RCS Firing Service (for individuals)

Please read the stipulations below regarding the firing service before participating.
Your thorough completion of each step will aid in our ability to continue to offer firing services.

Due to the changeability of the work that is brought in, we cannot promise you space in a specific kiln. We will fire your work as promptly as possible. We fire artwork on a first-come, first-served basis.

The essentials

• Pay the Firing Fees before drop off.

• Submit the Google Form below (with information about your work)

• Look at the Google Calendar at the bottom of this page for scheduled Drop-off/pick-up dates

• Download the Mighty Networks App to your phone.
  (On this platform, we have created a communication space called Clay Q&A.)
  All announcements for Kiln firings and unloadings are given here.

Firing Services offered:

How it Works

Participants are charged a fee per item for each firing (usually a bisque and a glaze).
You need to submit a Google Form and make your payment each time you drop off artwork.

$0.75 - Small: All dimensions are four inches or smaller
$1.50 - Medium: Any item with a dimension larger than 4.25” and less than 6”
$2.50 - Large: Items with dimensions larger than 6.25” and less than 8”
$4.00 - larger than 8.26” and less than 11”
$6.00 - XL: Items with dimensions over 11.25” - Maximum size is 15” in any direction 

• PAYMENT LINK: Please pay before you fill out the form below & before dropping off your artwork.

  You will be asked to include the name/cone of your clay, as well as the size and number of pieces you are dropping off on the Google Form below. Thanks for helping us track your artwork carefully with the requested information.

• We do not offer kiln rentals or discounts on large amounts of work dropped off. Firing service fees help pay for electricity & maintaining our kilns.

Preparing to Bisque Fire: Cone C/06

• This is the first of two firings in the ceramic process

• Only greenware (unfired clay) is accepted

• All artwork MUST have a consistent identifiable mark/ signature
  (this includes small items like jewelry or test tiles)

• Information Needed on the Google Form below:

  • the name of the clay, the temperature, and the name of the manufacturer.
    Example: Whitestone Clay, Cone 6, from Clay Art Center.

• If you drop off wet work we will let it dry before firing it.

• Please limit the thickness of your artwork to under 1/2” thick.

Preparing to Glaze Fire: Mid-Range C/6 Only

• This is the second firing in the ceramic process

• Only glazed bisque-ware is accepted

• All artwork MUST have a consistent identifiable mark/ signature
  (this includes small items like jewelry or test tiles)

• We do not fire-glazed work on stilts.

• We do not once fire from greenware to cone 6.

• Glazes must be rated to go up to Cone 6/ 2165 Fº

• Glaze must be applied with a ¼” space of un-glazed clay at the bottom foot of the pot.
  This includes the underside/ center of a trimmed foot (apply this info to lids for success as well )

• Your piece(s) will not be loaded in the kiln if glaze is on the foot or you have not left the appropriate ¼” space unglazed around the bottom of the pot/ sculpture.

Disclaimer

• All Fees are NON-REFUNDABLE. If you drop off work and it is not fired because you do not meet the requested guidelines, we will still keep your fees. You will have to repay them once the guidelines are met.

• Fire your artwork with RCC at your own risk. We cannot take responsibility for clay bodies that have flaws, including bloating, pinholing, or cracking. We rigorously maintain the kilns and watch the guard cones as the kilns reach peak temperatures. Should your work not turn out to your liking, please try again!

• We do our best to maintain equipment. At times there are unforeseeable difficulties and failures on the part of the equipment that could affect your artwork. By participating in the firing service, you acknowledge that this is part of the risk and the fun of ceramics. There is always a chance that the kiln gods will not smile on us and the artwork may be ruined.

Right to refuse service

The firing service offered at RCC is only available if you abide by our requests. The following reasons will make it impossible for us to continue to fire your artwork.

• You do not fill out the Firing Service Form Completely

• You do not pay your firing fees/ clay fees as requested

• You do not have a consistent stamp on the bottom of your works

• Your glaze runs off the pot and ruins a kiln shelf
  ( If you are worried, place a thin clay slab of your making beneath the art project.)

• If you use low fire clay and it melts and ruins the kiln furniture or kiln.

• If you drop off work that is thicker than 1/2” thick. Know that we candle for only four hours, so if your work is overly thick it is at risk. You artwork needs to be ¼ ” - ½ ” thick.

• If you drop off artwork that is larger than 15” in any direction.

• If the foot has glaze on it

• If the glaze goes all the way to the bottom of the foot ring and does not have the appropriate ¼” of unglazed space at foot of the pot. This includes the underside/ center of a trimmed foot.

• If you do not use the Clay Q&A messaging platform and pick up your artwork in a timely manner.

Firing Service Form: Fill this in with your information.