Membership Policy

Hi there ! Here is a non exhaustive and pretty boring but essential list of things you need to know before joining us for some clay fun. 🙂

Summary

The membership
Requirements
Access to the studio
Subscription to a membership
The space
The materials, tools & equipment
Personal belongings
Firings
Data & confidentiality

The membership

Access to the studio everyday of the week during the studio opening hours
Access to firings at a reduced price
Use of the space and equipment (7 wheels, an extruder, 6 handbuilding tables, 2 wedging table in three rooms)
Clay fees are 1.50€/kg of bisque fired clay (weighed by the studio firing coordinator after the bisque firing)
Access to some of our studio glazes, raw materials and tools
several shelves dedicated for your work (wet work & bisque work)
One box for your belongings and ready pieces
A cellar where you can store your material, etc.
Number of members limited to guarantee the access to the equipment & tranquility in the space
Firings done by us
20% off every workshops offered at the studio

Requirements:

Membership subscriptions are for a minimum period of 3 months
You are responsible for your own liability insurance and must have one when using the studio space
Previous experience with clay (with the wheel or handbuilding or both)
You will receive a guided tour of the space on the first day of your membership period with explanations of the studio system before you are allowed to use the space and its equipment

Access to the studio

Access to the studio everyday of the year during the studio opening hours
The front rooms of the studio can be used by the members when both wheels are used at the back or for glazing and when the front room is free (No classes, no use by the studio owner). The rest of the studio space (Back room, kitchen, bathroom, cellar) can be used as much as needed.
Violaine Toth Ceramic reserves the right to limit access to some or all of the studio space for workshops, repairs, studio management periods, events and other temporary sessions as needed by the owner
Violaine Toth Ceramic is not responsible for organizing the members schedule and access to the wheels (this should be done via the members whatsapp group)

Subscription to a membership

Membership subscriptions are for a minimum period of 3 months
The membership remains effective from the day of its purchase for a period of one month. After this period, the membership will be renewed automatically every month. If you wish to end your membership, you need to let us know by email 3 weeks in advance otherwise the upcoming month will be due
If the member violates any of the terms of the agreement, the membership period will terminate immediately without a refund of the started month
Memberships are not refundable
The total membership fees per month is 200€/month (15 hours /week) and does not include extra costs (firing costs, clay costs (1.50€/kg of bisque fired clay))
After signing the membership agreement, you will be added to the whatsapp group « studio members », make sure you read all information regarding the studio’s daily life from time to time to be aware of anything happening there, as well as questions, schedule changes, use of the space etc.
Memberships can’t be shared
Once a year, a member may suspend their membership one month during the full calendar year without paying membership (for traveling, personal reasons, etc.). The pause request must be sent by email minimum one month before the pause date. For example, if the request is to pause from 1st of December, the member must send their request by email by 1st of November at the latest. The Studio reserves the right to reject requests for pausing a membership and offer another month instead. This rule does not apply for membership shorter than six months.
Membership fees may be increased at the Company’s discretion. Members shall be given at least 1 month notice of any increase in Membership fees. This allows Members to cancel with the necessary notice time if they do not agree to pay the increased fee.
Every invoice from the studio to the member (firing, material, and all costs incurred) must be paid as soon as possible and maximum one month after reception or additional fees will occur.

The space

You shall use the studio in a careful and respectful way. Extra costs will occur in case of damages resulting from improper use of the space, its tools, furnitures or equipment
Check the studio schedule before using the front room to see if it is free from classes or owner’s use
When using the front room, place the “Closed” banner on the entrance door and do not open to any visitors or people passing by or leave the metal curtain down in front of the front door.
Only use the front room when there is no space available in the back room
Make sure you respect the personal space and time of other people working in the studio as well as others pieces (no touching of greenware pieces)
After working in the studio, clean the station where you have been working (mop the floor and sponge all surfaces), mark all your pieces with your name or logo, place them on your shelve and don’t leave anything in the shared space(belongings, clay pieces, etc.)
Do not eat or drink in the studio areas except in the kitchen with clean hands (glaze & clay are toxic)
Smoking, consuming drugs or alcohol is not allowed in the studio
Discrimination, abuse of any person, racism, homophobia, antisemitism or stigmatization towards any minorities or ethnicities will result in the immediate cancellation of the membership without notice or refund.
The member shall use their own studio shoes when arriving in the studio and leave their outdoor shoes in the entrance of the studio
The member will use the entrance of the building to get inside the studio
Visitors, pets and children are not allowed in the studio space
Respect the studio schedule (Studio open to members everyday from 7h to 22h)
Nobody is allowed to sleepover in the studio space. Do not use the space during the night (10pm to 7am) and avoid loud noises or disturbances in late hours
Make sure you air the kiln room when you arrive in the morning (only open the upper windows of the kiln room, never the lower ones by using the appropriate stepladder) Use a gaz mask to enter the room if the kiln room door is closed before you air it.
Nothing should be placed on top of the kilns
You are responsible for locking the doors, closing the windows and turning off the heating when you are the last one leaving the studio in the evening. If there is a firing on, make sure you check that the kiln room door is also closed, and that there are no lights left on in any room
The membership shall not be used for industrial / mass production or big series production in order to give equal access to the facilities and firings to every member
Use of the wheel is on a first-come basis
Only throw away organic material (food, etc.) in the organic trash in the kitchen to avoid any parasites

