MEMBERSHIP
Hickory Clay offers pottery studio memberships to intermediate and advanced potters in San Francisco's Mission District. We've built the studio we wanted to work in — with more shared tools, more glazes, and more access than anywhere else in the city.
No current waitlist — you can join now.
Tours for prospective members are held the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month at 1pm, or email kaitlyn@hickoryclay.com to coordinate another time.)
PRICING
Standard Membership: $185/month Billed in two-month increments ($370 every 2 months). The first two months are prepaid when you join. After that, autopay runs on the 1st of every other month. Cancel anytime with 7 days notice before your next billing cycle.
24-Hour Key Access: $250/month (upgrade) After your first two months as a member, you can upgrade to key access for around-the-clock entry to the studio. Best for members whose schedules don't fit our standard hours, or who want long uninterrupted sessions on weekends. No waitlist.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
22 pottery wheels under double-height clerestory windows
A 200 sq ft damp room — a feature unique among SF pottery studios — for in-progress work of any size
65+ in-house designed glazes (25 core glazes in 10-gallon batches, plus 40 seasonal glazes that rotate throughout the year) — the only cone 6 studio in the Bay Area making our own
50+ colored slips
75 plaster hump molds and a dedicated handbuilding zone with slab roller
Hundreds of community tools on hand — bring your own or use ours
Two kilns firing four to six times per week — most pieces are fired within a few days
No firing fees on standard-size pieces under 10"
Open studio seven days a week, with 24-hour key access available
$185/month, no waitlist
A real community — monthly happy hours, annual Mug Swap, Super Bowl Party, and a "Made Here, By Us" display at the heart of the studio
Is membership right for you?
Membership is built for potters who can work independently in a shared studio. You're a good fit if you can:
Center clay and pull a basic cylinder on the wheel, or
Build basic handbuilt forms with slabs or coils
Glaze and finish your own pieces with light guidance
If you've completed our 8-week Intro to Wheel Throwing or Intro to Handbuilding, you're ready. If you're newer, start with one of our multi-week classes — many of our current members started exactly that way. If you have experience elsewhere, membership may be right for you instead of another class.
CLAY
Seven clay bodies, all stocked and supplied through the studio. We carry stoneware, B-mix, Dover white, speckled buff, Red Velvet, porcelain, and Dragon Fruit. We also special-order additional clay types for members on request. Recycled clay is available at a discount for members willing to work with reclaimed material.
Clay pricing: Most clay bodies are $25 per 25-lb bag. Porcelain and Dragon Fruit, our two premium clays, are $30 per 25-lb bag. Recycled clay is $10 per 25-lb bag. Glazing is included in the cost of clay — no additional fees for standard-size pieces.
GLAZES DESIGNED & MIXED IN OUR STUDIO
We design and mix every glaze ourselves. We design and mix every glaze ourselves — the only cone 6 community studio in the Bay Area doing so. Each one is painstakingly tested and tweaked, from initial chemical makeup to final sheen, so that what you pull from the kiln looks the way it should — every time.
25 core glazes are stocked year-round in 10-gallon batches. 40 seasonal glazes rotate in one-gallon batches throughout the year, so there's always something new to try.
Members are also welcome to bring their own commercially manufactured glazes.
OUR GLAZE STUDIO
Our dedicated glazing area is built for serious work: a large, two-compartment sink, and shared tools that include bowls, sieves, brushes, tongs, wax resist, and almost anything else you might need. Come take a look on a tour.
WHEEL THROWING
22 pottery wheels under double-height clerestory windows — one of the largest and brightest wheel rooms in San Francisco. Members have ample workspace and natural light from sunrise to sunset.
The wedging table is 8 feet long and poured with plaster, sized so multiple potters can prep clay at the same time without waiting. Plywood bats, wareboards, foam bats, and portable drywall boards for reclaiming clay are all provided — no need to buy or bring your own.
HANDBUILDING
A dedicated handbuilding zone with a slab roller, 75 plaster hump molds, and 50+ colored slips — the most extensive handbuilding setup in the city.
Members have access to drywall wareboards, plywood boards, rubberized canvas mats, and banding wheels. Whether you're slab-building tableware, coiling vessels, or experimenting with nerikomi, the space is built to support ambitious work.
DAMP ROOM
A 200 square foot environmentally controlled damp room — a feature unique among San Francisco pottery studios.
Lined with shelving and kept at high humidity, the damp room lets greenware dry at a predictable rate so members can work on pieces of any scale without racing the clock. Build a 24" platter over three weeks, walk away, come back. Your work waits for you. Your work isn’t limited by the size of your cubby.
Unclaimed bone-dry pieces are purged the first day of every month.
TOOL SHOP
We stock hundreds of community tools — bring your own or use ours. If you aren't ready to buy, we have everything you need to get started.
For members ready to invest in their own kit, our curated tool shop carries high-end pottery tools from Garrity, Mudtools, Dirty Girl, Groovy Trimmings, and other respected brands — diamond sanding pads, bat pins, mason stains, bisque fix, underglaze decals, and more. Inventory rotates monthly so there's always something new. We’re proud that everything is made in the USA.
FIRING
Two kilns firing four to six times per week. Most pieces are fired within a few days of being dry — no more waiting weeks to see how a glaze turned out.
No firing fees on standard-size pieces under 10 inches. Pieces 10 inches or larger incur a one-time $10 fee that covers both bisque and glaze firing.
Members who've completed our Gold Luster workshop can participate in gold luster firings at no additional cost.
MEMBER COMMUNITY
We're proud of our members' work and we celebrate it constantly. Our rotating "Made Here, By Us" display at the heart of the studio shows ongoing pieces and serves as a reference and inspiration board for the whole community.
Monthly happy hours on Sunday afternoons, each themed around a clay technique or demo — past sessions have covered glazing, colored clay, collar vases, and new tool techniques.
Annual events include our Super Bowl Party (where members compete to make the "most super bowl" while eating chips and wings), a Christmas Mug Swap, and a White Elephant party.
Membership at Hickory Clay isn't just studio access — it's a community of potters who actually know each other.
STUDIO HOURS
Monday - Thursday 5pm-9pm
Friday 1pm-9pm
Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday 10am-9pm
24-hour access available with key membership upgrade
READY TO JOIN?
The first two months are prepaid when you join. After that, autopay runs on the 1st of every other month. Cancel anytime with 7 days notice before your next billing cycle.
Monthly membership to Hickory Clay. Membership includes locker rental, damp room use, and Open Studio time. Members provide their own tools. Clay is purchased from the studio. No additional firing fees. Membership begins on the first date of the selected month and automatically renews every other month until cancellation. New members will receive a short orientation.
“I’ve become an avid thrower at Hickory Clay… The kilns are well-run, and I have never lost a piece due to staff negligence or mishandling.”
“I’ve taken an 8-week course here and learned much more than a course I took at another pottery studio. I’m at a point where I’m able to go in and make some fun pieces by myself, so clearly the course paid off! …Everyone at the studio cares about having a strong community and that really shows. I’ll be going here for as long as I live in SF!”