Pottery Notes

FALL WEEK 12 – December 4

Fall Term is Almost Over!
We’ve almost made it to the fall finish line! Some reminders before classes end on December 16:

  • Make sure class shelves are clear of work and personal items.
  • Bring work to the measuring station for firing. Take any glazed pieces home.
  • Clean out your locker if you don’t plan to come back for the winter term. For students who plan on returning, stop by the liaison office to renew your locker.
  • We prefer that students leave classroom shelves empty and clear out greenware, however if you are returning in the winter term and must leave it behind please consolidate your work to a single area, and clean the surrounding shelf. Work must be legibly labeled with your NAME, CLASS NUMBER and WINTER 2024 or it will be discarded. We encourage you to send all work (greenware and bisque) to the kilns and leave the shelves empty as renovation of the radiator system will ramp up over the break.

Winter Registration
Registration for the next term at 16 Jones opens online on Monday, December 11 at 12:00 p.m. EST. The winter term will run from January 8 through March 23, 2024. Registration for classes at our new GHP Chelsea space will open in early January, exact date TBD, with the term starting in mid-February.

Studio Sessions & Spray Booth Attendance
If you can’t make your studio session or spray booth appointment, please let us know! We often have waitlists for studio sessions and the spray booth, so shoot us an email at pottery@greenwichhouse.org if you can’t make it in for your appointment. Studio sessions can be transferred to another date if you write us at least 24 hours in advance! Please make sure to include a new date/time in your request.

Clay Care
Temperatures are changing in the building as we move into winter, so please make sure clay is covered with a damp towel and lids are securely closed! This is generally best practice, but is even more important at this time of the year.

Yield to Faculty Demos
If a faculty member has reserved the room for a demo, you may not glaze unless granted explicit permission from the instructor. Glazing demos are crucial for students to know how to navigate the glaze room safely for themselves and their work, so let’s keep interruptions to a minimum.

Happenings
Indoor Ceramic Sidewalk Sale
Our beloved Sidewalk Sale will move indoors for the holiday season. Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 17, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. All pottery for sale is donated by members of our community, proceeds benefit the Pottery. Interested in donating? Leave sale-ready pieces in the bin on top of the lockers in the basement. Interested in volunteering? Sign up in the liaison office.

Last Chance!
This is the last week to see Sculptural Vessels: Recent work by Jono Pandolfi in the gallery, and the last week to visit current artist in residence Rebecca Potts! Our gallery and residency programs are unique and important components of the Pottery and present you with the opportunity to engage with the field outside of the classroom–please take full advantage of these resources.

At-a-Glance Dates
Monday, December 11: Winter Registration opens, 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 16: Last day of fall term
Sunday, December 17: Indoor Holiday Sidewalk Sale, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Monday, January 8: Winter term starts at 16 Jones
Monday, January 8: Daniel Barragán Begins Artist Residency
Thursday, January 11: Jinsik Yoo Exhibition Begins, Opening Reception 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

 

FALL WEEK 10/11 – November 20/27

Slipcasting Memo
We are reaching the end of our nine-week slipcasting session. Slipcasters: if you plan on returning for the next term, make sure to clean, consolidate, and using the orange masking tape provided, clearly label any molds or works in progress with your name, class number and “winter 2024.” You may only leave these items in the slipcasting room if you will register in a slipcasting class for the winter term.

Glaze, Glaze, Glaze
The holidays are coming and it’s about to get busy in the kiln room! Check the Glazing page of the website to make sure the room is available before you come in.

Class Shelves
Keep works in progress on your class shelf or overflow, not on neighboring class shelves! Space is a hot commodity here at the Pottery, so do your part to make room for everyone. If you work is bone dry, time to move it down to bisque.

Firing Slips
Fill out both the top and bottom of the slips AND please use your best penmanship so our staff can read your writing.

Sweatshirts!
Did you pre-order a “Pottery” sweatshirt? You can pick yours up in the office today. Miss the pre-order? We have a few extras available in the liaison office. Stop by to purchase one for yourself or for a Pottery loving friend!

Thanksgiving Closures
The studio will be closed Wednesday, November 22 through Sunday, November 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Make sure to take care of any time-sensitive components of your in-progress projects before then.

Happenings

Jono Pandolfi Exhibition Reminder
Don’t forget to stop by the gallery to see Jono Pandolfi’s solo exhibition! It is on view through December 8.

Starting Your Online Business
GH’s Lifelong Skills and Opportunity Center is hosting a FREE 4-part workshop series on Starting Your Online Business. The class starts on Tuesday, November 28. See the flyer on our Community Message Board for more info.