The materials, tools & equipment

The use of some studio glazes is included in the membership price
Any external glaze must be approved by the studio owner in the first hand
Clay must be purchased at the studio (1.50€/kg of bisqued fired clay) . Members are allowed to purchase their own clay (only clay which can handle a temperature of 1220°C) Any clay which cannot be fired at this temperature is forbidden at the studio and the member will be charged compensation costs for using inappropriate clay bodies.
You will be required to use the equipment and tools carefully as well as cleaning them all with a wet sponge after usage. All used surfaces and equipment must be cleaned and dishes, tools returned to their place before leaving the studio in order to minimize the risks to members caused by breathing clay and glaze dusts
Cleaning of the surfaces and tools should be done with the use of water in buckets available in the front room. If you need to move around the studio or go to the bathroom, make sure you clean your hands in one of the buckets first
You are responsible for your own recycling
After using the space, place any leftover clay (too wet or too dry) in the corresponding clay container. Once placed in the collective container, the clay can be used by every member. Do not mix several colors together in a bucket (except in the one labeled « mixed clay ») Before switching to another color of clay, make sure that the previous one is cleaned up
The recycling of the collective clay and cleaning of the collective water should be made by the members
Place your bag of clay on your shelf and write your name on it.
Do not cut anything directly on the plaster table, use a wooden board
No mold making using plaster in the studio space
Do not sand your piece inside the studio (if you need to, wear a mask and go outside)
Do not broom the floor. If you need to clean the floor, use a wet mop
Towels should go in the laundry basket when dirty. Do not shake them if dry in order not to spread silica dust in the air
When using the glazes, make sure to use a clean wooden stick for each color in order not to mix the different glazes together. After using the glazing buckets clean them carefully and place them back on the shelf
Clay must not be disposed of in sinks and drains. All members must use disposal buckets provided
If a tool, material or anything should be purchased or replaced, write it down on the chalkboard

Personal belongings

You are responsible for your own belongings in the studio and should take them with you when leaving. Place the items of low value in your member box situated in the kitchen or on your shelf in the backroom. The use of individual materials, as well as the use of combinations of clay, should be clearly labeled, maintained in your individual shelf space in the front room in a box, and kept separately from the shared studio materials. Do not leave personal items in the shared space (only on your shelf)
The use of external clay is not allowed before approval. If allowed, place it in a closed labeled box and recycle it yourself.
After the cancellation of a membership and before the end of the membership period, all the personal items of the member in all areas of the studio should be removed.

Firings

The firings are made by us (do not use the kilns on your own (includes loading, unloading, opening the kilns, setting up the controlers, starting/stopping a firing unless the studio owner allowed you to)
Members can fire individual pieces or a full kiln (price per kilo)
Firing fees here
Members have to book a kiln in advance to proceed to firing unless it is a low amount of individual pieces
After glazing your pieces, place them on the kiln room shelves labeled as “ready to fire”
Before the end of your membership, collect all your pieces (ready, bisqued)
The studio is not responsible and will not refund any damages happening to pieces during the firing ( cracks, bubbles, glaze melting down, changes of shape and color, etc. )
In case of kiln damages (shelves, resistances, etc. ) you will be required to compensate the studio for incurred reparation costs
Violaine Toth Ceramic reserves the right to change the price of kiln firing, studio clay and any other materials offered by the studio for sale at its discretion with no minimum notice period
To give all members equal access to the studio space and firing, production will be limited to medium series or unique pieces (no mass production). Violaine Toth Ceramic reserves the right to reject requests for more frequent firings and use of the studio for production purposes. Exceptions can be discussed with the studio owner.

