.
• Bring your own towels - There was once a time when members used to volunteer to take turns with the laundry but those times are a thing of the past. For the last year, we have been taking towels to the laundry and the fortnightly bill is high. While it has always been the case that studio-users are asked to bring their own towels, many have not done so. With finances tight, we simply can't afford to cover the cost for people. Please bring your own towel. if you forget, you can borrow one but there is a cleaning fee of $2.
• Wiping the bottoms of your pieces after glazing - Margaret spends a lot of time doing this to try to save our shelves, even if it is not her responsibility. She just spent 30 minutes of her time doing this on some plates left on the glaze shelves. Please take the time to do this as, if she misses one, you will be billed for damage. be extra cautious with the floating blue.