I am looking for a two-three year commitment from applicants.
This might seem like a long time, but the months will fly and the depth of learning will be high.
What I Am Looking For:
I want to work with individuals who are committed to their career in the ceramic arts. I’m looking for personal motivation and eagerness to learn. I need to be able to count on you to follow through at a high level and to consistently think of what would serve the RCS studio community. While the work you show me in the application is vital, above all I am looking for a good fit for my studio and a dedicated worker. I spend almost all my time here at the studio living and working. The mental space and energy I foster here supports my ability to be successful and to work long hours. As an assistant I ask that you respect the space and add as much as you can to our exchange. This includes striving forward with your own work, finishing the tasks given to you thoroughly (however small), and meeting deadlines. I’m looking for a person who wants to invest both in the community here and in their own personal growth. In my studio, I strive to balance long hours with a sense of humor, attention to detail with experimentation, & community with respect for privacy and personal growth.
Ideal Candidate Qualities:
Dedicated to your own Studio Practice- This assistantship is intended for those looking to grow in their own practice. Plan on spending a minimum of 2 days a week working towards your own goals and 1.5 days a week on assistant responsibilities to the studio. This makes having a day-job difficult. I expect you to be at the studio all the time.
Commitment- With this assistantship I am looking for a one to two-year commitment. We work one full day a week as a group on studio needs. And a second day of the week alternates between individuals, group work, and independent projects . There are also intermittent events, workshops, and or art fairs I will request your time and help with. The studio and your commitment here should be a top priority. In applying for this position, take into account the expenses tied to living in a city. I want your focus to be this assistantship & your studio time.
This exchange works best when each participant enters fully into the projects at the studio, whether they are related to the community, our smaller group, or personal in nature. Join this venture with all your energy and invest in those around you.
Starting Point- Please plan on starting your practice at the cone six firing temperature using an electric kiln. You will be able to jump forward faster by putting tests in my firings and using the database of glazes that has been tested and documented. Once you are comfortable using my kilns and facilities you may ask to change gears and move in another direction. I have also developed a glaze resource you make take advantage of… The max temp the kilns may be fired to is Cone 6. You may use white to buff clay in the community studio area. Stoneware, red or dark clay will need to stay in your personal space if that is your preference for your artwork.
Studio projects are never ending. The hours you spend working for me will include anything from mopping to weeding the garden, from rolling slabs to entering emails on my newsletter list serve, from talking with customers at events to recycling clay, from helping paint the walls to building carts, from tidying the studio to running errands to the clay supply stores, from working on the website to loading kilns, from spreading mulch in the garden to helping check the honey bees, from glaze testing to teaching classes in my absence… Many of the jobs require physical fitness, healthy wrists, and a strong back. We will all be loading kilns, hauling boxes and doing ladder work. These activities are a requirement of the job description.
