Carla Pianese

Francesco was born and raised in Salemi. With a deep passion for history and religion, he’s the perfect local to introduce you to the stories and spirit of the region. He has worked with archaeological sites across Western Sicily and the local tourism office - so he really knows his way around (and pretty much everyone in town too). An active volunteer at local festivals and celebrations, Francesco is always ready to lend a hand or share a story.He’s been our studio guide since the very beginning. He was also one of the first locals to complete the local ceramics course program at Salemi Ceramics. Each week, he welcomes our students with a Sunday evening orientation walk and often hosts dinners in the cloister. He also supports the studio with accommodation logistics and transport for our teachers and resident artists.Kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely welcoming, Francesco makes you feel at home from the moment you arrive.

Rebeca and Mat are the creatives behind The Salemi Studio Project. They have worked alongside locals and the Salemi council to bring this project to life. Rebeca and Mat are also the founders of Leatherback Travel, a Group which incorporates multiple travel brands including Patch Adventures, and Magnificent Rail, amongst others,which have brought thousands of travellers to unique places around the world.

Mati is an Italian ceramicist based between Salemi and Barcelona, with 10 years of experience working with and teaching ceramics. She is the Ceramics Manager at Salemi Ceramics, in charge of the ceramics program, ceramics residencies and installations, and technical ceramics operations. She was also our first teacher, and occasionally still teaches some of our courses

Csilla is Hungarian, currently living in Serbia. She has traveled around Europe while sailing on river ships. She is a ceramics enthusiast, finding peace and inner joy in throwing on the wheel. Csilla is Mandy's helping hand, handling bookings, answering questions, and other administrative tasks, working remotely from home.

Chiara is a Salemitana, born and raised in Salemi. She is studying foreign languages and literature and, for some years now, has discovered a passion for tourism and everything related to travel. She is a cheerful person, representing Salemi's vibe: sunny and warm. Chiara is the right hand of Mandy, helping with all the daily tasks around the courses and students.

Alex was born and raised in Romania before moving to Salemi after finding love. Passionate about ceramics, she taught herself about glazing and firing techniques. Alex is the right hand of our teachers, preparing clay for classes and carefully handling all finished pieces, from firing and glazing to preparing them for shipment.