As you’re probably already know, Fireborn is cutting back on offering classes. That has left many students scrambling for alternatives. This page is intended for those students who are ambivalent about where they want to land. On this page, I am exploring the options of setting up your own studio or perhaps setting up a co-op. Of course you might just want to find a comfortable place to take classes as you have been doing at Fireborn.
Please tell me about where you would like to land in a very brief survey. Click Here
There are a number of places around town that offer classes. The tuition ranges from $350-$425 for an eight-week class, and there are usually limits to the size of the work and number of things you make. Your studio access is usually limited to a few hours a week. Would you like access to more studio time, or more space for production?
Glazes are provided when you take class. Are they good glazes? Might you want to have your own glazes? Are you intimidated by the glazing and firing part of the pottery process, or is that something you want to explore, so that your work can better reflect your personal unique style.
What I’m getting at is how far do you want to go toward mastering the craft of pottery, and having control of your time, space, and process, As you think about this question I suggest you go to one of my favorite blog pages and watch the philosophical musings of some other potters. Go There Now
In a survey I recently gave to students recently, interest was expressed in many aspects of pottery classes: social interaction, emotional “centering”, artistic expression, being a hands-on maker, and mastering the craft.
I hope all of you who read this are able to find what you want. There are many paths you can take. Because we at Fireborn are cutting back on classes, I estimate there are bout 500 students who are being displaced, and will be looking for new places to make pots. Where will you land? Will you find a good fit and be happy?
Personally, I was hooked on pottery after the first few months. I put a kiln and wheel in the basement of my rented townhouse. I didn't consider how my landlord might feel about that, but I should have. Next, I bought a house in Squirrel Hill and got a variance to put a gas kiln in my back yard. I don't believe I pulled that off, but I did! Six years later, in 1980, I bought the Fireborn building. I rented studio space to a few friends. Six years later I met Donna, and we quit our day jobs and became full time potters. We did art festivals, opened our retail gallery, and did wholesale to over 100 galleries around the country. Gradually, along the way we started offering classes. All these transitions were smooth and overlapping. No burned bridges. I always wanted to master the craft, not just make art. I wanted to learn as much as I could about every aspect of potter.
Might a co-op work for you?
Right now you’re probably spending a fair amount of money taking classes. If a more independent situation appeals to you, the tables on the right might be useful. Ten people taking classes all year long are spending between 42K and 51K a year. That’s a chunk of money! What if they spent all that money to rent a space, buy equipment, and set up a co-op? You can build tables like these in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
Would fewer or more members make sense? Could you all pay less than you are paying now for classes, and save money?
Maybe after you get set up, the membership fee can go down. Also, once you are set up, you can use your studio to earn money by teaching, or selling your work.
Fixed Expenses: Rent and insurance would be a fixed expenses.
Equipment is a one time expense. And technically anything you purchase would be an asset, not an expense, a kiln is not going to be consumed, it’s not money down the tubes. And consider this, of the 500 Fireborn students being displaced, probably 30 to 50 of you already own wheels, and some have kilns, too. And what about wrangling wheels and kilns off that aunt or grandmother who has one in the basement?
Variable expense: Heating and cooling is sort of fixed. Firing kilns depends on production and thus variable. Raw materials could be considered personal expenses, and glazes might be communal expense. This needs to be sorted out and agreed upon.
In short amount of time you could be rocking and rolling in your own co-op.
Here are some estimates…
If pots nest nicely, like bowls and plates do, then the output of one bisque will fill three or four glaze kilns. Both bisque and glaze firing take about 12 hours to reach temperature and 18 to cool. That means you can turn the kiln around every other day. Load and fire Monday. Reload and fire Wednesday, etc.
Space allocation:
Clay Pittsburgh is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the ceramic arts for artists, learners, and the community through education, exhibitions, retail opportunities, and artist services. It can be a great resource for you. Read More
