During this two week course you will learn to throw on the wheel and to transform the surface of your pieces into abstract art, by using colouring oxides and engobes/slips in a non conventional way.
During the first week we will mostly focus on getting started on the wheel. During the second week we dive into abstract decoration techniques, while continuing to practice our wheelthrowing skills.
Ultimately, this is much more than a technical wheel throwing course: the goal is to help you develop your own style and explore the creative possibilities that clay can offer, through wheel throwing and beyond.
By the end of the retreat you will have the opportunity to choose which piece(s) 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.
Although the course is focussed on learning rather than making pieces, you will be able to keep some of the pieces you make:
Adele Williams is a potter with 9 years of teaching experience. She's developed a love for encouraging students to stretch their skills, making work that is both beautiful and functional. Bringing creativity into items that are part of your everyday.
Based in London, Adele makes work as Hackney Potter in the artist run studio Clay Collective. Concentrating on a love for materials she has developed a practice that produces functional ware with an experimental approach. Whether digging clay to make clay bodies and slips, creating ashes for glazing or experimenting with firing techniques. Her work follows a desire to experiment and understand.
This course is not recommended for wheel throwing complete beginners. However, we will not be concentrating on throwing large pieces during this course so this course is perfect for you if:
This course is just perfect for you if you are deeply interested in natural materials, experimentation and process, and you want to forage and process your own materials and practice making some experimental glazes. If you don’t mind (in fact, you like!) roaming around the countryside to find rocks and plants.
No previous experience or knowledge of glaze chemistry is required, as we will learn some basic principals as part of the course.
During this week, you won’t just get a ceramics course. We’ve also organised a program of activity so that you can connect with Sicilian culture, get to know the town of Salemi and its rich history and territory.
You will:
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The Salemi School of Ceramics is a social enterprise that has been opened to create a learning centre for contemporary ceramics, the first of its kind in Sicily.
The School has been created in partnership with the local town of Salemi, which has provided the gorgeous space - the St Agustin Convent - that will be used for the school.
Salemi has a gorgeous historical centre and because it is quiet and peaceful, it is the perfect place for a mindful ceramics retreat.
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:
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.
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The Salemi Project wants to make Salemi a recognised centre for contemporary ceramic art. Come and be part of it!
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