Data & confidentiality

Violaine Toth’s processes and design are protected by Intellectual property and the member is not authorized to copy/disclose any pieces or processes during and after the membership period
Any marketing, educational or other materials of this nature whatsoever produced by the member in connection with Violaine Toth Ceramic shall at all times remain the property of Violaine Toth Ceramic and will be subject to Violaine Toth Ceramic’s copyright
The pieces produced by the member at Violaine Toth Ceramic remains the property of the member
When posting images on social media, make sure nobody is on the picture and if so, ask for their consent. If you post images of the space or Violaine Toth’s work, make sure you tag @violainetoth.ceramic
Your work might be photographed and tagged on our social media. If you disagree, please let us know

If you disagree with something in this list, please do not send us your application.
(If you agree with everything, let’s go!)

That’s it, thanks for reading 🙂

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Clients Ratings

Violaine Toth ceramic studio

5.0

Based on 97 reviews

review us on

Andrea Schober

15:31 16 Jul 24

I found this studio by searching for a gift certificate to learn doing pottery. Violaine has a funny and sympathetic insta account which intrigued me trying pottery myself. What can I say? It became my favourite kind of hobby. And after learning the technique properly with Violaine, Ella and Eva I visit the open hours on a regular basis to do my own stuff. The studio provides all you need and Violaine and her team are always open to questions and to share their knowledge. The prices to me are very fair, I love this place and high recommend it!

Sasha Elia

10:26 16 Jul 24

We had a wonderful experience at Violaine's pottery studio yesterday. Violaine, the owner of the shop, gave us a warm welcome and was very happy that we were there. She explained everything to us step by step and was always kind and patient.The atmosphere in the studio was great, and the music selection and ambience contributed perfectly to the creative atmosphere. The studio's equipment is also really first-class, which made working very pleasant.The money you pay to take part is absolutely worth it - both because of the high quality material and the excellent training you receive there. All in all it was a great experience that I recommend to everyone.

Isabelle Pinheiro

11:12 12 Jul 24

What an experience ! I can’t wait for my 2nd class :) I recommend

akira rara

16:54 21 Jun 24

Really nice studio ! I had a class there that was very professional and the vibe is super cool ! A big thank you to the team who makes me want to make ceramics even more now !

elke foltz

19:45 20 Jun 24

I got the chance to have one workshop at Violaine's studio! Violaine is really kind and patient. I had a lot of fun! Thanks a lot 💕

Jo Aspvik

15:28 20 Jun 24

The studio is super welcoming and Violaine is a great teacher. To learn from the best I would 100% recommend to take a class!

Amanita Calderon-Cifuentes

16:02 24 Apr 24

It was fab. Queer/Trans friendly. You can do it even with long nails.

Natalie Linke

20:49 11 Nov 23

The first pottery wheel class was an inspiring experience. The studio is beautifully designed and exudes a pleasantly calm atmosphere. The instructor is not only loving but also competent, guiding participants through the process with great patience. The conversations during the course were enriching and contributed to creating a relaxed learning environment. Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable experience!Thanks a lot! ❤️

Elisa Fink

09:38 04 Nov 23

loved it!

Isabelle Matuschka

14:44 17 Sep 23

My team had a handbuilding workshop with Violanne after she'd been recommended to us by a colleague. Violanne was patient, funny, and had us building our own cups/fruit bowls/tapas trays within 20 mins of our arrival. The studio was great for our team event, and Violanne was a great teacher. Would recommend.

Maike Berndt

17:51 11 Sep 23

We had an amazing team event with Violaine!

Thania U

12:27 02 Sep 23

İpek Çokçevik

08:19 01 Sep 23

She is an amazing person and teacher. We had so much fun learning and creating. Definitely worth the trip from Hamburg to Berlin 😅 %100 recommended! 🩵

Greta MacEvers

14:29 26 Aug 23

Billie Barton

13:52 23 Aug 23

Agathe

22:36 16 Aug 23

We had an amazing time in Violaine's workshop! It's a beginner friendly course, where you'll be able to create several ceramics. Violaine is a lovely teacher and we had a lot of fun! We'll come back for more! You can also buy her craft and it's a beautiful workshop and shop to visit!

Sarah Raouf

16:12 31 Jul 23

Super friendly instructor, very cool place. I highly recommend working with Violaine for for team building activities. She does amazing workshops that will allow you to lose track of time and space and use your hands to create something beautiful. Also a very nice taste for music to channel the creator within you!

ahmed elgammal

20:10 28 Jul 23

I had a workshop there and it was amazing, thanks a lot for this great experience

M. H.

20:29 05 Jul 23

I did the handbuilding workshop- cool place, great instructor, good coverage of the basics, and you eventually get your own vessel/sculpture. Great opportunity to get a feel for clay and explore ceramics creatively.

