CUSTOMER SERVICE
POLICIES

At Claymates, we are committed to delivering quality customer service and addressing your needs with care and efficiency. When you purchase a class or membership at Claymates, you agree to all of our customer service policies. Claymates reserves the right to update our customer service policies at any time and without notice. 

  • We require 7 days notice to cancel any class or event. For multi-week classes, this means 7 days before the first class. For private events, we require 7 days notice to adjust the number of participants.

    Notice must be given via email. After this point, refunds, credits, and rescheduling are not possible. A $50 administration fee applies to all cancellations, regardless of time frame. If you choose a credit rather than a refund, the administration fee is waived.

  • When you purchase a class, you are taking the risk that you might be sick or injured on the date of your class. While we understand that getting sick is outside your control, it is also outside of ours. We are a small business, and we are not able to give refunds or reschedule due to last-minute illness or unexpected injury.

    If you are sick, please do not attend your class. For clay dates or private events, you are welcome to send friends in your place.

  • Claymates has capacity for 8-10students in each class. Each class has different costs associated with it on our end, including the teacher’s salary, technician’s salary, materials, tools, and all the overhead costs of running the studio. For this reason, it is only worth it to run a class if we have at least 6 registrations. If a class has fewer than 6 registrations within one week of the start date, we reserve the right to cancel the class. If a class is cancelled on our end, all students registered will receive a full refund.

  • All classes at Claymates are for 18+ adults unless otherwise specified. We offer a few clay dates every round that offer the option for adults to bring a child as their date.

    Private events can be booked for folks of any age.

  • We ask students to only register in a series if they can commit to the entire sequence. Makeup classes are not available, and it is not possible to join another class for one week.

    If something comes up after a series begins, student drop-ins are available on Saturday mornings for $25. Student drop-ins are instruction-free, and therefore students cannot drop in unless they have learned a skill first in class (eg. throwing, trimming).

    If a student misses the final glazing class, they must submit glazing choices to the teacher, who will glaze for them.

  • Handmade ceramics are a risky business! There are many things that can go wrong on the way from lump of clay to finished piece, and that is part of the journey. We want student projects to succeed, and will always do our best to get them all the way through this journey unscathed. However, sometimes things happen that are outside of our control, and pieces will emerge from the kiln with cracks or glaze defects.

    Claymates is not responsible for any undesirable outcomes from any part of the pottery process, including drying, glazing, or firing.

    If a student’s finished piece is not perfect, they are not entitled to repeat the class. This applies to multi-week classes as well as clay dates and private events.

  • Please be aware that filming or recording a pottery class or workshop at Claymates is not permitted without the consent of the instructor and any other students who may be in the video. This includes audio as well as video.

  • We reserve the right to substitute or replace teachers at our discretion in order to facilitate the scheduled workshop or class. Teachers may be substituted last-minute and without notice in cases of illness or emergencies.

CLASSES

  • Monthly memberships are a 3 month commitment, followed by month-to-month. After the first 3 months, members must give one month’s notice to cancel. Memberships cannot be cancelled midway through a billing cycle. Notice must be given via email.

    Members are asked to complete all projects and take home all clay before their membership ends. Any clay or unfinished pieces remaining after a membership expires will be recycled or donated.

  • Claymates does not have an option to pause memberships. If members want to take a break from their studio membership, they can cancel with one month’s notice and add their name to the waitlist again.

  • Members at Claymates need to be able to function independently in the studio, and should have a good understanding of basic pottery skills, including dip glazing.

    If a member’s actual skill level does not match their description of them on the waitlist, they may be asked to cancel their membership and take a class until their skill level is adequate.

  • Claymates is a small business run by one couple. We reserve the right to close the studio, expectedly or unexpectedly, for various reasons. Reasons may include staff illness, weather, repairs and maintenance, or holidays.

    Studio closures can be expected over the winter holidays each year, and during our annual community sale.

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Please be aware that making handmade ceramics involves the use of electric spinning pottery wheels, sharp tools, and hot kilns that can cause injury if improperly used. Claymates is not responsible for any injuries, damages, or harm caused during or as a result of your class or workshop.

  • Please be aware spending time in a pottery studio carries the risk of inhaling airborne silica, which can contribute to silicosis with prolonged exposure. Once silica dust is agitated, it can remain in the air for over 2 hours.

    We ask all members and students to do their part in making sure dry clay and glaze dust do not become airborne. This means not sweeping dry clay, not blowing any clay dust into the air, not trimming bone dry clay, and sanding outdoors.

  • We reserve the right to take photos of any work made and/or fired at Claymates, and to use these photos for promotional purposes.

GENERAL