FAQ

What’s the difference between wheel throwing and handbuilding?

Wheel throwing is when you get create your piece on the potter’s wheel. Yes, just like that one movie. This is the most popular form of pottery production, and most would consider it the truly therapeutic side of pottery. Wheel throwing is great for those looking for a new grounding practice. Handbuilding is all pottery that is not done on the wheel, while sitting at the taller worktables. Handbuilding includes slab construction, pinch pots, coil construction, and sculpting. In handbuilding you can be more forgiving and creative with decorations and adornments. Handbuilding is great for those looking for a more arts & crafts experience.



When will my pieces be ready for pickup?

Your pieces will be ready 14 days after your last class. And 2 months after your last class we get rid of pieces that have not been picked up. Pick up for class pieces is available at POT Gardens in Mid-City on Mondays between 12pm - 7pm.



How do I become a member at POT?

You may apply for membership here! Please note that for safety reasons you MUST have taken 2-3 full class series' with us to be eligible. This has nothing to do with your experience level. Staff must know your face, safety is our main concern here.



Do you offer outside firing?

No, we are currently unable to offer outside firing services. Firing is only available for our members and students.



What goes into pricing?

We pay all our staff fair living wages, and a lot of labor goes into prepping, processing pieces, and cleaning, on top of teaching. Materials, especially glazes, are expensive as well. Every time you make a piece, it goes in the kiln for 30 hours in two different rounds. We try to keep our prices as accessible as possible with heavy overhead and materials cost in mind. This is why we offer sliding scale to black & brown individuals who cannot afford the full class price, and we now offer an option at checkout for students to donate $5 towards free/sliding scale pricing for students every month.



What is your pandemic related protocol?

As a very small business, we take the pandemic seriously because our staff and community cannot afford to get sick. We have greatly reduced our class capacities to ensure that students are socially distant from one another. Masks are required, temp checks at the door, air filters, and COVID tests required before your first class. No physical contact with teachers either, but we still offer the same in depth teaching.



What ages are your classes for?

We are generally an adults-oriented studio. Our classes are for students ages 15+, and minors need to have a guardian's permission. This is due to a lot of adult themed art in the studio.



How do I find out when new classes are available?

Our classes sell out quickly, but there are ways to stay on top of them! We offer our Patreon subscribers pre-sale access to each new session of classes. For as low as $5/month you can have access to our pre-sales. Follow us on Instagram at @pot_la for updates after that. If you don't use Instagram, you can join our newsletter.



Do you offer private lessons?

Due to the pandemic we have become greatly understaffed, so we cannot offer private lessons these days. Hopefully in the near future we can!



What is your cancellation / refund policy?

We cannot accomodate make-ups for missed classes since our classes are always full. There are no refunds on cancellations made after a class has started. To get a refund you must cancel with 5 days of your first class. If you cancel a class within 48 hours of it starting, we will give you account credit which you can apply again anytime. If you are in a series and miss a class, we can't reschedule that class, which may affect you being able to keep pieces. PLEASE make it to all of your classes.



Do you offer worktrade opportunities?

Yes! However, worktrade positions are limited and only available to current members.