Fee Gross

18:45 23 Jun 23

Took a wheel class and loved it!

Katherine Fisher

14:36 30 Apr 23

Violaine is very kind and patient. She is an excellent teacher and very clearly explains how to use the wheel properly and is very encouraging to beginners! I would very much recommend her classes.

Lucie Barsegian

15:31 13 Dec 22

What a great class we had with Violaine and Flora! They both managed to handle our big group, were really patient and fun.Violaine conveyed her passion very well and everyone had a lovely afternoon. Thanks again! Truly looking forward to see our fired pieces.

Maria O.

23:04 22 Oct 22

I just picked up my bowls from Violaine today and I'm totally overwhelmed. Let's start with the fact that I've been making pottery as an autodidact for years and just wanted to expand my knowledge and finally learn the "right" grips. For this I booked Violaine’s beginner’s course, among other things, and after the first appointment (which, to my great luck, I was able to enjoy alone with this pottery goddness), I could not miss the opportunity to attend part 2/4 the next time, on the day of my marriage. Every Wednesday I went to the train station Sonnenallee with a grin because I had my personal aha moments and new insights. Also when it comes to claytypes and glazes, Violaine has a noble taste, even I've finally experimented a bit, even if not always successfully. I envy everyone who has not yet got to know this artspace and the artist and who is still having this experience in the future! Have fun with it and all the best for Violaine - a beautiful and talented human.

Giuliana Kolling

13:59 16 Sep 22

Violaine is very patient and nice, the session works really well to understand the wheel and I am super happy about the experience. I had a lot of fun! Will definitely come back for more sessions in the future!

Ludo Enderlen

05:02 30 Aug 22

Best introduction to pottery with Violaine for me, all in a happy and friendly atmosphere, it was just perfect.

Paulawellmann Wellmann

18:23 24 Aug 22

great workshop and great teacher and artist!!

Melis B

11:25 18 Aug 22

We had a lovely group class with Violaine, she was patient, engaging and very welcoming! She encouraged everyone to come up with their own ideas and guided us whenever we had questions. It was the first time working with pottery for most of us and everyone had a great time! I advise her workshop/classes to anyone who would be interested in trying out pottery :)

Brondie Bradie

21:32 16 Aug 22

Took a ceramic class as a company team building and Violaine showed us solid techniques, catered for everyone’s different artistic needs, while giving us fun, chill times with lovely conversation. I took ceramic classes before but it was either too hard so teacher did everything for me or too hands off without good instructions but this one was just a perfect balance, making our idea materialise with the spot on practical tips from Violaine.

Benedetta Ludovisi

11:22 29 Jul 22

I took a wheel class and a glazing class with Violaine and loved it! She is a great teacher and the studio is also super nice. I highly recommend to take one or more of her classes!

Viet Le

16:25 31 Mar 22

Best pottery class and instructor - it was lots of fun

Jason Perez

10:32 24 Feb 22

My wife and I did a beginner Ceramics class with Violane, and it was absolutely fantastic and super fun. We had no previous experience, but Violane is a very clear and effective teacher, and helped us understand the basics of crafting ceramics on the wheel. I highly recommend Violane's classes! :)

Maria Jose de la Riva

21:59 04 Feb 22

Took a course recently with my partner. We not only had a really great time with Violaine, who is lovely, but also learned quite a bit. We knew absolutely nothing about throwing (other than we really wanted to try) and managed to make 3 bowls each under her guidance. I really wish Violaine offered longer format courses, I'd be the first to sign up. If you're looking for a great class, this is it : )

Robert Smith

15:15 11 Nov 21

We had such a wonderful time in our group class learning the wheel! Would highly recommend. Lovely to see her incredible work in the studio too!

Stefan Keuchel

22:10 08 Oct 21

Had a great time and a lot of fun at our ceremic course with Violaine... The explained everthing really well and patient. Strong recommendation!

Julia Empelmann

14:48 08 Oct 21

the workshop was fun and instructions helpful. thank you Violaine and Isa.

Pia Sternberg

13:42 08 Oct 21

We had a great 3-hours workshop with Violaine – it was perfect. Lovely space, great hostess, a lot of fun!

Simon Pröber

13:22 08 Oct 21

Great experience! Amazing job by you, Violaine!

