Ceramics

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The ceramic arts programs offered at Shadbolt allow all ages from preschoolers, children, teens to adults, and skill levels to experience creating ceramic artwork with the guidance of seasoned and highly acclaimed professionals.

Winter Programs

Priority registration for winter programs begins December 1 for Burnaby residents. General registration for non-Burnaby residents begins December 4. 

Please use the links below to register online, or call 604-297-4440 to register by phone. 

Children / Teen 

Adult

Information for Registered Participants

• Checking In

  • »	All participants must check in upon arrival in the Mather House foyer. Once checked in you will be directed to your classroom.
    »	You may be directed to wait either under the overhang across from the Pottery Studios or outside the Pottery Studio doors.
    »	Please maintain physical distancing in the waiting areas
    »	For children and teen programs: Parents must stay until children are directed to enter the studio by the instructor. Due to room capacity limits and new safety protocols, parents are not permitted inside the studios at drop-off or pick-up times. For pick-up, please wait in the designated spot for the class to finish. Instructor will direct parents when it’s time to pick up.

• Expectations of all Studio Users

  • We ask students to continue assisting staff in maintaining and cleaning ceramics equipment:

  • »	Wash or sanitize your hands when you come into the studios
    »	Bats and ware boards will be assigned to students for the duration of the session. They are to be returned to your instructor or technician clean of all clay. Bats and ware boards must remain on site and can be stored on the damp room shelves.
    »	Wipe down wheels, stools, and tables so they are clean of all clay when you leave so that staff can sanitize the surfaces efficiently
    »	Stools and splash pans must be placed next to the wheel as an indicator to staff to sanitize that work station, ready for the next person
    »	Sanitizing spray is provided next to shared, affixed studio equipment (slab roller, extruders and spray booth). Students should sanitize all touched surfaces before and after each use.
    »	Used equipment must be returned clean of all clay and placed in designated zones, ready for staff to sanitize

  • Meals:
    »	Encores Café and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts remain closed until further notice – only students participating in programs are permitted in the main building. If you wish to bring food to eat, you will have to take it outside of the building. The centre studio in Mathers is no longer a place to sit, eat or prepare food.

  • Studio Access:
    »	Participants will only be permitted to enter the building and studios during their designated workshop time. Please do not arrive early. The facility remains closed for public use.

• Open Workshops

  • How to register:
    »	Open Workshops will no longer be drop-in and tickets are not available for purchase in person. Please register online or by phone (604) 297-4440.
    »	No credits/refunds will be issued one hour prior to the scheduled workshop.
    »	Please stay home if you feel sick. Call to cancel your attendance. No pro-rated refunds will be issued for any unused Open Workshop time.
    »	Available for registration: The Pottery Studio (wheels); Studios C/D (wheels, extruders) and the Kiln Shed are available for use.
    »	In consideration of your fellow potters, please register for a maximum of two Open Workshops per week.
    »	Movement between studios is restricted and you will only be allowed to work in the space you registered for.

    Schedule:
    Mondays	2:30-5:30pm & 6:15-9:15pm
    Wednesdays	2:30-5:30pm
    Thursdays	2:30-5:30pm
    Saturdays	10:30am-1:30pm & 2:30-5:30pm
    Sundays	2:30-5:30pm

• Supplies to Bring

  • Adult Programs
    In addition to your toolkits, please bring the following supplies:
    »	2 x Buckets – one larger 3 to 5 litre/1 gallon bucket and one smaller bucket
    »	2 x Sponges – one larger clean-up sponge and one smaller throwing sponge (one small round sponge comes with the beginner tool kit)
    »	Sandpaper – 120 grit
    »	1” Foam brush – for glazing wax
    »	2 x Small empty containers with lid
    »	Thin plastic (like drycleaner plastic – not the biodegradable kind) for covering work. We will provide 1 large piece for each student; if you need more, please bring your own
    »	Plastic yellow drywall scraper
    »	Sharpie for labelling items
    »	Old towel and/or apron
    »	Rolling pin (only if you need it)
    »	Fabric masks (required for when physical distancing cannot be maintained) and any other items for personal comfort (visors, gloves, etc.)

    Children / Teen Programs:
    »	2 x Buckets – one larger 3 to 5 litre/1 gallon bucket and one smaller bucket
    »	Sponge – one larger clean-up sponge
    »	2 x Small empty containers with lid (yogurt or sour cream)
    »	Plastic yellow drywall scraper
    »	Sharpie for labelling items
    »	Old towel and/or apron
    »	Fabric masks (required for when physical distancing cannot be maintained) and any other items for personal comfort (visors, gloves, etc.)

• Clay and Tool Kits

  • Adult Programs:
    Clay and tool kits are no longer available for purchase in-person.
    »	Tool Kits:
    	To purchase a beginner pottery tool kit, or any pottery tools that the Art Store carries, please call the Art Store (604) 205-3027 to place your order. A clerk from the Shadbolt will call you to take your payment, and the tools will be delivered to your next class.
    »	Clay:
    	To purchase clay, please call the Shadbolt Front Office (604) 297-4440 and purchase by phone. Clay purchasing is not available online – once you have paid for your product, the clay will be delivered to the studio where you will be working. Please do not go to the clay storage room.
    	Please note: in order to use the studios, clay must be purchased from Shadbolt Centre for the Arts as the price includes the cost of glaze materials, tech and firing costs.
    	Recycled clay is not currently being produced or sold. Please take your clay home to recycle – it can be brought back and used in studio.
    	Video tutorials: How to Recycle Clay and How to Wedge Clay

  • Code:	Price:	Colour & Type:	Notes:
    C2	$24.40 + tax	Grey Stoneware	Has some sand, making it an all-purpose clay – hand-building, wheel throwing.
    C3	$29.40 + tax	White/Red Stoneware	White stoneware is smooth – best for wheel throwing or extruding. Red stoneware is lightly grogged (grit) – best for hand-building and wheel throwing.
    C3	$29.40 + tax	Sculpture/Raku	Has a lot of fine grog (grit), makes joins stronger and can survive stressful firing processes – hand-building. Remains porous after firing; not suitable for functional ware.
    C4	$43.50 + tax	Porcelain - White	Smooth clay body – best for advanced wheel throwing and hand-building. Can be translucent when thin.

  • Children / Teen Programs:

    »

    For children and teen programs, clay is included and does not need to be purchased. In addition, individual pottery tool kits will be assigned to each student. These kits will be kept at the studio and will be their tool kit for the duration of the session. At the end of the session, the tool kits will be sanitized and reassigned at the beginning of the next session. If you wish to purchase tools your child can keep, please contact the Art Supply Shop.

• Pottery Pick-Up

  • Please ensure all work is clearly labelled. Pottery pick-up is by appointment only. Please ask your instructor or arrange a time with a ceramics technician to access the kiln shed. Staff will group each person’s work together to make pick-up easier and to limit the number of people handling the pottery.

The Shadbolt Centre's kilns are available for rent on a first-come first-served basis. For information on firing your work in our Electric, Raku, Gas, Sawdust, Wood fired, or Soda fired kilns please go to our Kiln Rentals page.

Fine & Performing Arts Programmer – Ceramics 
Rebecca Nowosad 
Phone: 604-205-3012
Email: rebecca.nowosad@burnaby.ca

Meet our Ceramic Arts Instructors »