What is NAPS?
NAPS is an new, exciting, and growing pottery studio in North East Los Angeles (NELA). We are a state-of-the-art, fun, and kind pottery space, built around creating a supportive and healthy environment for our budding artists and planet.
We're doing things a little bit different here. Hence the name! We want to create a space where you don't need to invest in your own personal collection of glazes, underglazes, and tools - unless you really want to! We want your membership and your clay to be your only expenses. No firing fees. No glaze fees. Just membership and clay.
We've built a unique, quirky, and - in our opinion - beautiful space. We cater to both wheel throwers and handbuilders with brand new Shimpo Whisper wheels and custom built sit-stand work benches, and a glaze bar that boasts over 100 different brushable glazes and underglazes in glass jars with QR codes so you don't need to mess up your phone with dirty finger tips hunting for photos and details about each glaze.
Our Ethos
We prioritize kindness, cleanliness, creativity, and community. We welcome anyone who lives these values to come explore NAPS. We want this to be a space that you adore coming to. Where you feel welcomed. Where you have a fun and supportive community.
As the name suggests, we're *not just* another pottery studio. We are dedicated to providing the local NELA community with free and low cost arts events (inlcuding and beyond pottery) so that everyone has the opportunity to be a part of our space and discover their inner artist while connecting with others in our welcoming community. Through various initiatives and collaborations, we aim to make a positive impact beyond our studio walls. Whether it’s through charitable events, workshops for local schools, or partnerships with community organizations, we strive to share the joy of pottery while supporting meaningful causes.
We have a zero tolerance policy for:
- Rudeness and meanness - this includes bigotry of any kind
- Theft or deliberate damage of studio tools, equipment, supplies, or other members/student personal belongs and work
- Providing unsolicited critique of other people’s work
- Repeated failure to clean up after yourself - we understand you might have a memory lapse here or there but the studio should always be left as clean, if not cleaner, than when you found it.
What does membership look like?
Membership is $245 a month and includes the following:
- Member Access to NAPS Studio: these hours may change from time-to-time and to accommodate holidays or events but, as of July 2024:
- Tues-Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
- Sat-Sunday 7:00am - 7:00pm
- Closed Monday (We are committed to a clean and organized studio so Monday’s are reserved for a deep cleaning and studio organization day!)
- Dedicated member shelf for work-in-progress storage
- Additional shelving space for clay storage to maximize your personal shelf for your work!
- Use of 17 Shimpo Whisper Wheels (up to 12 wheels may be in use during class time - see schedule)
- Access to custom built Handbuilding Tables and wedging tables
- Access to over 100 studio glazes (~70 brushable, ~20 underglazes, ~10 dippable, ~20 low fire) and counting!
- Use of all studio tools from basic essentials through to unique and fun ribs, bats, different sized loop tools, calipers, cookie cutters, ribbons, handle molds, handheld extruders, chucks, Giffin grip, base setters, brushes.
- Complimentary Firing - note: we are unable to support production potters at this time and reserve the right to limit firing
- Free firing and glaze note tracking tool so you never have to wonder what that killer combination was!
- Studio clay for purchase - we have 10 main clay bodies and sell recycled "reclaym" at a discount in small amounts so you can test and explore
- Free member programming and events
- Studio sales
- Discounts on classes and public events
- Please note: all memberships carry an initial 4 month minimum commitment (billed monthly) and 30 day notice period is required to cancel memberships
Sound good?
Let's get that application started!