(914) 617-8541 | [email protected]

Railyard Arts Studio Policy

Early Access

By joining the early access list, you will be notified about enrollment for the upcoming session BEFORE enrollment opens to the public. 

To join a class early access list, email [email protected] with your name, email address, phone number, and class you are interested in.

Due to the popularity of our classes, we offer priority enrollment for current students to continue their class. Many students find that they want to continue their class beyond their initial session. If any spots become available in a class, or if a student is ready to move up to a more advanced class, we are then able to offer registration to new students, starting with those on our early access list.

Registration & Payment
Registration & payment is preferred through our website via our secure online registration available to you 24/7. You can pay by Venmo or Zelle, cash or check or online with a credit card. If you pay by these methods, please email [email protected] with your name, class or workshop name, and date and phone #.
Registration can also be made by phone.

Gift Certificates can be applied towards any Railyard Arts program. They are not redeemable for cash or the Shop and are non-refundable.

Please note: Contact information for registered students will be shared with our teachers.

Minimum Enrollment
Every class, camp or workshop has a minimum number of students required to run. Any class, camp or workshop below that minimum may be subject to cancellation or postponement. Please register early to ensure your program runs.

Withdrawal & Refund Policy

A full refund will only be given if a class or workshop is cancelled by Railyard Arts Studio. Students wishing to withdraw from a class or workshop must submit their request in writing no less than 4 days prior to the start of the class or workshop.  Email is acceptable. If a request for withdrawal is received in an email, a refund, less a 10% processing fee, will be issued to the purchaser’s credit card.  Withdrawal between 3 to 2 day prior to the start of the class or workshop, a refund of half the enrollment fee will be reimbursed.  Withdrawal from a class 1 day prior to the start of class or workshop, there will be no refund and no class credit.  If the registration was made by check, Venmo or Zelle, the refund will be processed by check, Venmo or Zelle. Gift-certificates are non-refundable. Workshop tickets are non-refundable once purchased. If participants become unable to attend the workshop after the tickets have been purchased, they are welcome to pass their tickets on to a friend or family member who could attend in their place.

Makeup Policy
Make-ups are only scheduled if a class is canceled by the Studio due to weather, illness or other issues. (See closing policy below). However, we understand that emergencies and other unforeseen circumstances can arise for students throughout the session. Please notify your instructor and the front desk (email [email protected]) as soon as possible if you will be missing a class. You may request to do a make-up during open studio time once per session. You MUST receive approval to do this! Make-ups are not guaranteed.

Closing Policies
Closings due to inclement weather will be posted on our website. Make up classes will be scheduled at the end of each session. If there are more than two classes missed due to inclement weather, a Railyard Arts credit will be given to the students.

Material Lists
Material Lists for each class are available on our website and are listed in alphabetical order.
Before purchasing supplies for a class, please confirm with the studio that your class has met its minimum enrollment.

Student Behavior
The Railyard Art Studio will dismiss any student for inappropriate behavior.

Liability Waiver
It is assumed upon registration that the Railyard Arts Studio is not responsible for the safekeeping of my personal belongings while I attend class. I understand that classes may be physically strenuous, and I voluntarily participate in them with full knowledge that there is risk of personal injury, property loss or death. I agree that neither I, my heirs, assigns or legal representatives will sue or make any other claims of any kind whatsoever against Railyard Arts Studio or its members for any personal injury, property damage/loss, or wrongful death, whether caused by negligence or otherwise.

ART STUDIO POLICY

Please keep studio clean.  Please make sure all countertops are cleaned as well as the floor at the end of each class or if you are working on your own in the art room.

  • NO FOOD IS ALLOWED INSIDE THE STUDIO. Students may eat in our lounge.  Bring beverages in containers with lids only.
  • Students are expected to clean tables, easels, chairs, and floor area at the end of each class.
  • Students can use the cleaning supplies provided such as sponges, broom, mop and vacuum.
  • Nontoxic paint thinner such as Turpenoid Natural can be used but must be taken home with you.  PLEASE DO NOT pour down drain or leave in trash.
  • Transport all solvents in glass jars to be disposed of properly at home.
  • No oil painting rags allowed or left inside studio.
  • No mineral spirits or turpentine allowed in the studio.
  • No spray paints or fixatives to be used inside the building anywhere.
  • If you use the table or coffee bar in the lounge during the time you are here, please clean up after yourself. Wipe down the table and counter, wash out any mugs with the dish soap (under the sink) in the art studio.  Please throw out any garbage in the lounge garbage can or recycling can.

