The october member page will update on october 1st.
Until then, this is the september studio info.
Read The September Issue of The {Good} Dirt, our Studio Zine starting the second week of September (link will be inside)
The September issue will be available starting the second week of September. You'll be able to read online (I'll post the link here), or pick up a hard copy in the lobby while they last.
This little magazine has social meetup info, free studio events & get togethers, pottery tips, stories and profiles of our members, and is just a good way to connect a bit more.
I'm looking for future submissions! (Submissions = volunteers). As in, por favor collab with me! I need y'alls help to keep this going. So, please reach out with your ideas and volunteer to be the spotlight artist, share your toolkit, create a playlist for the month, recommend artists for us to look up on IG, let me know if you are in an event/festival, or want to write an Op-Ed (or something else!) EMAIL ME and let me know!
September Studio News & Happenings (more in the monthly zine!)
- Septembers's Door Code is 263333. If you look at your phone, that spells "Coffee" on the key pad, because...coffee, and please don't share the door code. Some of y'all felt having a word to help you remember made it more difficult. In that case, I'd recommend just jotting down the code in your notes app.
- This month's {free!} Coffee Talk is postponed! Instead...we're taking a field trip! We'll be carpooling down (up?) to the Bascom for their free Sculpting Symposium. Full details in this month's zine, if you'd like to join. Please be aware that even though this is free, the Bascom has a limited number of spots and requires that you sign up.
- September's Pottery Throwdown Challenge is "Spooky" In the spirit of it turning even the least bit cool in the morning, I'm jumping on the bandwagon early and declaring it close-enough-to-fall. This month's challenge is just channeling all that into your pottery, with anything you think qualifies as "spooky" from mugs with spikes to full-on ghosts, pumpkins, raven, bats, beetlejuice stripes, truly ANYTHING. All forms, all creative interpretations, all approaches - from surface decoration to handbuilding, wheel, sculpture - are welcome and wanted. We'll be meeting oon Wednesday, September 17th at 8pm to share our results with one another and just celebrate as a group. Bring a snack to share if you want, BYOB, and check out what we all came up with. Come even if you didn't have time to make anything - it's great to connect and can be awesome inspo as we all share our process. Hope you'll join us!
- This month's workshop is to help anyone who is feeling unsure about glazing - or just getting bad or blah results Rob will be teaching a 3-hour deep dive into glazing and help you figure out where you're going wrong, how to fix it, and some more interesting results you can achieve. $35 for 3 hours of instruction from a 20+ year glazing veteran. Bring the pieces that didn't work so we can troubleshoot them and/or any inspo pics if you want to know how it was achieved. The workshop is on Saturday, September 13th from 1-4pm. HERE is a link to register, if you're interested in getting some extra help.
- We're an ongoing partner with Books for Keeps! There will be a collection bin in our lobby, if you're clearing out your bookshelves and want to donate books to the program, to help kids fall in love with reading and improve literacy. As a fellow book nerd, I approve this message. Reading SAVED my little self. All books, aside from textbooks & encyclopedias, are wanted and needed. If you have any follow up questions, you can reach out to the lovely Colleen Craven (Good Dirtian and Storytellers Program Manager for Books for Keeps) colleen@booksforkeeps.org. You can also read more about Books for Keeps HERE.
- Trans Celebration Night is on Saturday, September 20th from 5-8pm. If you're interested in volunteering (or attending!), please reach out! It will be a night of creativity, as we make some pots on the wheel, and a hang out in the handbuilding space for chill community connection.
- Please do not sand or rub your glazed (not fired) pots. When you set them down on the glaze shelf, it drops powder and transfers to other folks' pots. Which isn't so nice.
- Just a reminder to (really, actually) clean up after you work. When you're glazing that means not only the counter, but all the floor drips. When you're throwing that means the wedging table, the wheel, the floor, the sponge you used to clean up, etc. Handbuilding it means the table, tools, etc. Y'all got this. While we have super amazing studio assistants that deep clean 3 times a week, it's hard to keep a clay studio clean. So, we all need to clean up after ourselves thoroughly to keep the space as unpiggy as we can.
