Code of Conduct

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Hours of Operation

• 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Monday - Friday

• 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday and Sunday

• The studio is open every day except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Year's Day.

• The studio is also closed during the Tucson Artisans Markets in May and November.

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A common understanding of studio practices supports a creative and productive environment. 

 

Education is the primary focus of this studio, and safety is a fundamental concern. Many safety issues are resolved by maintaining a clean studio. Every studio user is responsible for cleaning the space(s) they have used before leaving the studio for the day.  

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A ceramics studio contains numerous hazards. Glaze chemicals, clay dust, and studio equipment all have the potential to cause serious injury. Understand and adhere to the policies and rules established by The Romero House Potters, Inc., Board of Directors, and the Studio Manager to minimize hazards. 

 

If you have any health concerns regarding your work in a ceramics studio, consult your doctor. Please remember that the most important contribution you can make to the health and safety of all is to maintain a clean and tidy studio. 
 

LIABILITY-RELEASE CLAUSE  

In accord with the liability-release agreement that all participants or the parents/guardians of minor participants must sign when registering for a program, all such participants and associated non-participating visitors (“releasors”) assume all responsibilities for and risks and hazards of participation in the named program or visitation and agree to release from liability and hold harmless Romero House Potters, Inc. and/or its visitors, studio members, technicians, contractors, instructors, and affiliated organizations (“releasees”) for all loss, damage, or injury that may occur therein, whether caused by the negligence of releasees or otherwise. The preclusive effect of this liability-release agreement applies equally to the releasors’ families, friends, heirs, and assigns. 

 

ARRIVING AT THE STUDIO  

Each person arriving at the studio for any reason should sign in upon arrival. The sign-in sheet is next to the computer. Sign-in should include the person’s name and the time of arrival.
 

CLAY AND TOOLS  

Only cone 10 clay is allowed for use in the studio. You may bring your own preferred cone 10 clay or purchase recycled clay at the studio. The studio also has a selection of tools for your use. Please clean and return these tools after use.

 

WORK FLOW  

Avoid letting work pile up on the shelves or in the kiln shed. Green ware should be removed from shelves and set out for bisque firing as soon as possible. Bisque ware not in the process of being glazed should remain on the appropriate shelves in the kiln shed. At the end of each class session, the shelves may be sorted through, and unclaimed work may be discarded. 

OPEN STUDIO  

Open studio time is provided for members and students to pursue their work outside of class time. Wheels and work areas are available on a first-come, first-served basis and may not be occupied or reserved unless they are actively in use.

 

Classes have priority over Open Studio users. When class is in session, Open Studio may not be available. Check the calendar for class schedules and call ahead to confirm availability. If you arrive at the studio and there is no room (or the instructor has declined to allow others to stay), you might be turned away.

FOOTWEAR  

Studio users must wear appropriate footwear. Bare feet are prohibited. Closed-toe shoes are recommended.
 

MAKE-UP CLASSES  

The studio is not responsible for providing make-up classes or issuing reimbursements for any class, program, or workshop missed. With prior notice, the studio will work with users to reschedule classes.

DISMISSAL  

The studio reserves the right to exclude anyone who fails to abide by its policies, practices, and rules. An instructor, monitor, or the Studio Manager may dismiss a member or student from the studio for disruptive activity. “Disruptive activity” is any activity that disrupts the enjoyment of the studio by others and includes, but is not limited to, inappropriate or illegal behavior, including theft, damage or vandalism to the work of others or to any RHC or TMA property; failure to follow the direction of an instructor, monitor or Studio Manager; failure to adhere to the policies of The Romero House Ceramics, the regulations stated in this handbook, or the rules of the Romero House Ceramics Studio. Extreme disruptive behavior may result in a permanent ban from the studio.

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CLEAN-UP  

Each individual using the studio must keep the studio spaces clean and orderly. Every class and open studio user is responsible for leaving the studio clean at the end of their session. Instructors and studio monitors may delegate clean-up responsibilities to ensure the complete clean-up of the studio. 

LEAVING THE STUDIO  

Before leaving the studio for the day, each person should sign out, noting the time they left the studio. All work should be put away, and the workspace cleaned. No one is permitted to remain in the building after closing, except technicians attending to tasks assigned by the studio manager. Anyone who does not comply may be dismissed with no tuition reimbursement.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITY USE   

Cabinets, lockers, and storage shelves are available on a first-come, first-served basis to currently registered members. Caustic or dangerous chemicals are not allowed. Keep your storage space clean and free of dust. The Romero House Potters, Inc. is not responsible for damage or loss of materials stored on the premises. The Studio manager or monitor may remove and dispose of items left behind after a student or member is no longer enrolled in either a class or open studio. 
 

CERAMIC MATERIALS  

The materials and tools used in the studio are safe if handled correctly. However, exposure to any material, through the lungs, mouth, or skin, can be harmful. Clay and glaze dust are the most common hazards. In addition, many metal oxides and metal compounds used in glazes are toxic in their raw forms.  

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Take precautions to avoid lung damage. Wear a respirator and gloves if you mix glazes or stains, or oxides. If you must sand or scrape bone-dry clay or glaze, do so outside and wear a particulate mask. Clean up sanding dust with a wet sponge or by sanding over a bucket of water. Clean up spills and clay trimmings before they dry. Clean all surfaces by wiping with a wet sponge or mop – never with a dry paper towel, brush, or broom.

