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frequently asked questions

Find quick answers to common questions about our studio, events, parties, and more. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out through our contact form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

  • Are reservations required?
    Reservations are not required but are highly recommended, especially during busy times or for larger groups. Walk-ins are always welcome, but making a reservation ensures you’ll have a spot and can enjoy a more relaxed experience. Table Reservations are free and are submitted as requests. You will receive a confirmation email if we can accommodate your reservation or a decline email if we cannot. Parties are available for groups of 9 or more and must be booked in advance. Pottery Painting is available through walk-ins, reservations, parties, events, and custom take-home kits! Fused Glass is available through reservation, parties and events! Clay is coming soon for parties and events!
  • Which table should I reserve for my table reservation?
    For table reservations it does not matter which table number you choose. To ensure we do not have double bookings the tables on our reservations page are numbered. Table Reservations are available for groups of 1-8. If you have more than 8 people a party is required to have the promised space/table pushed together.
  • What is Inspirations rewards program?
    As a thank you to all of our customers we offer a free rewards program that is linked to your phone number! Program Every time you spend $1 in-studio (not online) it earns you 1 point. Every 200 points earns you a $10 off coupon to use on any future purchase. Details Click the green button and enter your phone number on our customer facing payment screen every time you make a purchase at inspirations. This activates your points and every purchase is linked to that phone number. After entering your phone number it will show you how many points you have and will show if you have a $10 off coupon to use. App After joining our rewards program you can download the free Clover Rewards app on your smart phone or tablet to keep track of your points. You'll need to provide the same first name, last name and phone number that you provided to us. Let us know if you have any questions! Note that having the Clover Rewards app on your phone is extra helpful because if you ever change your phone number you can update the number on your account directly on the app and you will not "lose" your points. If you do change numbers please let us know too so we can change everything on our end to avoid any other issues!
  • Do I have to wash the pottery?
    You do not have to wash your pottery before painting, but you can lightly wipe with a clean damp sponge or cloth if you wish. We have learned it is best not to apply water to the bisque because it can cause issues with the pottery getting too wet and then the paint not properly absorbing. For dust/debris you can wipe away with a dry cloth before painting or leave as they will burn off.
  • How long do you keep customer's finished art?
    After turning in/completing art it take roughly 10 days for us to finish/fire it for you. You will receive a text message when your art is wrapped and ready to pick up. You will receive a second text as a final reminder to pick up by the end of the current month. All art is promised to be held for 30 days. If art is not picked up after 30 days, it then becomes Inspirations property. The art that is not picked up within 30 days typically are kept as samples, donated or disposed of. If you are unsure if we still have your art please give us a call or come by the studio. In the past we were flexible with our studio pick up policy, especially during 2020, we held on to customer pieces for over a year. Please understand we have to keep our shelves/storage organized and make space for new art, storage space is limited.
  • How many coats of glaze do I need to apply?
    There are endless opportunities when it comes to painting pottery! You can design your piece however you'd like, but here are the basics: - Wait for paint to be dry to the touch before painting more coats or adding new designs. - Spread paint out smoothly and do not leave globs. - One coat of one color will show lots of brushstrokes and be mostly transparent showing the white bisque or prior painted color beneath. - Two coats of one color will still show some brushstrokes but it will be significantly less than what it would be with one coat. - Three coats of one color will give you full coverage. The color will be vibrant and bold with no brushstrokes. - If you leave an area unpainted it will fire to a shiny off-white color. We strongly encourage you to apply at least one coat of glaze everywhere on your piece. Especially on plates/platters, make sure to apply a background color. This strengthens the pottery, protecting it from crazing (tiny cracks in the glaze from thermal shock, tossing around, age, etc.).
  • Can I use my own materials on the pottery? (sharpie, glitter, etc)"
    The simple answer is NO. If you use anything on the pottery other than what we give you, there is a large list of things that can go wrong in the kiln. (Sharpie will disappear and/or react negatively with the glaze, glitter will burn, acrylic will melt). If pottery is returned to the studio for firing and has materials that we did not provide then we will not fire it.
  • What kind of pottery do you offer?
    Pottery is a loose term, broadly divided into earthenware, porcelain and stoneware. The pottery that we have in studio is earthenware. We get the pottery from our vendors, who have processed the pieces from clay in to bisque. Bisque refers to pottery after it has been molded from clay, fired to become greenware and then fired again to become bisque. When glaze is applied to the bisque then it goes into the kiln again for firing. This is the final step, turning the bisque into shiny, smooth and food/drink safe ceramic.
  • What is the turn around time?
    After turning in your art to get fired we tell you it will be ready in roughly 10 days, this simply depends on how busy we are. You will receive a text message when your art is wrapped and ready to pick up. We do our very best to finish projects as quickly as possible; although, kiln complications do occur and can delay firing time. We greatly appreciate your understanding. If you wish to have your art finished earlier than the standard time ask about rushing. We can also ship your art. Contact us with any questions.
  • Is there anything I can make and take home the same day?
    All pottery at our studio gets fired into functional ceramic. You can come back to the studio multiple times to work on pottery painting projects or do pottery-to-go to create at home. Live out of town? You can paint pottery with our glazes, we will fire it to become ceramic and ship it to you afterwards. Please contact us if you have any questions.
  • I have some old pottery from my grandmother, can I paint it at Inspirations?
    Unfortunately, pottery is not labeled with any specifications of firing temperature or glaze compatability. For the safety of our equipment and customer's work, we can only fire pottery that has been purchased at our studio, Inspirations Ceramic + Art Cafe. However, we do offer acrylic paints for pottery painting. You are welcome to bring in your pottery, use our paint brushes, and purchase acrylics to paint.
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