Sheen Pottery studio – Updated 2026

Drop In Session Guidelines and Rules

Thank you for booking your drop in session at the studio. We are happy to offer this facility to potters who

have undertaken a pottery course at Sheen and who are confident working unsupervised. In order for this

to work for both of us here are some guidelines and rules – please read and sign your agreement on arrival

for your first session.

One of drop in session costs £50.00, or a block of 10 is £450.00. There has been a price increase from

April 2026 to help cover increased studio costs, recycling, electricity etc.

1. Timing - Your session is 2.5 hours long, please do not arrive to early or stay late. The studio

will be closed at 12.30 for lunch, 4.30pm and 9pm for the evening sessions. Please allow plenty of

time to clean up.

2. Cleaning - Please wet wipe with water and sponge all surfaces including wedging bench,

worktops, wheels and mop the floor, if necessary, where you have been working, leaving the studio

as you would like to find it. Please do not put any clay down the sinks, use the recycle bucket for

slop and plaster bats for soft clay and lastly the white sink basins to trap as much clay water as

possible.

3. Clay - Only the one studio stoneware clay is to be used. The Drop in Session fee includes

up to 4kg stoneware clay per session, you can recycle and reuse this clay as required or buy

additional clay at £5.00 per kilo, please right this in the Clay Dues book.

4. Firing - There is a Weigh and Pay system for any work that you would like to have fired at

£10 per kilo at dry leather hard state. This includes glaze and 2 firings regardless of whether you

glaze or not. Please record weights in the Clay Dues book and stamp your work so we know it has

been recorded. Please settle you clay dues regularly.

5. Please do not touch other peoples work in the kiln room, on shelves etc.

6. Materials Cupboard This is not for your use. Please do not access the materials cupboard.

7. Space: There is little space in the studio so please finish any work in progress on the shelves

that needs turning or glazing BEFORE starting new work. Please take everything home with you,

including your tools, apron etc and only leave finished work for firing and work in progress on the

dedicated shelf space for Drop In Sessions. You will need to be economical with your board space

fitting as much work as possible. Please name and date your work, it will be ‘culled’ ruthlessly if left

for longer than 3 weeks or if it is unnamed.

8. Equipment We have tools and equipment for your use, please clean and put back in the right

place after use. There are some good quality new tools for sale – please ask the technician.

9. Damages Please report any damage to equipment, spillage of glaze. Damage to kiln or kiln

shelves from glaze drips will be your responsibility to pay for.

10. Mystery Glaze Please pre-wash any glaze equipment in the Glaze Bucket before washing

properly in the sink. This is to stop glaze going down the drain, but also to collect it to become the

‘Mystery Glaze’

11. Please bring your own apron and towel and take home to wash.

12. Help yourself to Tea and Coffee!