Kirsten Wearne

16:10 13 Sep 21

I have done 2 courses with Violaine, they are a very intuitive teacher, sharing their own skills and experiences and to give you the confidence to work independently and take away skills to drive your own projects!I would highly recommend Violene to beginners to get the best basic skills, anyone looking to learn new skills or to expand their ceramic skills further! Looking forward to my next class soon hopefully :)

saki koulos

15:08 13 Sep 21

Violaine is a really talented artist, a good teacher and more a great human! I’m so amazed by what she built within this few years. Her work space/shop is so well arranged and welcoming.I’m one of your biggest fan 💕

Anna Kusnier

13:18 06 Dec 20

I took a one-month ceramic class with Violaine and it was the beginning of a love for this craft. I can highly recommend the course, but especially the ceramics that are sold here. They are very tasteful and in each piece there is a lot of work, knowledge and often several attempts that can fail at one point of production. Keep this in mind (also with the prices) and support small artists like Violaine.

Héloïse Nelte

16:00 11 Sep 20

I booked a monthly wheel class with Violaine and it was a great introduction into the ceramic world. The set up was well structured and Violaine shared a lot of useful tipps. We started with the wheel directly in the first session and could experience all important stages to shape basic forms. I really had a great time and was very happy about the results. I can highly recommend it!

Liam Sanders

13:34 01 Aug 20

Fantastic experience into the world of ceramics and throwing. Clear instruction and teaching from an incredibly talented artist - would highly recommend to any wishing to get dip their toe into ceramics.

Laura H.

13:06 01 Jul 20

Great class to learn how to work with the wheel, shape and glaze your own ceramics pieces ! Violaine is a patient and attentive teacher, who does beautiful pieces herself. I really enjoyed learning the techniques and making my own pieces, and I would definitely recommend the classes!

Eva Wong

08:21 01 Jul 20

Had a great experience with Violaine. Booked a private class for my boyfriend and I to learn, and she was very patient with us and showed us all the techniques step by step. We got to glaze our pieces and play around with the different colours and techniques which was cool to see how it all works.Overall great experience and she responds in a quick manner to everything. Would definitely do a class again ☺️

Matt Boucher

10:42 18 Jun 20

I just recently finished a wheel throwing course with Violaine.She was really accommodating, welcoming and a great teacher.The studio is a nice space and having a small number of students made it really good for learning all things ceramics related.

Plant Circle

21:29 20 Mar 20

Violaine is a great and patient teacher, I’ve enjoyed very much my 4 week wheel class where I have produced some really nice pieces to keep. Highly recommend if you look for something new to learn whether you want to start your career in ceramics or simply make a few cups :-)

Alexia Schann

06:58 13 Mar 20

A wonderful place to learn and explore pottery. Violaine is wicked talented! She was patient, kind, and energetic, making intro to pottery a really fun experience.Violaine gives individual attention making sure you are happy with your project. This is better than meditation or therapy. It's calming and gratifying to mold clay. I highly recommend this class for anyone who has never touched a pottery wheel.

Juliette Navarro

12:16 30 Jan 20

It was an amazing experience to have a 2.5 hours private class with Violaine!She is super patient and helpful! Saved my piece when I almost screwed it up! ;)I really had the chance to dive into the universe of ceramic creations! Highly recommended!

Holly Daggar

09:09 26 Nov 19

My mother and I took a private 2-hour wheel class back in September and it was such a wonderful experience as an entry into wheel throwing! Highly highly recommend.

Christopher Bétrémieux

08:38 26 Oct 19

I had a 3-session private course with Violaine and absolutely loved it. She’s very passionate and friendly. I really liked her teaching method, she helps you get it right but she’s not doing it for you so you learn the (not so) hard way. I’d recommend 100% for someone living in Berlin who wants to learn ceramics as a beginner (or even intermediate level) 👌🏼

TINMAN Berlin

11:46 25 Oct 19

Had a great four sessions. Very interesting experiencing each stage of making ceramics. And pleasure to meet such a talented lovely lady!Thank you and hope to see you around again :)

Nieka Pour

09:22 25 Oct 19

We had such a great time with Violaine. The pottery class was more like a get together with friends. As we don´t live in Berlin, Violaine glazed the pieces for us and sent them over - thank you for the great experience!

Johannes Maier

16:07 24 Oct 19

I did a pottery class on the wheel with Violaine and had an amazing experience doing this workshop which took four sessions. Violaine is a very nice person and has lots of patience to explain the hand-movements to built pots and bowls as well as helps you to safe your piece in case you mess it up. Will definitely go for another workshop!

Helene Broussou

09:04 05 Jul 19

I wish I could rate the course with more than 5 stars, because it deserves a lot more!I took the 4 week wheel class with Violaine, and had an amazing time! Violaine is a great teacher, the atmosphere is very relaxed, and I just wish i could go everyday.I left the workshop very proud, with the pieces I made.I strongly recommend you try it, you'll love it for sure!

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