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This course is a two weeks immersion into wheel throwing for tableware design. During which you will have a chance to immerse yourself in the practice of ceramics and make a complete tableware set, while also enjoying the tranquil pleasures of Sicilian life.
In this course you will have a chance to perfect your throwing skills: you will practise throwing bowls, plates and cups, as well as tea pots and ceramic boxes. You will be guided to throw thinner and more even walls, as well as throwing shapes that are new and challenging. You will have a unique chance to fully immerse yourself in the practice of wheel throwing, making progress that would be hard to achieve within the noise of everyday life.
Each student will also have a chance to design their own tableware set, then make it.
During the first week, we will focus on strengthening and refining wheel throwing foundations. We will practice making cylinders, bowls and plates and a few techniques for making identical pieces. We will also practice throwing small pieces from the hump
During the second week we will continue building our tableware set. We will lear to make teapots as well as choose between a few available glaze formulations to glaze our chosen pieces.
Students will also be taught a few glaze recipes, and will have a chance to mix their own glazes and pick a colour for their set.
By the end of the retreat you will have the opportunity to choose which pieces you would like fired, glazed and shipped to you. As pieces need approximately a week to dry out, this will be done for you once the retreat has concluded. The costs of shipping are not included in the course price.
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The course is focused on learning foundational skills for tableware design, but you will also be able to make and keep a full tableware set
Leonardo Rousseau is a ceramicist working in Brussels and raised in Paris. He is the founder of Atelier Espiney in Brussels and he specialises in tableware and decorative items, using different types of stoneware. All his pieces are thrown on the wheel and each of them is unique due to this process. All his glazes result from his personal research, and add his pieces a refined and subtle finish.
For the past four years, Leonardo worked as a teacher in several studios in Brussels. During this time, he mentored hundreds of students always with the same dedication to guide the students to the next steps.
He was one of our first teachers at Salemi Ceramics in July 2024, teaching several courses including a first version of this 2 weeks tableware course.
This course is right for you if:
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 1100 or Palermo airport at 1200. On Sunday afternoon (circa 1630, 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 0700 on Saturday morning.
**For pick-ups and drop-offs outside of these times and locations, please contact us for a transfer quote.
This is an intensive learning week! Teaching is primarily group-based with moments of individual feedback built in. Please note this is not one-on-one tuition.
You will be in the studio from Monday 0900 through to approximately 1700 Friday afternoon. Studio time is a combination of teaching and non-teaching time. You can expect a typical day to look like this:
0800 - Yoga in the courtyard (optional)
0900 - 1300 Studio (teaching with a coffee/tea break at 1030 in the courtyard)
1300 - Shared lunch in the courtyard
1400 - 1630 - Free Studio Time - Afternoon studio hours are primarily self-directed practice time, with your teacher available in the studio for guidance
1900 - Dinners are a combination of eating at local restaurants, home restaurants, and in-house at the studio
Please note
Our program is carefully designed to balance teaching, practice, meals, and cultural experiences, and we do our best to follow the planned schedule. However, all times and activities are indicative and may shift with the season, the weather, or the needs of the group. Studio sessions, meals, and excursions may be adjusted, rescheduled, or substituted at our discretion. Flexibility is part of the Salemi Ceramics experience, and we believe these small changes often add to the richness of your time with us.
Exact hours may vary depending on ad-hoc adjustments, but you will have a minimum of 6 hours a day in the studio, for a total of 26 hours of teaching and 9 hours 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.
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We want to make Salemi a recognised centre for contemporary ceramic art. Come and be part of it!