Save the Date: Indoor Ceramic Sidewalk Sale
Our beloved Sidewalk Sale will move indoors for the holiday season. Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 17, 11:00 a.m. –3:00 p.m. All pottery for sale is donated by members of ourvcommunity, proceeds benefit the Pottery. Interested in donating? Leave sellable pieces in the bin on top of the lockers in the basement. Want to volunteer; it is a great way of meeting others in our community! Email jlukasiewicz@greenwichhouse.org.

At-a-Glance Dates
Wednesday, November 22-Sunday, November 26: GHP closed for Thanksgiving holiday
Tuesday, November 28: Starting Your Online Business with Greenwich House’s Lifelong Skills and Opportunity Center
Thursday, November 30: Winter financial aid due, 12:00 p.m. (Apps open in mid-November)
Monday, December 11: Winter Registration opens, 12:00 p.m.
Monday, January 8: Winter term starts at 16 Jones

FALL WEEK 9 – November 13

Moldmaker Memo
We are reaching the end of our nine-week slipcasting session. Slipcasters: before the end of the term, make sure to clean, consolidate, and using the orange masking tape provided, clearly label any molds or works in progress with your name, class number and “winter 2024” if you plan on returning for the next term. You may only leave these items in the slipcasting room if you will register in a moldmaking class for the winter term.

Sweatshirts!
Did you pre-order a “Pottery” sweatshirt? You can pick yours up in the office today! Miss the pre-order? We have a few extras available in the liaison office. Stop by to get yours or one for a friend.

Glaze, Glaze, Glaze
The holidays are coming and it’s about to get busy in the kiln room! Make sure to check the Glazing page of the website to make sure the room is available before you come in.

Class Shelves
Please keep your works in progress on your class shelf or overflow, not on neighboring class shelves! Space is a hot commodity here at the Pottery, so do your part to make room for everyone. If you work is bone dry, it’s time to move it down to bisque!

Outlets in Classrooms
If you see something plugged in to outlets in the studios, please leave them be! Our wheels and other equipment are plugged in to the few power sources we have here, so unplugging anything disrupts the equilibrium and can create confusion in the classroom. 

Thanksgiving Closures
The studio will be closed Wednesday, November 22 through Sunday, November 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Make sure to take care of any time-sensitive components of your in-progress projects before then!

Happenings

Jono Pandolfi Exhibition Reminder
Don’t forget to stop by the gallery to see Jono Pandolfi’s solo exhibition! It is on view through December 8.

Starting Your Online Business
GH’s Lifelong Skills and Opportunity Center is hosting a FREE 4-part workshop series on Starting Your Online Business. Starts on Tuesday, November 28. See flyer on Community Board for more info.4

Save the Date: Indoor Ceramic Sidewalk Sale
Our beloved Sidewalk Sale will move indoors for the holiday season. Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 17, 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. All pottery for sale is generously donated by members of the GHP community, and proceeds benefit the Pottery directly. Interested in donating? Leave saleable pieces in the bin on top of the lockers in the basement. Want to volunteer? Email jlukasiewicz@greenwichhouse.org.

At-a-Glance Dates
Tuesday, November 14: Greenwich House Fall Benefit, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Tribeca Rooftop
Wednesday, November 22-Sunday, November 26: GHP closed for Thanksgiving holiday
Thursday, November 28: Starting Your Online Business with Greenwich House’s Lifelong Skills and Opportunity Center
Thursday, November 30: Winter financial aid due, 12:00 p.m. (Apps open in mid-November)
Monday, December 11: Winter Registration opens, 12:00 p.m.
Monday, January 8: Winter term starts at 16 Jones

 

FALL WEEK 1 – September 18

Welcome!
We hope that you had a happy and safe break and we are excited to have everyone back! Whether you are a new or returning student, we ask that you carefully read the student one-sheet for studio information and policies. Each week in class, teachers will read Pottery Notes, which contain all the studio updates you should know. If you miss hearing them read aloud, please check online or on the bulletin boards weekly to make sure you are aware of important announcements and deadlines. 

Masks in the Pottery
With COVID-19 on the rise again in New York City, we encourage masking for those considered high-risk. GHP runs air scrubbers 24/7, and will continue to keep windows ajar for increased airflow during the day.

Building Improvements
Yay, we have begun phase one of renovations! This includes upgrading our heating system and gas lines and installing two new electric kilns. These upgrades are ongoing so please pardon our appearance.

Glaze Grace Period: Summer Students Finish Up
A reminder that all work on the bisque shelves must be glazed and dropped off at the measuring station no later than Sunday, October 1 at 5:30 p.m. The bisque shelves will be completely cleared the morning of October 2; anything left on the shelves will be discarded to make space for new work regardless of individual students’ enrollment!

Studio Sessions
Want to work outside of your class time? You can book studio sessions, which are 4-hour appointments in your respective classroom. Studio sessions cost $10 per booking, and the session calendar and registration instructions are posted in each classroom. You can book your session by visiting the Current Students section of our website and selecting Register for Studio Sessions

In a attempt to make Studio Sessions more accessible to our community, Friday evening studio session reservations are $5. Pre-registration is required.

