Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Inspirations Ceramic + Art Cafe studio, pottery painting, reservations, parties, and more! You can even ask us questions through the comments.

Frequently Asked Questions

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When will my projects be ready for pick up, how will I know?

After turning in your art to get fired we tell you it will be ready in roughly 10 days for pottery painting and 14 days for fused glass. This simply depends on how busy we are. You will receive a text message when your art is wrapped and ready to pick up.

Clay projects can take up to 3 weeks for the first firing, you will receive a text when your handmade pottery is ready to paint!

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 fired art. Contact us with any questions.

Is there anything I can make and take home the same day?

All art in our studio gets fired in our kiln, so the simple answer is no you cannot complete a project and take it home the same day.

You can come back to the studio multiple times to work on pottery painting projects or do a custom take-home kit to paint at home.

Live out of town? We can ship your fired art. Contact us with any questions.

How long do you keep customer's finished art?

You will receive your first text message when your art is wrapped and ready to pick up with a reminder that we will hold onto your pottery until the end of the following month. You will receive a second text as a final reminder during the middle of that next month to pick up your art by the end of the month.

Example: You paint pottery on January 20th, then we text you on February 1st that it is ready to be picked up. You do not pick up your pottery by February 15th, so we send a second text message as a final reminder letting you know we promise to hold onto the pottery until the end of March.

All art is promised to be held until the end of the following month. If art is not picked up, it then becomes Inspirations property.

The art that is not picked up 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 well over a year. Please understand we have to keep our shelves/storage organized and make space for new art. Storage space is limited.

Are reservations required?

Love to plan ahead? Reservations are perfect for guaranteeing a table for your creative time!

Table Reservations are free and submitted as requests. You’ll receive a confirmation email if we can accommodate your reservation, or a decline if space is unavailable at your requested time.

Pottery Painting

For all ages and skill levels — create memories while painting functional art you will cherish.

Walk-ins are always welcome, but we highly encourage reservations on weekends, any days that kids are out of school, and during our busy season November-January.

Pottery painting reservations are available for up to 8 people. For larger groups, you need to book a Pottery Painting Party.

Fused Glass

For ages 8+ and all skill levels — create memories while exploring this unique art form.

Walk-ins are not available for fused glass, you will need to make a reservation so we can prepare your materials in advance. Typically only available on weekdays.

Fused glass reservations are available for up to 4 people. For larger groups, you need to book a Fused Glass Party.

What table number should I choose for my table reservation?

The simple answer is no, it does not matter what table number you choose.

To ensure we do not have double bookings through our online table reservation system the tables are numbered. The numbers do not matter for you at all, all of our tables have the same supplies.

Do I have to wash the pottery before painting?

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 or blow away before painting.

Can I use my own materials on the pottery?

The simple answer is no.

If you use anything on the pottery other than what we offer at the studio, 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 turned in 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 already shaped and fired into bisque. Bisque refers to pottery after it has been molded from clay and then fired 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.

Can I bring in my own pottery to paint and get fired?

For the safety of our equipment and customer's work, we only fire pottery that has been purchased at our studio.

You are welcome to purchase glaze from us to paint your own pottery, but we will not fire.

How does Inspirations rewards program work?

As a thank you to all of our customers we offer a free rewards program that is linked to your phone number during check out.

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 a future purchase.

Details

• Give us your phone number every time you make a purchase, we will connect the transaction to your customer account to activate your points.

• The front facing screen will show you how many points you have or you can ask us to check.

App

After joining our rewards program in-studio 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. The information must match exactly.

• 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 issues with your rewards and to make sure we are able to contact you about your artwork.

• You do not have to "check in" on the app to earn or redeem points, we always manually connect to accounts during check out to ensure we are connecting properly.

How many coats of regular glaze do I have to apply to my pottery?

There are endless opportunities when it comes to painting pottery! You can design your piece however you'd like, but here are the basics:

- We strongly encourage you to apply at least one coat of paint 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.).

- 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.