Fireborn Studios

Frogs and Birds

Fireborn is now offering two new options for getting back to making pots… Frogs and Birds

Additionally we will be offering you demonstration workshops and private lessons. 

About Changes

As you know, we are in semi-retirement mode. As such we want to have as much time as possible to make our own artwork, and have the least distractions possible, while still maintaining enough income and cash flow to retain our studio. Offering classes and firing services is a possible way to achieve this goal, to the benefit of both you, and us.

We want to keep interruptions to a minimum, limit access times to the studio, and consolidate wherever possible. Our new reduced gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday noon to five. 

Please understand that setting up appointments for people to come in a glaze just three pots is not going to work. Nor will there be frequent glaze firings. We have a big kiln and it takes a long time to fill it. 

Frogs

Frogs are by invitation only. This “class” will be a group of 11 people and operate similarly to the type of Fireborn class in which you were previously enrolled. It will meet once a week, Wednesday mornings, for three hours from 9:30 to 12:30. Purchasing clay will remain the same. 

Differences, however, are significant.

Tuition will be reduced to $320. There will be no instructor. There will be a monitor, who will unlock the door and close up after class. Participants in this class will all be rollover types, continuing throughout the year. A strong social component will work well for this group. So will sharing ideas and helping one another learn. You will be expected to leave a clean studio when you depart. Freshly-thrown pots should be left on the wooden table and covered with plastic by the monitor. 

Terms:

  • Be out of the building on time.
  • Keep the studio clean.
  • Do not borrow or take home any Fireborn bats, tools, or equipment
  • Attend five out of every six terms or lose your spot.
  • No work made at home may be fired at Fireborn. If you want to fire what you make at home you should be a Bird.
  • We won’t fire until the glaze kiln is full. We can not predict when that will be.

Birds

Birds are by invitation only and will be even more independent than Frogs. They will be making pots outside of Fireborn, in their own studios, using their own equipment, or possibly renting a wheel from Fireborn, and purchasing their own clay. Birds will use Fireborn’s glazes and have access to them during designated times. We will glaze-fire their pots.

This is a major departure from former Fireborn class scenarios and will require a bit of explanation as to how it will work. 

Prices:

  • Wheel rental: $75/month, optional
  • Glazes and glaze firing: $0.0175/cubic inch (about $30/cubic foot) and we measure bisqueware before you glaze it. You pay before glazing. Learn More
  • Bisque Firing: We charge a flat fee for the whole kiln. $50.00 for the small kiln (1027, 7 cubic feet), or $60.00 for the large kiln, (1227, 9.9 cubic feet). The 1227 holds up to 125 pots when nested. You load and unload. If you want, you can team up with friends to fill a bisque.  Learn More
Terms:
 
  • Birds must be vetted to ensure adequate knowledge and understanding of clay, glazes and firing issues, because mistakes can be costly.
  • Clay: Fireborn will only fire Standard Clay #257 Grolleg Porcelain (cone 8 to 10) from Standard Clay in Carnegie, PA. You will be responsible for purchasing and transporting your own clay. We will not be selling clay to Birds from the studio.
  • We won’t fire until the glaze kiln is full. We can not predict when that will be.
  • Bisque pots can’t be stored at Fireborn.
  • Glazed pots will go right into the kiln.
  • There will be designated times for glazing.