Burnish Clay Studio Blog

Studio Updates

Believe it or not, there are still some spots available in the fall class schedule! If you wanted to sign up for classes and didn't get a chance, there were some last minute cancellations. You can go to the sign up page HERE.

The sink is unclogged. I know. Sexy. We are still waiting on a faucet delivery for our third sink, but when we do get it in, we will be full-on three sink action again, so, in order to preserve peace and order in the galaxy, please remember to pour your buckets of clay water into the buckets in the sink, and put your clay chunks into the larger buckets next to the sink. It will help everyone out. 

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As you might be able to tell from these pictures, the bisque shelf is BRIMMING with work, and the glaze fire shelf is looking a bit...anemic. You know what to do- get into the studio and glaze, glaze, glaze. If not now, when, and if not here, where? I myself glazed all the work I had on the bisque shelves this morning. Of course, I only had two things to glaze...but...

Fall Session starts September 11th, so if you are in summer session, but not doing fall session, remember to clean out your cubbie of all its various bits of ceramical wonder, in addition to your sticker. That will help the studio staff get the place in shape in the very little bit of time they have. 

The Critique Club is on the 29th! 6:00 pm! It was amazing last month, with many people asking for more monthly clubs. We are sticking to one, but keeping space open for more in the future with a possible zoom critique schedule. We are also toying with a professional practices workshop. It's all happening.  Most likely, anyway, so make sure you are signed up for the Burnish Newsletter. That's where you will find out first.

A Space for Everyone

Thanks to Nick Fewings for this image.

If you have spent any time at all in Burnish Clay Studio, you know that the staff is committed to making the space as welcoming and inclusive as possible. We know that any type of space is a better one when everyone there feels comfortable enough to be themselves, and feels seen and appreciated for who they are. We also know that in a creative space, it is especially important for everyone to feel safe to express.

At the beginning of first week classes, the instructors ask everyone to put their names and their pronouns on their name tags, and when speaking to people, we do our best to not assume pronouns.
We are all learning, (I myself have had quite a learning curve), and know that it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that everyone in the studio is treated respectfully, which includes respecting their pronouns. To that end, as someone who has myself struggled from time to time with the use of pronouns, I thought it might be timely to review Burnish's standards for pronoun use. 

• It is our goal not to assume pronouns. When we don't know, we ask.
• We speak out for each other. When we hear people use the wrong pronouns, we speak up and correct the mistake in a kind and direct way.

We use non-gendered addresses:

• ​Folks
• Friends
• Everyone
• You All
• Y'all

We apologize when we mess up:

• "Oops, I'm sorry."
• Oh shoot, I'm still wrapping my head around all this but I'm going to get better. Please correct me if I mess up again."

We practice asking about people's pronouns:

• "Hi. I'm Sara and I use she/her pronouns, what about you?
• "What pronouns do you all use?"
• "Let's all go around and say our names and pronouns."

We understand that it will take some time for some people to catch on, and during that time, we will continue to remind them to improve.

As we strive to make Burnish Clay Studio and events as inclusive and welcoming as possible, we will expect our community to come along with us.
Here are some resources that might be helpful:
www.everoneisgay.com
www.them.us
www.autostraddle.com
www.minus18.org.au
www.scarleteen.com

And you can check out A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni & Tristan Jimerson in the Burnish Library section on top of the library bookshelf.

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Weekly Tip! Lip Trimming

Our weekly tip is for throwing. Though it is not standard practice, there are times when a person wants to trim the lip of their pot. I know. It's weird, but it does happen. The best way to do this is not with a trimming tool, but with a wooden rib or stick. This is assuming your piece is not bone dry. If it's bone dry, please don't. Just...don't. When trimming your lip, it is wise to use a wooden tool because the wooden tool will more delicately take off the clay you need to abandon, as well as compress the clay that is left on the pot, creating a situation where the trimmed pot is less likely to crack or fall apart after it has been trimmed.

Profesh Practices

Thanks to Ruben Ramirez for this image.

One of the best ways to appear professional as an artist is to use complete words and sentences in all of your documentation. It might seem obvious, but if you are hoping to get into a show, a gallery, or a gift shop, reaching out with an email that is spell-checked, accurate, and well researched will up your chances of having a conversation with the decision maker at the organization you are hoping to get into. 
If you want to make this less grueling, have a template ready for your artist statement, bio, CV or resume, and your goals as an artist. That way, when you are ready to send out your information, it is less painful and easier to do. Update these things at least once a year, or every time your work changes, and you will be on the road to international fame, fortune, and stardom!!! 

Just kidding, most likely not. But being an artist will be a bit less painful if you have all of your professional information locked and loaded. 

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