- We've had A LOT of stuck pots recently. A LOT. So, we've instituted a stuck-to-the-shelf "swear jar" to help defray the costs of kiln damage, replacing diamond sanding discs, etc. If you stick a pot, put $5 in the swear jar in the kiln room. If you stick 2 or more OR have a total nuclear meltdown situation, you'll need to schedule a private glazing lesson OR attend a glazing workshop before putting things through the kilns again. We just want to make sure that everyone's work is protected. When the glaze runs, it often drips/sticks/ruins another person's work. In a community studio, we all have to be careful and conscientious. If you're unsure about your glazing, you can always schedule a lesson and/or read the glazing guide that's on this page.
New to the studio? Start Here!!!
First of all, welcome to the studio! We're really happy to have you in the space creating and giving yourself some time to de-stress, get your hands in clay, make some art and hopefully connect with some folks. It's going to sound suuuuper cheesy, but pottery is a form of therapy for me, and my happy little bubble where everything else falls away. It's the only kind of meditation I can do, haha. I hope it can be just as healing for you as it has been for me.
- If you're brand new and doing studio membership, you'll need a shelf and some clay. EMAIL us to set up a time for a quick studio orientation and to show you where the clay is and get you a shelf. If you're in a class, your teacher will do that in the first class, so you don't need to reach out.
- Take the time to read through the "Studio Rules to Know" section below. It will bring you up to speed on the things you likely won't cover in class/an orientation, but that you'll need to be aware of.
- Studio Membership & Classes come with unlimited studio access. Just check the "Classes & Workshop" section below so you know when you can come in and practice.
- We are no longer selling toolkits. 1) Most toolkits that are affordable are made in China and, well, tarrifs. 2) The alternative is Amazon and, well, we're not doing that, either. 3) The good ones are between $25-$35 and we can't afford to bulk stock them. If you're new and want a toolkit, get the one from Kemper, if you can find it (Dick Blick usually has this one, or another good one). If you go to Atlanta, Davens is a place to check out. Just go with cash so you don't overspend, haha. Look for (minimally): a trim tool, a needle tool, a wire, and a sponge.
- Check out our glazing guide in the heading below. This doc is meant to help anyone who feels a bit unsure about glazing on their own. While not a substitute for learning in class, it is a great resource to jog your memory and give you some support. Just click on the heading "Glazing Guide" and you'll be directed to the doc.
- We offer a special workshop each month to give everyone (and especially our newbies) some extra help (this month's workshop will be in the studio news section above, with a link). We also do private lessons, if you're feeling overwhelmed. Let us help you get over that initial steep climb of learning a thing and maybe getting frustrated in the early stages.
- Do you need some extra support? ~ I think we could all use a little more of that right about now. If you're able, coming to the free coffee talks, coming in outside of class to hang out and practice, being vocal on our FB Group, grab the studio newsletter, and any other way that you can form connections in our little community will, I think, be a good way to lean on one another, hopefully feel safe and fully wanted, find like-minded folks, and have a little bubble to restore and reset when the world outside the studio doors feels like it's burning. Also, I'm always here for you, happy to listen, or just, ya know, do my job and answer questions and help with actual pottery things. But, I think with all the stress and uncertainty I think we're juggling, it's good to know I'm here for ALL of it. Text me anytime 770 375 6909
- On that subject, most folks who quit pottery never come back after the first class. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed or disappointed, embarrassed or your brain tries to tell you're just "not good" at pottery (LIES!!!!!), please know that ALL of us started where you are. ALL of us flopped pots. ALL of us compared ourselves or felt frustrated. The ONLY secret to this whole thing is showing up, even when you feel like you're "failing". That failing is actually just what learning looks like and if you can stick with the discomfort, it will come, I promise it will come. And you can always reach out to me and I'll help you.
- I hate that we're here, but with everything going on in our country, I want to be crystal clear on something: In this space, we honor and protect humans. Trans and LGBTQIA+ people are wanted and welcome here. Black and Brown people are welcome and wanted here. Immigrants -regardless of status- are welcome and wanted here. Anyone who wishes to be kind and respectful and learn from those different from themselves are welcome and wanted here. I know that's a lot and that this is just a pottery studio. But, it is also a refuge and an oasis for many who simply ask for human dignity and kindness. It's going to stay that way.
*Check out the studio news heading above and grab a studio newsletter in our lobby to stay on top of everything going on this month.
October Early Registration
It's wise to sign up as early as possible to secure your spot for the next month. Evening Beginner Classes & Handbuilding Classes usually fill up first, often on the 15th. I want anyone who wants to be here to be able to be, so register as early as you're able if you want to continue.
- The link to the Early Registration Page will be posted here on the 14th, around 1pm.
