Friday Night Pottery — The Ultimate Pottery Taster

Pottery is a wonderfully rewarding craft, but it can also be unpredictable. By choosing to work with clay, you’re stepping into a creative process full of variables, many of which are beyond my control.

I want to be upfront: I cannot guarantee that your piece will return to you exactly as you left it. I handle every piece with care and treat your work as if it were my own. However, in ceramics, things do go wrong; pieces can crack, glazes may run, items can warp or even explode in the kiln. Sometimes your creation won’t turn out the way you imagined, and that’s part of the process too.

By choosing to book this workshop, you acknowledge and accept these risks as part of the learning experience. I do not offer refunds, credits, or replacements for any pieces that are damaged, or don’t make it through the drying and firing process.If any issues arise, I’ll keep you informed by email and share photos where possible.

What I can promise is a welcoming and encouraging environment where you can explore, create, and have fun. This is your opportunity to connect with clay, embrace the unexpected, and enjoy the unique experience of making something by hand.

Group Booking Responsibility
The person making the booking is responsible for informing all participants of these terms and conditions, including the inherent variability involved in pottery making.

Cancellation Policy

We understand that plans can change and will always do our best to assist where possible.

A 20% administration fee applies to all cancellations and will be deducted from any refund issued. Cancellations made within 14 days of the workshop start date may not be eligible for a refund unless the space can be filled. Cancellations made within 7 days of the workshop start date are non-refundable, and transfers or rescheduling to another workshop are not available at this stage.

Please note that private workshop bookings are non-refundable, as these sessions are reserved exclusively for your group.

Attendance
Missed classes or no-shows are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please arrive on time, as late arrivals may miss important instructions and may not be able to complete their work.

Rescheduling
Requests to transfer to another workshop must be made in advance and are subject to availability.

Health & Safety
By participating, you acknowledge that pottery involves the use of tools and equipment and agree to follow all safety instructions provided. Participation is at your own risk.

Kiln & Breakage Disclaimer
While all care is taken during drying and firing, pottery is an unpredictable process and breakages, cracks, or glaze variations can occur. We cannot guarantee final results and are not responsible for damage that occurs during firing.

Photos & Media
Photos and videos taken during classes, including images of student work, may be used for promotional purposes on my website and social media channels. By enrolling, you consent to this use. If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform me. You may request removal of any image at any time.

Materials Provided
All tools and materials are included in the workshop unless stated otherwise. Just bring your creativity and enthusiasm.

Cleaning & Equipment Policy
Students are required to clean their tools, workspace, and any equipment used after each class. Please allow 15 minutes for cleaning within your scheduled session time, with pack-down beginning before the end of class.

All tools and surfaces must be wiped down, and your workspace should be left clean and tidy for the next group. These shared studio practices help ensure the space runs smoothly and allows tutors sufficient time to finish and prepare the studio between sessions.

Collecting Your Work
Finished pieces will be available for pickup after the drying and firing process, which takes approximately 6–8 weeks. You will be notified when your work is ready for collection. Additional costs apply for individual shipping if required. Finished work must be collected within a reasonable timeframe after notification due to limited storage space.

Weekly Payment Plan
If Klarna which is Pottery Embassy's "Afterpay" isn’t suitable for you, you’re welcome to pay for workshops in weekly installments. You can deposit any amount that fits your budget each week, as long as the full balance is paid before the workshop date. Book as usual and select bank transfer as your payment method, then send a message to receive bank details so payments can be easily tracked.

Health, Safety & Participation

Pottery Embassy is committed to providing a safe and supportive studio environment. Participants acknowledge that working with pottery materials, tools, equipment, and glazes involves some inherent risks.

By attending workshops or classes, participants agree to follow studio instructions, safety guidelines, and reasonable directions provided by instructors at all times.

Participants are responsible for ensuring they are physically able to participate in studio activities. Please inform your instructor before class if you have any medical conditions, allergies, injuries, pregnancy considerations, or physical limitations that may affect your participation.

While every reasonable care is taken to maintain a safe studio environment, Pottery Embassy is not liable for personal injury, loss, or damage arising from participation in studio activities except where required by New Zealand law.

When working with clay, keeping your nails short is an absolute requirement for both your pottery and your own safety. Long nails are not permitted for wheel-throwing sessions because it is physically impossible to pull the walls of your pot with them. To pull clay upward, you must use the flats and tips of your fingers; long nails act like knives, slicing straight through the wet clay walls, gouging the surface, and instantly destroying your piece.

Beyond ruining your pottery, long nails are a major safety hazard on a fast-spinning wheel. Your nails will inevitably get caught in the clay, which can violently yank your fingers, snap your natural nails, or rip them away from the nail bed, causing them to bleed.

For these reasons, we do not allow throwing with long nails, and thin gloves are not a workaround (as they still do not allow you to pull the clay properly.)

For your own safety and to ensure you actually get to make something to take home, please trim your nails completely short before your workshop. Pottery is all about enjoying the process safely, and arriving with short nails gives you the best possible chance of a successful, pain-free session on the wheel!