Special14-dayMixed Techniques

Critical Clay Lab with Mati Cini and Maria Roy

A two-week experimental lab with Mati Cini and Maria Roy — using clay to research, question and make critically engaged work.

from €2,550See 1 available date

Critical Clay Lab with Mati Cini and Maria Roy

Is this course right for you?

This course is intended for anyone interested in taking their ceramic practice beyond the walls of the pottery studio. Artists, ceramicists, designers, curious minds, and material nerds are especially encouraged to apply.

This course is right for you if:

You are interested in both ceramics and ecology
You want to situate your ceramic practice within a broader material, historical, and environmental context
You are looking for greater depth and intentionality in your practice
You often wonder about the ethical implication of the ceramics craft
You are interested in material experimentation and research-based making
You are excited by the idea of clay digging, firing, and hands-on experimentation
You enjoy balancing practical making with critical discussion and theory

Dates & availability

2–15 May 2027

with Mati Cini & Maria Roy · Studio 3 · €2,550

Available

View availability

About this course

Ceramic does not exist in the vacuum of a studio. It is a craft shaped by geology, extraction, labour, energy consumption, trade, landscape, and community.

This course is for ceramicists, artists, designers, and material thinkers interested in understanding ceramics beyond the making of objects.

Through hands-on experimentation, material research, firing, fieldwork, and critical discussion, participants will explore clay as both a creative medium and a natural resource embedded within ecological, cultural, and economic systems. Over two weeks, participants will learn to source, process, test, and work with locally available materials while developing a deeper understanding of the histories, infrastructures, and energy systems that underpin ceramic practice.

Together, we will ask:

What are ceramics materials and where do they actually come from?
What does it mean to work with local materials?
How do local materials and firing methods shape both aesthetics and environmental impact?
What responsibilities come with working in ceramics today?

During the course, participants will:

Research and forage locally available ceramic materials
Learn practical methods for sourcing, processing, and testing wild clay and glaze materials
Explore electric, wood, and pit firing techniques
Carry out at least one pit firing and one fast-fire wood firing
Investigate the ecological, social, and historical dimensions of ceramic production
Develop a personal body of work informed by site, material availability, and critical inquiry
Expand their visual, technical, and critical vocabulary through discussion, making, and experimentation

Schedule of the week＋

Classes will be held from Monday through to Friday. Classes will be 4h each morning (9am–1pm) and 2/3h on Monday and Friday afternoon (2–4/5pm). On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, you will have free studio time (2/3h) and/or an organised trip to one of the local cultural landmarks.

A typical day will look like this:

Optional yoga/meditation session (2 times a week)
Breakfast
Class 9am–10.45am
Break
Class 11.15am–1pm
Lunch
Class or free studio time 2pm–5pm, or an organised activity
Dinner

Exact hours may vary depending on ad-hoc adjustments, but you will have a minimum of 6h a day in the studio, for a total of 26h of teaching and 9h of supervised free studio time every week.

During the weekends, the studio will be closed. You will be free to organise your own weekend plans or participate in one of our optional weekend activities.

What you'll take home＋

Although the course is primarily focused on process and experimentation rather than production, participants will leave with a body of material research and finished work, including:

A small library of material and glaze tests
5-15 small pieces wade with local clay and pit-fired
5-15 small pieces glazed with local materials glazes and woodfired

Please note that shipping costs are charged extra, and can vary from 40€ for 3 kg for Germany, to 80€ for 3kg shipped to the US

Teacher

Mati is the Ceramics Manager at Salemi Ceramics , where she leads academic programming and creative direction. Alongside her own ceramic practice, she is deeply invested in the ethics and ecology of ceramics, and regularly teaches courses in wood firing and natural glazes.

Maria is a ceramic artist and designer whose work uses ceramics as a medium through which to investigate soil ecology, extraction, landscape, and environment. Alongside her artistic practice, she regularly teaches clay foraging, material research, and ecology-focused ceramic workshops.

Together, they have spent years working at the intersection of theory, material research, and ceramic practice. This course emerges directly from their shared artistic investigations and offers a rare opportunity to engage deeply with the questions and processes that shape their work.

What happens after you book

1
Book your date
Secure your spot on WeTravel with the deposit or the full amount.
2
Confirmation
Two confirmation emails arrive - one from WeTravel, one from us - plus a short form for your personal and travel details.
3
60 days before
If you paid a deposit, the balance is due now. Reminders come 7 days before, 3 days before and on the day.
4
30 days before
Your course info pack: arrival and departure details, course structure, useful tips, transfer and shipping costs.
5
10 days before
You'll be invited to the course WhatsApp group and receive the shipping address form. Then - see you in Salemi!

Common questions

Can I pay a deposit instead of the full amount?＋

Yes - paying the deposit confirms your place. The balance is due 60 days before the course starts, and you'll get automated reminders so nothing sneaks up on you.

What happens right after I book?＋

Two confirmation emails (WeTravel + Salemi Ceramics) and a short form for your personal and travel details. Everything else - info pack, WhatsApp group - follows automatically in the weeks before your course.

What if I need to cancel or change dates?＋

Contact us as early as possible and we'll look at options together. The full cancellation and transfer terms are in the Terms and Conditions.

Do I need to prove my skill level?＋

Beginner courses need no experience at all. Intermediate and advanced courses ask for a short self-assessment before booking, so we can make sure the course fits where you are.