- Make sure that you can find your "Booking Confirmed" email after you register - it will have your member page link for October in it.
- Registration will go live for everyone else on Septmeber 15th at 7am.
September Class & Workshop Schedule (a.k.a. when to come & practice, and when to avoid)
NOTE: this will be updated as we get bookings for parties, etc, so please check before you come into the studio to practice! You can just find the day you're thinking of practicing below and see if there are any class conflicts.
- All classes are starting the week of July 6th, so the entire (partial) first week of July is open for practice whenever.
Sunday Classes:
Try Clay Handbuilding from 2-4pm (Every Sunday)- No space in the handbuilding room for practice from about 1:30pm to 4:30pm to allow for set up & clean up for class.
Beginning Wheel from 7-9pm: No space to practice on the wheel.
Monday Classes:
Handbuilding from 10am to noon: We ask that you leave the handbuilding space to the class to not interrupt.
Handbuilding Class from 1-3pm. We ask that you leave the handbuilding space to the class to not interrupt.
Advanced Beginner Wheel from 7-9pm: While there are free wheels, it is distracting for other folks to be practicing on them during class time, so please choose another time to practice.
Tuesday Classes:
Intermediate/Advanced Handbuilding from 10am to noon: No available handbuilding space to practice.
Intermediate/Advanced Wheel from 7-9pm: While there are free wheels, it is distracting for other folks to be practicing on them during class time, so please choose another time to practice.
Wednesday Classes:
- Intermediate/Advanced Wheel from 10:30am to noon thirty: No available wheels for practice.
Thursday Classes:
Beginning Wheel from 10am to noon: While there are free wheels, it is distracting for other folks to be practicing on them during class time, so please choose another time to practice.
Beginning Wheel from 7pm to 9pm: No available wheels for practice.
Friday Classes:
- Try Clay on the Wheel from 7-9pm (Every Friday)- No free wheels for practice from about 6:00pm to 9:30pm to allow for set up & clean up for class.
Saturday Classes:
- Every Saturday from 930am to noon thirty will be a sculpture class in the handbuilding room, and we might spill over a bit after that for critiques, etc. We'll be using both the wedging and the long table to fit everyone, so there is truly no space.
Workshops & Parties booked (so far...this is updated frequently, so please check often)**
Even though workshops don't generally use all the equipment, it's SUPER distracting to the folks in the workshop for others to be using wheels/table space at the same time. Also, allow a bit of extra time on either side of the time slot for set up & clean up
- Every Saturday in September - Sculpture Class from 10am to noon thirty+ - Just remember that this class exists this month! No free room at all in the handbuilding room.
- Sunday, September 7th 430-630pm - Private Workshop in the handbuilding room, no free table space
- Saturday, September 13th 1-4pm Glazing Workshop - no free glazing space. If you're finding that you're struggling with glazing or just want a bit more help, you can register HERE. $35 for 3 hours of glazing class with Rob.
- Wednesday, September 17th 8-9pm Throwdown Challenge Reveal Party. The theme this month is "Spooky", however you want to interpret that. Come show your piece(s), BYOB and maybe a snack to share and ask everyone how they achieved their results. It's a way to celebrate creativity and community. Come even if you didn't have time to make something.
- Saturday, September 20th 5-8pm, with a bit on either side for setup/cleanup. Trans Celebration Night. The entire studio will be in use.
- Sunday, September 28th 11-1pm and 4-6pm Wheel Workshops - no free wheel space
Studio Rules to know (a must-read for newbies and not wrong for everyone to review!)
The studio is open 24/7 for practice, BUT, please don't come to practice on the wheel during a wheel class, or come to use the handbuilding room during a handbuilding class. (There is a whole dropdown/teal heading above with the class schedule so you know when to come in). Even if space is available during that time, it's so distracting to the folks in the class trying to learn, hear their instructor and concentrate. There's plenty of time to practice aside from our scheduled classes.
The door code for July is 768837
Please be sure to clean up thoroughly when you leave - Leave it better than you found it. We've been having some issues in this department, so remember that anything you use (wedging tables, sink, tools, sponges) needs to be cleaned up- please don't pig up a communal space. Wet clay is perfectly safe, but dry clay dust can harm our lungs, so please be sure to contribute to a clean and healthy environment for all of us.
Check the bisque and glaze shelves every single time you come in so your work doesn't get thrown away We'll be doing monthly culls and if you don't want your stuff recycled, please keep an eye out for it. We don't have the room for stuff to just sit there and gather dust.
