Billing & Membership

1. Pricing. Standard membership is $185/month, billed bi-monthly at $370 every two months. Memberships begin on the first day of your selected start month. Autopay runs on the 1st of every other month after your prepaid period ends.

2. Key (24-hour) access is available as an upgrade for $250/month after your first two months of standard membership.

3. Termination. To cancel, send written notice at least 7 days before your next renewal date to ashley@hickoryclay.com. Renewals occur on the 1st of the month. Items left on your shelf or in the damp room after your final day of membership will be discarded.

4. Pausing. We don't offer membership pauses. If you need a break, cancel your membership and rejoin when you're ready. If there's no waitlist when you return, you can rejoin immediately; if there is, you'll be added to it.

5. Pre-start cancellation fee. Memberships canceled before the start date are subject to a $50 cancellation fee to cover credit card and administrative costs.

Studio Use & Open Studio

6. Open studio hours are subject to change. Current hours are posted on the Membership page and updated on the studio calendar.

7. Guests are not permitted during open studio hours unless arranged in advance with a studio owner. If you'd like a friend to see the space, bring them to a public tour (1st and 3rd Saturdays at 1pm) or email us to coordinate.

8. Bikes are not permitted in the studio, per building rules. Bike parking is available on the street.

9. No pets. Service animals are welcome and protected by law; please let us know in advance so we can be prepared.

10. No smoking inside the studio, within 25 feet of the entrance, or anywhere on the premises. This includes vaping.

11. The roof is off-limits to members at all times.

Working in the Studio

12. Clean as you go. Members are responsible for leaving their workspace and any equipment in clean, ready-to-use condition. This means cleaning all tools and returning them to their storage areas, wiping down wheels, wedging tables, slab rollers, and any other equipment you used.

13. Dust control. Dry sweeping of clay dust is prohibited. Always use a wet mop or sponge to clean clay residue from floors and surfaces. Silica dust is a serious respiratory hazard, and this rule protects everyone in the studio.

14. Hands off other people's work. Do not touch or move any clay projects that aren't yours. If you need to relocate a piece to make space, ask a staff member.

15. Hair and clothing. Long hair must be tied back. Closed-toe and closed-heel shoes are required — no sandals, flip-flops, mules, clogs, or open-back shoes. Bring an apron or wear clothes you don't mind getting clay on.

Materials, Glazes & Equipment

16. All clay must be purchased through Hickory Clay. Outside clay, bisqueware, or finished pieces are not permitted in the studio, and we do not fire outside work. This protects our kilns and ensures consistent firing results for everyone.

17. In-progress work stays at the studio. Members may not take greenware or bisqueware home to work on between sessions. Finished, fired, glazed pieces are of course yours to take home.

18. Glazes and underglazes. Members are not permitted to bring outside glazes or underglazes into the studio without the express written consent of both owners (Ashley and Daniel). When approved, glazes must be commercially manufactured — hand-mixed glazes are not permitted under any circumstances.

19. Slip casting and plaster mixing are not allowed anywhere in the studio.

20. Kilns. Members will not load, unload, or operate the pottery kilns. All firing is handled by staff.

21. Blowtorches and personal heat guns are not permitted.

Firing & Pickup

22. Firing schedule. We run bisque and glaze kilns four times per week. Most pieces are fired within a few days of being dry.

23. Firing fees. No firing fees for pieces under 10 inches. Pieces 10 inches or larger incur a one-time $10 fee covering both bisque and glaze firing. Members who have completed our Gold Luster workshop may participate in gold luster firings at no additional cost.

24. Pickup window. Fired work must be picked up within 30 days of glaze firing. Pieces left longer will be recycled or discarded. We do not mail pieces.

25. Damp room purge. The damp room is purged on the 1st of each month. Any bone-dry pieces still in the damp room at that time will be recycled. Cover and check on your work regularly.

Community Standards

26. Respect. Hickory Clay is a shared community space. Harassment, discrimination, or hostile behavior toward other members, students, staff, or instructors is not tolerated and is grounds for immediate termination of membership without refund.

26. Photography and social media. You're welcome to photograph your own work and the general space. Do not photograph other members or their work without permission. Tag us @hickory_clay if you share — we love seeing what members make.

27. Feedback. If something in the studio isn't working — equipment, supplies, another member's behavior, anything — please let us know. Email ashley@hickoryclay.com or grab one of us in person. We can't fix what we don't hear about.

Questions?

Email ashley@hickoryclay.com.