Appointments are no longer required in order to glaze (hallelujah!)
However, students should consult the glazing demo calendar (available in early October) to gauge classroom availability after the grace period, as faculty will occasionally reserve the room for their class. Please do not plan to show up to glaze during a faculty demo window or at a time the glaze room is closed for an event.

Glazeware Pick-up Deadline
All glazeware from summer term must be taken home no later than October 15 at 5:30 p.m. Going forward glazeware will be dated as it comes out of the kiln and any pieces that are not collected within 4 weeks will be subject to discard.

Firing Logs and Measuring Updates
All students must pay for both bisque and glaze firings at once. Requests for single firing slips must be approved by the liaison office or tech team. If you choose not to use your second firing slip, a liaison can assist you in refunding the second firing to your log. We highly recommend that you add funds to your firing log prior to dropping your work off for firing. You can add firing credit by visiting our online store or stopping by the liaison office.

Summer Term Firing Slips
Looking for your glaze firing slips from last term? They will be located on top of the water cooler in the entry hallway. Each class envelope’s contents are sorted alphabetically by last name, so help us out by keeping them in order!

Artist Talk: Kate Strachan
Join us on Tuesday, September 26 at 4:00 p.m. in the glaze room for an artist talk by NCECA emerging artist Kate Strachan. An interdisciplinary artist, whose clay work integrates various materials such as fiber, wax, and wood to form manuscripts, sculpture, installations and video art. Kate uses dark humor to question the doctrine of her Pennsylvania Dutch roots. After a BFA  in fiber from FIT she went on to apprentice for two years in Kanazawa, Japan and earned her MFA from Tainan National University in Taiwan. Next year she will be a resident at EKWC in the Netherlands.

In House Exhibition
The faculty and staff exhibition, In House, will be on view from September 16 through October 13. We will be holding a reception to celebrate it on Wednesday, September 20 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Be sure to put it on your calendar and come by to see some fantastic recent work by GHP’s talented faculty and staff, note that most pieces are for sale.

At-A-Glance Dates and Deadlines

September 18-October 1: Glazing Grace Period

Sunday, September 24: Yom Kippur (GHP open for glazing and studio time)

Monday, September 25: Yom Kippur (no classes; GHP open for glazing and studio time)

Tuesday, September 26, 4:00 p.m.: Kate Strachan Artist Talk

Sunday, October 1: Last day to pick up or glaze summer bisqueware

Monday, October 9: GHP open, classes in session

Sunday, October 15: Last day to pick up summer glazeware

Tuesday, October 31: Halloween (GHP closes at 1:30 p.m.)

 

SUMMER WEEK 6 – August 14

Finish Up!

Students and faculty, please take a moment to look at every class shelf to check that pieces in progress have not been forgotten or abandoned. Unwanted, bone-dry pieces should be deposited in reclaim, boards and bats cleaned and returned for community use. All students should be focused on getting work fired and glazed.

At the end of summer term, any greenware remaining on the classroom shelves will be tossed even if you label it! All lockers must be emptied and any tools, molds, clothing and personal items must be taken home. Has your friend or classmate left for the term? Help them out by double checking they are aware of these deadlines.

For those who did not finish glazing their bisque ware this term, we will be offering a two-week glazing grace period September 18-October 1 when you can come back to the Pottery and glaze your summer work.

Fall Registration

Mark your calendars! Fall registration opens online Wednesday, August 23 at 12:00 p.m. EDT. You can browse the fall schedule online now. The fall term runs from September 18 through December 16, and we are offering a range of 5-, 6-, 9-, and 12-week classes.

Summer Closure

The Pottery will be closed for interterm break August 20 through September 17 with the exception of pick-up days listed below. Staff will be conducting a thorough cleaning of all classrooms during this break, and will complete important maintenance projects throughout the building. Please do not try to enter the building outside of the pickup dates: you will be turned away! 

Thursday, August 24 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. 

Wednesday, August 30 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. 

Circle Your Glaze Temperature!

When you drop off your glazed work, be sure to circle the correct glaze temperature. When students forget to circle this information, it holds up your work from being fired until we can get in touch with you! If you circle the incorrect temperature, you run the risk of your work being underfired or melting in the kilns or damaging other people work.

In the Gallery

This is the last week to see the Ceramics Now exhibition. It highlights some of the work our 2022 resident artists made while working in GHP’s studios. Stop by the gallery any time the door is open or make an appointment online to make sure you see this great show before it is gone!

At-A-Glance Dates and Deadlines

Saturday, August 19: Last day of Summer Term, classroom shelves & lockers must be emptied by this date

Wednesday, August 23: Fall registration opens

Monday, September 18: Fall term begins