We're a teaching studio, not a place for folks to run a business out of. We're perfect for anyone who wants to learn, be in a shared creative space, and make work for themselves/friends/family, but we don't have the kiln capacity to support a store/loads of markets etc. If that's what you need, we can help you either set up a home studio (we get 30% discount off of kiln retail) or point you in the direction of a studio that can fire a high volume of work. We don't price per shelf fired or put exact limits on what you can make and we're not interested in micromanaging or nickel and diming you. The last time we changed our prices was a 11 years ago, and we want to keep that price low and accessible to everyone. That works as long as everyone is considerate and doesn't take advantage.
We do not allow outside clay. Often the clays that folks want to bring in are dark/black clays which often bloat or even liquify, or speckled clays, which use manganese, which is a pretty dang unsafe material. Clays fire to specific temperature ranges, and clays with certain materials mixed in can be harmful to general studio health, can ruin an entire container of reclaim, can destroy the kiln and other work in it. If you would like to bring in outside clay, 1) we have to vet it first to make sure it will work and 2) it costs $22/bag to fire that clay at the studio, in order to cover the glazing materials and labor costs that everyone else is already paying when they buy clay from us.
We DO allow commercial glazes, but you have to run them by us first! Send us a link to what you want to buy so we can make sure it works with our firing schedule. If you don't and you ruin a shelf in the kiln, the replacement cost per half shelf is now $400 plus shipping & tax. So, just check with us first.
The greenware shelf is only for bone dry or mostly bone dry pieces, and not wet work. If you have to move a piece to fit yours on the shelf, be EXTREMELY gentle. Greenware is super fragile and bumping, stacking, picking up by a handle (gasp -NO!) are all no-nos.
The white "overflow" shelving in the wheel room is a place you can put larger work temporarily (ie a week or less) as you work through the steps - trimming, handles, etc. It's not meant to be additional storage.
All glazed pieces need the bottom wiped off (even if you used wax! Wax doesn't make glaze disappear in the kiln) and wiped back (this means don't glaze all the way to the bottom, "cut" it back.
Wet clay is safe...dry clay dust is not. Remember to clean up the sink area, around the glazing buckets, at the wedging table and around your wheel, all the handbuilding tools...everything you use. And, please don't just let trimmings/clay sit on top of the relcaim screen. You have to push it through when it's wet.
Registration opens on the 15th at 7am. Beginning Wheel Classes & Workshops tend to fill up by 8 or 9am the same day. There will be both a QR code at the studio as well as a link on this member page when early registration opens just for our students & members on the 14th each month, around midday/early afternoon
We're a community. This means we need to be kind to one another, help one another and take care of each other - including our shared space. Be respectful of each other and the equipment and studio that we all use. Anyone being punky first gets a good old fashioned Come-To-Jesus, and then...well, I don't know. We've never gotten that far. Let's keep it all lovey-dovey.
Glazing Guide (if you're feeling lost about how to do it)
- HERE is a link to our to-the-point glazing guide, which should be good support for you and help jog your memory. It is NOT meant to be a stand-in for learning how to glaze. If you are unsure, please reach out and/or book a private lesson. Incorrent glazing can literally destroy shleves full of other's work and damage the kiln.
Buy Additional Clay
- Online:
You can just use the button below and a bag of clay will be added to your cart for checkout.
- At the studio:
You can purchase more clay at the studio 2 ways: by scanning one of the QR codes above the clay boxes or leaving us a check/cash in the office. If you are paying in cash/check, since we aren’t charged any processing fees, we’re happy to just eat the sales tax cost ourselves and a bag of clay purchased this way is only $40.
Social Links (IG, FB, YT, Private Facebook Group & Dates We'll be going live on IG)
I've been silent on social for a good while - depression meant that I had to ditch it to start to heal and become sane again. Hopefully, I'll feel up to start posting again soon.
- Instagram @gooddirt_athens
- Facebook gooddirtathens
- A Private Facebook Group for Members: HERE. This is a place to connect with each other, share your work, ask each other questions and cheer one another on.
- YouTube Good Dirt Classes Check out our past tutorials
Private Lesson Scheduling & Payment Link
- If you'd like to schedule a one-on-one private lesson with Rob to sort out issues, learn a new form, or just troubleshoot your technique, email us and we can set up a time to work with you.
- If you need to pay for a private lesson, just click on the button below to add a 1-hr lesson to your cart and checkout.