CLAY STUDIO POLICY

No food is allowed inside the studio.  Students may eat in our lounge.  Please bring beverages in containers with lids only.

No food, beverage, soap or anything non-clay and glaze related can be cleaned in the sink in order to keep the reclaim filter under the sink from producing an odor.

CLEANING THE STUDIO:

  • Pottery students are expected to clean their supplies, table area and wheel at the end of each class.  All tools must be cleaned and returned to their proper container.
  • Pottery students are expected to clean your working area and all common use areas; wedging table, sink, glaze area, worktables, slab roller
  • Use only the cleaning materials provided and DO NOT SWEEP the studio floor!  Clay dust can be hazardous, so dry sweeping is not permitted. Sweep the leather hard trimmings from trimming your pots only.
  • Please mop around your wheel if needed. When mopping the floor, rinse out mop in the SINK WITH CLEAN WATER.
  • Please RE-WEDGE your used clay. If it needs to harden up a bit, place in a rainbow shape on your wheel, table or wedging table.
  • DO NOT LET CLAY GO DOWN THE DRAIN. Please catch as much clay as possible when cleaning up, wash hands and tools in your water bucket in the sink.  All clay residue should be dumped into large wet reclaim bucket.  Please place all pliable reclaim clay in the appropriate bin under the pug mill.  Dry, hard reclaim clay should be broken into small pieces and placed on the rectangular dry plaster bats located on the racks facing the pug mill.
  • If you use the table or coffee bar in the lounge during the time you are in the studio, please clean up after yourself. Wipe down the table and counter, wash out any mugs with the dish soap under the sink in the art studio.  Please throw out any garbage in the lounge garbage can or recycling can.

GLAZE BUCKETS:   All Potters and pottery students should be extra to KEEP FOREIGN MATTER OUT OF THE GLAZE BUCKETS.  Accidental mixing of glazes might change the appearance of the glaze, making it very unpredictable and unstable.

IDENTIFYING WORKS:  Please be diligent about identifying your work with your name!

WORK READY FOR THE KILN:  The shelves near the kiln are for pottery only that is complete and ready to be fired; Bisque or Glaze.

Bisque Firings:

  • Frequency is based on the volume of work available to fill a kiln load (Cone 05).
  • Place only bone-dry work on the appropriate shelves.
  • Fired items are placed on marked shelves for glazing.
  • Items left on the shelves for 30 days or more will be discarded.
  • If a piece has special firing requirements, please leave a note for the Pottery Studio Manager.

Glaze Firings:

  • Frequency is based on the volume of work available to fill a kiln load (Cone 6).
  • Place glazed work on the appropriate shelves (student or member) when ready to fire.
  • All pieces must be marked with a pencil at bisque phase to note that firing fee has been recorded in the firing fees book. Pieces with no mark will not be fired. (DOES NOT APPLY TO BEGINNING STUDENTS)
  • Bottoms and sides (up to 1/4 inch from bottom) of all pieces must be free of glaze. Ware with glaze on the bottom surface or with questionable glaze thickness will not be fired.
  • If a piece has special firing requirements, please leave a note for the Pottery Studio Manger.

MATERIALS FEES:  All clay students in adult & teen classes will be charged a per piece clay and firing fee of $.06 per cubic inch. If a student does not measure their pieces for firing a flat fee of $75 will be charged. Firing fees will be noted prior to a glaze firing & paid once per session, after your final class.    Additional information on firing fees is posted in the Firing Fee Book located in the Clay Studio.  Please use the Firing Fees book to record all of your payments.  All fees must be paid prior to taking work home.

Note: There is an extra charge if you would like to re-fire your piece.

MEASURING PROJECTS: 
It is the instructor’s responsibility to teach students how to measure projects to determine materials fees. Alternately, instructors can measure their student’s work.  Fees must be collected before work will be put into a glaze firing.

CERAMIC PICK UP: 
Works are to be picked up as soon as they are completed and available.  Unclaimed works will be discarded after 30 days.  Please note that clay and glazes are unpredictable.  Works might crack or break at multiple points in the drying and firing process and color and finish can vary.  No refunds or fee exemptions will be issued.