Clay Studio


WaterWorks Art Center offers a selection of classes and workshops taught by local instructors and our Resident Teaching Artist, Yusuf Etudaiye, in our well-equipped Clay Studio. Clay programming includes beginning and intermediate pottery wheel, hand building, glazing techniques, slip technique, sgraffito, Raku Techniques, small sculpture, and more. Quarterly program guide offerings and online registration are available. Students must be at least 16 years old to work in the Clay Studio. Two types of clay (brown and white) and clay tool sets are available for purchase in the office.

Open Studio is also available for students once they have completed a clay course (excluding one-day workshops). Please carefully review the Clay Studio Policies and Procedures for complete information.

OPEN STUDIO POLICIES 2026: 

Safety:

  • All clay patrons must be at least 16 years old (unless the class/workshop is specifically designed for younger children as described in the program guide).

  • Report any accidents or injuries to WaterWorks Art Center (“WaterWorks”) staff immediately.

  • All patrons must wear closed-toed, closed-heeled shoes in the clay studio. NO open-toed, open-heeled shoes including sandals and flip-flops are permitted.

  • For patron safety, there is only ONE POINT OF ENTRY into the building located across from the front office.

    • Do not prop open any doors in the clay studio for any reason. You may exit through the north and east doors, but you must re-enter through the main entrance doors. An open door violates the safety mandate and makes it much more difficult to heat and cool the building.

    • Patrons who have already checked in at the office with their Parks ID card MAY NOT let others into the facility at alternate doors other than the designated front entry doors.

  • Notify staff or the instructor if any materials or equipment need to be provided, repaired, or replaced.

  • Kilns will be loaded, fired, and unloaded ONLY by WaterWorks staff and instructors. The kiln room is completely restricted to everyone except WaterWorks staff.

  • No food is allowed in the studio. Drinks with a closed lid are allowed and should remain at one of the worktables in the clay studio.

  • Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all chemicals used in the facility are in a yellow binder mounted on the wall as you enter the main office.

  • Safety equipment, like face masks, eye protection and gloves should be used when deemed necessary.

 

Clean-up:

  • Allow at least 20 minutes prior to the end of class or Open Studio time for thorough cleaning.

    • Cleaning includes washing/wiping down all tools, equipment, sinks, tables and floors and help reduce the amount of clay trimmings, clay dust, and glaze spills that occur in the studio. All studio tools and equipment should be returned to the place from which they were taken.

  • To clean effectively, the clay studio will be closed on Friday afternoons from 12:30 to 4:30 to allow staff and additional custodial help to clean and assess any damage or repairs that need to be done. Open Studio will be available on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

  • Leftover clay and slurry MUST be separated by clay color and placed in individually labeled waste buckets. WaterWorks’ brown and white clays may be combined in the general clay bucket located next to the main sink closest to the wedging tables. Black, Red, Terra Cotta, Gray and other colors of clay must be placed in their own separately labeled waste buckets.

  • The clay trimming wheels (Giffin Grips) and all components must be checked out with the sign-in sheet in the front office. Please provide a check-in time when trimming has been finished and the equipment has been returned to the storage area.

 

Glazing and Firing:

  • A maximum of fifteen (15) pieces per person may be made and fired per month.

    • Students currently enrolled in class will not be charged for glazing or firing.

    • Glaze and kiln firing fees are additional for Open Studio patrons that are NOT enrolled in class.

      • Fees to be charged monthly: $15 for 1-5 pieces, $25 for 6-10 pieces, and $35 for 11-15 pieces. Average size is stated as (1’ x 1’ x 1’) and smaller.

  • No outside work allowed. To be glazed and fired, pieces must be crafted in the WaterWorks Clay Studio.

  • Please wax all bisque ware before glaze fire. When using a “runny” glaze, mark all work to be stilted.

  • Place pieces to be fired in properly designated areas with a mandatory note stating your name and the date. Pieces without this information will not be fired. NOTE: Students do not pay for glazing/firing.

  • Patrons will repair any kiln shelves damaged by their work. If the shelf remains unusable, a replacement fee will be assessed. The fee ranges from $50 to $175 and is dependent upon the size of the shelf.

  • Return glazes and other materials to their proper place after use.

  • Pieces that appear to have serious flaws will not be fired.

  • Kilns are fired only when there are full loads.

  • WaterWorks offers two clay bodies (brown and white) that fire to CONE 6 or higher. Any outside clays fired in our kilns MUST fire at a minimum of a CONE 6 firing temperature.

  • Raku

    • Pieces to be Raku fired must be paid for in advance and be glazed and ready to fire on the scheduled day of firing. Nothing smaller than 2” tall or larger than 12” tall will be fired.

      • Raku firing prices are $15 (2” - 6” tall) and $20 (6” - 12” tall).

 

Glaze Policy: To meet OSHA regulations, WaterWorks staff prepare all commercial glazes. WaterWorks provides a limited selection of underglazes that may be used by patrons. Outside underglazes must be approved by a staff member before they are used in the studio. Unapproved underglazes will not be fired in the kiln. Please do not dilute or pour out glazes unless you have permission and guidance from an instructor or staff member.

Damp Box:

  • Cover pieces with a plastic bag and write your name on the bag for easy identification.

  • Unmarked pieces will not be fired in the kiln.

  • Clean bats and reshelve them.

  • Check damp box weekly for pieces to trim and take care not to damage other pieces stored in the cabinets.

  • Unfinished dry pieces will not be fired and will periodically be removed and recycled via pugmill.

 

Open Studio:

  • No walk-in “Open Studio” time allowed. An Open Studio time slot of up to four (4) hours must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. You may schedule Open Studio time up to one month in advance. Schedule time by phone at 918-596-2440 or stop by the office and ask staff to add your name to the Open Studio calendar.

  • Patrons MUST scan their Parks ID card at the office anytime they come into the studio.

  • Patrons must have completed a pottery class at WaterWorks before signing up for Open Studio.

  • Open Studio is available to all enrolled students free of charge through the completion of class.

    • Enrolled students must work on their class projects during Open Studio time.

  • Patrons who are not enrolled in class are required to pay Open Studio fees. Open Studio passes will be sold in a 10-visit set and single visit passes.

    • Tulsa resident prices:

      • $150 (10-visit set)

      • $20 (single visit pass)

    • Non-resident prices:

      • $188 (10-visit set)

      • $25 (single visit pass)

  • Open Studio is not available during scheduled class times. There is a calendar posted at the entrance of the clay studio which shows all scheduled classes in the clay studio.

  • Open Studio patrons are responsible for bringing their own tools and 5- gallon container for clay and materials.

  • WaterWorks is not responsible for personal items left in cubbies or work areas.

  • WaterWorks is not responsible for any clay work pieces left in the studio after 30 days.

 

Violations of the WaterWorks Clay Studio Policies and Procedures and/or failure to comply with the “Clay Waiver” document may result in the loss of privileges of the WaterWorks Art Center Clay Studio.