Studio Technician - Indianapolis, United States - Indianapolis Art Center

Description

Job Description

About Indianapolis Art Center

The mission of the Indianapolis Art Center is to inspire creative expression in all people.

Our vision is to build an inclusively united community through art by inspiring a better, stronger, and more culturally vibrant environment for all.

We believe that art belongs to everybody. For 90 years, we've lived by that belief. We are an organization that includes, inspires, and unites through art education, exhibitions, and outreach. We love what art inspires and shares, but what we love more is what it makes us collectively — a stronger, healthier, more vibrant, more connected community. Find yourself here, at the Indy Art Center, where it's always Everybody's Art.

Company Fit:

Patience: Allows Team Members the ability to handle challenging situations, work with a team, and foster positive workplace environments at every level.

Clear Communicator: Using verbal and written language, to share and collect information, exchange ideas and openly explore a variety of perspectives while being flexible to adjust style and content to each unique person, audience and situation.

Accountability: Taking responsibility for individual and collaborative actions and decisions. Fostering a culture of trust and accountability throughout the organization.

Job Summary:

We are looking for a Clay Studio Fellow to join the Art Center Ceramics Team. The ideal candidate should be self-motivated, organized, and have a strong ability to multitask. Experience with glaze mixing, clay mixing, and firing electric and gas kilns (including raku) are preferred but not required. Experience firing atmospheric kilns, like soda and wood-fire is preferred. Additionally, applicants should have experience with both hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques. We are looking for someone who is a team player, has an eagerness to learn, is a steward of a productive studio, and is motivated to be part of a creative community.

The Indy Art Center promotes life-long learning through hands-on art classes and activities. These programs serve a wide variety of ages, audiences and skill levels of students. This position will work as a ceramic studio technician for a two-year program where they can develop ceramics skills and knowledge under the leadership of the clay program manager. The fellow will have to responsibility of firing kilns, teaching classes, mixing glazes, and maintaining our two studios while developing a body of work for a final gallery show. They will also have the opportunity to participate as an emerging artist in our One American Financial Broad Ripple Art Fair. Working as a studio technician will require the applicant to maintain equipment, assist in studio organization, cleaning, keeping track of inventory, and working with the program manager on a variety of tasks. The studio technician will also be required to teach a variety of classes throughout each session (spring, fall, and summer), and assist with special events on the Indy Art Center campus. Studio Technicians must be friendly and enthusiastic ambassadors of the Indianapolis Art Center's mission and provide exemplary customer service to our students and patrons. Flexible job hours and occasional evenings and weekends are required. This is a full-time hourly position that will work 30-40 hours a week depending on studio needs.

Job Responsibilities:

Studio Maintenance

• Maintain a safe secure and healthy educational environment by establishing classroom expectations with consistent enforcement, communicating safety information and procedures to students, and following all Art Center policies and procedures.
• Ensure that the studio and associated working spaces are clean, well-maintained, and organized for full use.
• Test and repair studio equipment as needed.
• Manage student work in a conscious and careful manner.
• Ensure the progression of student work through any necessary steps in a timely manner.
• Handle student work without damaging or altering.
• Actively engage in any firing, printing, or other technical process to allow student work to reach completion.
• Ensure adequate and appropriate material and supply expectations are met by reporting to program manager in a timely manner.
• Monitor and inventory materials and consumables to ensure accurate ordering.
• Prepare necessary materials for various class programs at the approval of the Program Manager.
• Create a body of work to be shown in a fellowship thesis show at the end of the 2-year fellowship program.
• Work with program manager on fellowship timeline and checkpoints.

Be an Engaged Team member:

• Attend meetings, trainings and key program events as determined by program staff.
• Respond to emails and approval requests in a timely manner.
• Maintain positive interactions in the promotion and retention of Art Center programs and activities.
• Assist with various administrative duties as assigned.
• Actively engage in annual review exercises.
• Maintain regular hours and provide updates to the Clay Studio Programs Manager. Check in quarterly with the program manager to review fellowship checkpoints.

Additional Job Functions:

• All candidates are required to pass a background check
• This is an onsite position and does not allow for remote work

Competencies Required

1. Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills required with a strong ability in public speaking, especially with artists and patrons in person and via phone and email.

2. Relationship Building: Interpersonal skills which can be utilized to engage with artists, patrons, and fellow team members.

3. Flexibility: Foster adaptability by responding effectively to changing circumstances.

4. Professionalism: Focus on positive communication and teamwork in order to execute and meet all job responsibilities.

5. Integrity: Fosters an environment of honesty and reliability in the workplace.

Additional Education/Knowledge/Skills Requirements:

• Working knowledge of equipment, tools, and materials necessary for operation of the studio.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• A combination of 1 year of education, training, and experience in the execution of works in the art media specified.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Assistants are required to travel to and from the Art Center campus and/or various locations in the city.
• Occasionally required to lift heavy objects up to 50 lbs.
• Perform physical tasks related to studio medium.