Access to SPAM’s Cole Creativity Center ceramic studio is available on Tuesdays from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Open studio is uninstructed; our kiln technician, Jynell Dimalanta will be on-site to answer any questions and assist in purchasing clay.

All students must enroll online for either “Hand Building” or “Wheel Throwing” to reserve their spot. Reservations are available monthly. Enrollment is limited and preregistration is required.

Open Studio Guidelines

• Members cannot bring in outside clay and must purchase clay from the Santa Paula Art Museum to ensure cone-appropriate clay bodies. *Students will have the option to purchase Porcelain Frost, Azabache, Speckled Buff or in-house reclaim.

• No production pottery allowed. Studio-use is designed for craft development and personal projects. Please be mindful of the space you occupy, we are a small studio and cannot store work for extended periods of time.

• All pieces will be loaded, fired, and unloaded by our kiln tech.

• All participants must have previous studio experience.

Firing Schedule

Open Studio students can expect regular bisque and glaze firings at the rate that reflects the volume of work. We do not prioritize certain work for our firings. Please allow at least two weeks for your work to be fired once placed on a greenware shelf.

As a reminder, we only fire cone 5 clay purchased from the Cole Creativity Center

Clay Shop

Maintaining a Clean Studio

Please allow yourself enough time to clean your workspace properly at the end of each open studio session. Clean up should begin 15 minutes before open studio ends.  Please leave the space as clean as you found it at the start of your work period. This includes any equipment used, such as the slab roller, wedging tables, wheels, bats, buckets, towels, studio aprons, etc. We do our best to maintain a clean studio environment. Some clay dust is bound to happen, but it can be hazardous if it builds up. 

Please do NOT sand your pieces inside—if sanding outside, please wear a mask.

Guests

No one other than members and students are permitted to work in the studio.

Animals 

We ask that you do not bring animals to the studio space except for permitted service animals.

*By purchasing this service, participants understand that the studio is a shared space and appropriate conduct and cooperation is essential for everyone. Participants who demonstrate disrespectful behavior, such as discrimination, direct or indirect aggression, and harassment or fail to follow safety rules and the studio guidelines, may result in immediate cancellation of the participants studio access. In such case, the Santa Paula Art Museum does not guarantee a refund, of any amount, to the participant.

Questions? We are here to help!