 

Wear a particulate mask when using the spray booth or when working in the chemical room. Wear gloves when handling raw glaze materials and washes. Many of these materials contain heavy metals such as copper, cobalt, and manganese. 
 

Do not pour excess glaze, plaster, slip, or rinse water down the drains in the studio or the restrooms! They are pollutants and could cause drainage problems. Any use of plaster should be monitored by the instructor or Studio Manager. Only dedicated containers may be used. Your instructor or the studio monitor can advise on where to dispose of glaze water, plaster, or clay washings. The studio manager must approve any underglazes or glazes you bring to the studio.
 

CHEMICAL ROOM  

The chemical room is off-limits to all studio users unless authorized by the Studio Manager. Those using the chemical room to handle, mix, or store chemicals should use gloves and masks while participating in those activities.
 

EQUIPMENT  

Kilns, wheels, and other studio equipment are both delicate and potentially hazardous. Observe the following precautions to avoid accidents and injury: 

• Do not place anything on kiln lids. The lids are fragile and often very hot. They are not tables or storage areas. 

• Space is tight and sometimes hazardous in the kiln area. Avoid lingering and socializing in the area. 

• Do not use the slab roller or extruder without having received instructions from an instructor. 

• Do not use the pug mill without authorization from the Studio Manager. 

• Turn all electric wheels to the “off” position after use. Position cords and foot pedals out of the way of foot traffic.
   

GLAZE AREA  

Do not use any glazes without being trained. Glaze buckets should be left covered except when in use. To prevent contamination of glazes, glaze mixing devices should be rinsed first in rinse bucket #1 and then in rinse bucket #2. When virtually all glaze residue has been removed, the glaze mixing devices should be rinsed in the dishpan in the glaze room sink. 
 

After use, each glaze bucket should be closed with its cover and returned to its correct storage position. Upon completion of glazing tasks, each person will clean the area they used, by wiping the counters, glaze buckets and trolleys, washing utensils in appropriate containers, and mopping the floor. 
 

GLAZES  

Most fired glazes provided by the studio are food safe. If you have any questions about the quality or safety of any studio-provided glaze, please ask an instructor, monitor, or Studio Manager. Only those authorized by the Studio Manager may mix chemicals to make glazes. All glazes made with any chemical that belongs to the studio must be available to all studio users. No raw chemicals or mixed glazes may be removed from the studio. Anyone bringing glazes into the studio for their personal use, or use by others, must provide glaze information to the Studio Manager and acquire the Studio Manager’s approval for the use of the glaze(s) in the studio. 
 

KILNS AND FIRING  

Every reasonable effort will be made to fire work, both bisque and glaze, as soon as possible. Preference for firing work will be students first, monitors and technicians next, followed by instructors. If a ware is left out of a firing due to space considerations, an effort will be made to ensure the ware is included in the next firing. Students should leave an identifying mark on their ware that will survive bisque and glaze firings. The firing sequence begins with the bisque firing. The bone-dry ware is to be placed on the shelves marked “ready for bisque”.

 

The piece should be placed as deep on the bisqueware shelf as possible, to leave room for other people’s work. After the piece has been bisque fired, it will be placed on a bisque ware shelf. After the piece has been glazed, it should be placed on the glazed ware shelves according to height and, again, as far back as possible, leaving room for other pieces. Glazed pieces will be loaded for the glaze firing as soon as there are enough pieces for a firing. The Studio Manager will schedule and coordinate all kiln firings. The glaze firing schedule will be posted on the blackboard so that studio users are aware of the schedule. 
 

After the final firing, all completed pieces should be removed from the studio as soon as possible. Each studio user is responsible for their work. Unclaimed pieces cannot be held or stored indefinitely. Remaining pieces may be discarded or donated to RHC. 

 

The Romero House Potters, Inc. cannot be responsible for lost or unclaimed work, nor for undesired or inconsistent results, kiln accidents, or work that is damaged. Generally, only work produced at the Romero House will be fired in the studio’s kilns. Only the Studio Manager may allow the firing of work brought in from outside the studio. Approval for such a firing must include an assurance that the work is cone 10 clay. Anyone requesting the firing of work made outside of the studio will be responsible for any damage to the kiln, kiln furniture, shelves, and equipment, and to other pieces, caused by the firing of that work.  

RECLAIMED CLAY  

Studio users may reclaim their clay or donate it for the studio to reclaim. Processing of reclaimed clay should take place outside the building, in the patio area. The pug mill may be used to process reclaimed clay only if the Studio Manager has approved its use by the person processing the clay. 
 

WI-FI

Due to limited bandwidth, internet access is for administrative and teaching activities only. While we would like to provide access to all, the cost of a higher bandwidth connection is not currently feasible.

 

NOISE  

While working in or passing through the studio, be as least disruptive as possible. Meet personal visitors outside of the studio. Except in the case of an emergency, do not use a cell phone inside. 

ANIMALS  

Animals are not permitted at the Romero House.  
 

SMOKING  

The ceramics studio is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted inside the building or the area inside the chain link fence.  

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ALCOHOL  

The consumption of alcoholic beverages and/or the use of recreational drugs on the studio premises are prohibited. Alcoholic beverages may be used with the Studio Manager’s approval for special events such as the end of a class session or a kiln opening celebration. Consumption of alcohol by anyone not of legal age is always prohibited.    
 

FIREARMS  

Firearms are not permitted at the Romero House.