Two-week Slab Building with Nikolas Iturralde

In this two-week intensive course, ceramic artist Nikolas Iturralde invites you into the world of slab building, a ceramic technique where flat clay slabs become the starting point to create everything from design objects to art pieces.

Over the course of two weeks, you will dive deeper into the process of building with slabs, developing your personal visual language through design and experimentation. The course follows Nikolas’ personal methodology - working with grids, modular design principles, and graphic composition to transform two-dimensional forms and patterns into three-dimensional ceramic objects.

The course is an in-depth exploration of both technical skill and visual thinking, bridging the gap between design and craft.

How does this course differ from its one-week version? The two-week format allows time to refine your technique, explore surface design and textures, and experiment with more complex constructions. In week two, you will also be able to glaze some of your pieces, choosing between three studio glaze options.

Outcome

By the end of the two weeks, you will have completed your own finished ceramic piece, for example a modular wall piece, mirror frame, vase, box, serving tray, or sculptural object, taking it from concept through construction, bisque firing, glazing, and final firing.

During the course you will learn to:

• create grid systems, work within them, and later break out of them
• turn your visual ideas and patterns into three-dimensional ceramic objects
• create slabs in any thickness or size using the slab roller or other tools and preparing them for alterations
• shape, cut, and join slabs to build stable, well-constructed forms
• experiment with textures, reliefs, and surface details
• prepare, glaze, and finish your work for the final firing

Your Teacher

Nikolas Iturralde is a ceramic artist who studied graphic design in Berlin and Valencia. His work is influenced by the iconography and cultural syncretism of Latin America, as well as its vibrant pop and subcultures. He draws on these diverse references to create eclectic pieces that explore the intersection of ornament, typography, and form through techniques such as screen printing, calligraphy, and sculpture. Nikolas creates works that shift between two- and three-dimensional forms, including sculptures, vases, functional objects, and wall pieces such as tiles and reliefs. His current focus is on ornamentation and patterns, particularly expressed through recurring motifs like fire, flames, and spikes. He has exhibited his work in various galleries and regularly collaborates with artists and designers from other fields, expanding his perspective and working methods.

Arrival and Departure

We ask that you plan your arrival for Sunday. We have an included pick-up from either Palermo Centre (in front of Hotel Politeama) at 11:30 or Palermo Airport at 12:30. On Sunday afternoon (circa 16:30, subject to change), you will be welcomed to Salemi by one of our team members, who will take you on an orientation walk of the historical centre. This will be followed by a welcome apericena (light dinner) with a Salemi Spritz at one of our favourite local restaurants.

We will bid you farewell at the end of your time in Salemi with an included transfer to either Palermo Airport or Palermo Centre (Piazza Politeama), departing Salemi at 07:00 on Saturday morning.

**For pick-ups and drop-offs outside of these times and locations, please contact us for a transfer quote.