Riverrun Pottery is located in the woods of northern Wisconsin in an area called McNaughton, which is 10 miles north of Rhinelander and 18 miles south of Minocqua-Woodruff, in a two story new facility housing a pottery studio and two gallery spaces. The grounds include a pond, the nearby Wisconsin River, flower gardens and experimental gardens such as willow growing. There is a separate kiln building housing an Olsen Fast-fire kiln and an Olympic gas kiln, and an electric kiln is fired indoors. The studio includes a spray booth and ample working space, and we use a high fire stoneware clay body. There is an outdoor pit firing area as well. Glazes accommodate cone 6-10 for firing in both oxidation and reduction. We offer classes and workshops year-round, taught by owner Joan Slack as well as other teachers in many types of media, organized by a Fall, Winter and Summer schedule. We are also part of the Northwoods Summer Art tour the last week in July, and hold a Christmas Festival the first weekend in December.

Apprentice Program: The studio offers an opportunity for people who have experience in clay and want to learn all of the facets of studio operation, running a gallery and making a living as an artist. This position involves the following:

Clay preparation and recycling

Glaze calculation and mixing

Cleaning studio and gallery

Maintaining equipment, tools, and work space

Loading and firing kilns

Pricing work, cleaning and maintaining displays in galleries

Working in sales gallery as needed, meeting with customers, discussing work for sale

Participating in receptions, helping with special exhibits and events

Working on assigned projects such as schedule, typing, mailing lists, sales records, etc.

Helping with outdoor work in gardens

In exchange for the listed jobs, the apprentice is allowed free use of the studio during set hours, and access to all equipment, kilns, clay and glaze materials. The apprentice may also sell work in the on-site consignment galleries, as well as offer classes, with prior approval. A schedule is determined at the beginning of the month, with some hours being set and some flexible, and allowance for time off.

A small studio apartment is located on the upper level on site, with an adjoining kitchen and full bathroom, and is available for the apprentice’s use in exchange for the work required.
We offer apprentice programs for winter months as well as summer sessions, with flexibility for college students’ schedules.

Assistant Program: This is a position for someone who wants to exchange helping with studio and gallery jobs in exchange for learning more about working with clay and having free time to work in the studio. Some experience is required, and the assistant is expected to work without supervision most of the time, though some instruction and guidance is available on a limited basis. Scheduling is flexible, as are hours per week, and can be set up for different times of year, for a set number of weeks or months. The assistant jobs will be to:

• Keep the studio and gallery clean and dusted: arrange work and help with displays
• Recycle clay, wedge, and bagWait on customers in the gallery, discuss artists and artwork with them as needed
• Answer phone and take messages
• Help with administrative jobs such as typing, mailings, and record keeping
• Help with outdoor work and gardens
• Other responsibilities as needed and agreed upon

For more information and to apply contact:

Joan Slack
715-277-4224
riverrun@newnorth.net
P.O. Box 95
McNaughton, WI 54543
www.riverrunarts.com
 
Application for Apprentice Program Riverrun Center for the Arts
Name_____________________________________________
Address___________________________________________
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Telephone _________________________________________
E-mail ____________________________________________
Age ________________ Occupation ____________________
Why do you want to be an apprentice at Riverrun? __________________________________
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What is your experience with clay? List # of years and places you have studied. ___________
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What are your goals as an artist/potter? ____________________________________________
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What would you hope to learn as an apprentice?______________________________________
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Please list your strengths in regard to this position. ___________________________________
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Enclose photos or details of your work in clay if possible, and add any other thoughts or material you would like to be considered.