1. What is bisque?

Bisque is the term used to refer to a piece of pottery or ceramics that has been fired once to harden it from its clay stage. When a piece is still in its clay form and has been cast in a mold, it's often referred to as "greenware" and is still very fragile. Once it's been fired to bisque, all the moisture is gone and the piece becomes hard so that it can no longer be dissolved back into clay. Bisque is still porous and can absorb water but it will not dissolve as it would if it were still in its hardened clay form. We offer bisque-fired pieces in our studio which means they are ready to paint.

2. Are the glazes food-safe?

Yes, the glazes we use in the studio are food safe and lead-free. We offer a few specialty glazes that are better used on the outside of a food-serving piece or on a decorative piece; this particularly applies to our Crystallite glazes as they can (but don't always) craze or crack after firing. If cracks form in the glaze, bacteria can form in those cracks if the item has been used for food. Our glazes are non-toxic.

3. How long will it take to get my piece(s) back?

Usually 8 business days. Once you've painted your piece, we let it dry overnight. It is then dipped in a clear glaze and dryed for another night before it can be loaded into the kiln. The Kiln takes 36 hours to heat up and cool down.

4. What are those little marks on the bottom of my piece?

Those rough marks on the bottom of each piece are called "stilt marks". We dip almost all of our pieces in a clear glaze which gives your ceramic item it's glossy finish. We have to put the pieces on stilts. The stilts usually have three metal prongs on which the piece rests. We do this so your dipped item doesn't stick to the kiln shelf. When the clear glaze melts, it forms around the prong. The glazes are essentially liquid glass, thus small burrs are created where the piece was resting on the metal prongs. We use a Dremel tool to remove these tiny spots before you receive your item so no one gets cut. These little marks aren't very pretty, but are on the bottom or back of a piece most of the time and usually not seen.

5.What is the price range for pottery in the studio?

There are MANY fun reasons to visit and no studio fees is one of them! We offer all-inclusive pricing which means the cost of your pottery includes: the pottery itself, paints, firing AND studio time. Our prices range from $2.00 (for a small magnet) to $70+ (for larger items like GIANT mixing bowls, Christmas trees etc). We have a large selection of under $10 and between $10 - $15. The price is based upon it's size AND how detailed it is. Intricate (read: fragile/delicate) pieces are generally a little spendier even if they're small in size.

6. What if I don't finish painting my piece?

You will need to take your piece home and bring it back with you when you're ready to paint again. When done paining, make sure your name is on the bottom of your piece (nameless pieces will not be fired) and leave it for one of our employees to shelve until the next firing time. The usual turn-around time is 8 business days. Once fired, your pieces will be held for 60 (sixty) days. After that time, unclaimed pieces will be hammered and used for future mosaic projects.

7. What are your hours?

We are open Monday thru Saturday, 11am to 9pm. We are closed Sundays. See our Calendar for holiday hours, classes and events.

8. Where are you located?

We are located across the street from Silver Lake in Silver Lake Plaza:
11419 19th Ave SE (Bothell-Everett Highway/527), Suite A-105
Everett WA 98208.