Frequently Asked Questions
How long until I get my finished piece back?
We aim to have your piece ready 1-2 weeks after painting however this may vary slightly during our busier periods. If you have a deadline please be sure to contact us beforehand and during your session to check if we can accomodate this for you.
This is not a process you can rush!
Items need to totally dry, get a clear glaze layer, dry again, be dry footed and then fired in the kiln.
Once in the kiln, it is in there for about 48 hours as it gets up to temperature (about 1000 degrees)and then cools very very slowly. Because of this, we can only fire the kiln 2-3 times each week. There is no set firing schedule, as this depends on how how full the kiln.
There is no way of knowing what items will be painted on a day - sometimes it's all mugs, sometimes it might be three large platters, which will suddenly fill a kiln!
At busier times, this might take a little bit longer because of the high volume of items to process.
We recommend that you book a session well in advance for busy times such as Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day & Christmas to avoid disappointment.
Do you do discounts?
We offer discounts to community services such as residential retirement homes or special needs support groups.
Can we eat and drink during a session?
During our daily sessions non-alcoholic beverages are allowed, in fact - we positively encourage relaxing over a cuppa or refreshing beverage as you paint and chat; just be careful not to confuse your drink with the dirty brush water...
Eating is best left to after you have finished painting as grease & crumbs can easily transfer to your piece, which will affect the final glaze of the pottery. This can lead to all sorts of problems during firing.
We do not provide cutlery or crockery for food and drink.
If you choose to bring food and drink into the Studio, please note you are required to remove any waste.
What if my item is damaged during firing?
Because clay is an organic material, there can occasionally be some irregularities during the firing process, which results in imperfections in the piece. We do our best to minimise this risk by checking every ceramic piece for obvious defects prior to painting, to help eliminate the chance of firing damage.
Sadly some defects are harder to detect and rarely, a piece will get damaged in the kiln with a chip or crack.
We will always offer you a full refund or voucher for ceramic pieces damaged during firing.
Please note we cannot offer refunds for irregularities in glazing or if you are unsatisfied with the final aesthetic of your piece.
How do I know when my piece is ready?
We will send you an SMS as soon as your pieces are ready to collect! Its helpful if you present your SMS to us on arrival so we can quickly identify your order.
Please note that we only have studio capacity to keep items for 3 months before we pass them on to the Big Ceramic Studio in the Sky...