Special Course

Wild Clays for Pottery with Marta Vino

This course is directed at curious walkers and nature lovers with an interest in ceramics.

“Wild clays” are raw clays that can be found along the riverside, or by the ridge of a hill, and can be collected and used by artists and potters. We can find materials suitable for ceramic-making everywhere around us: we just need to learn how to recognize, collect and use them. It’s even possible to find wild clay in a city park or an urban excavation site. Wild clay can be used to create a vase at the wheel or a free-hand sculpture, but it can also be turned into a glaze or a color for brush decorations. 

Local wild clays can teach us a lot about chemistry, geology, history and local traditions. Marta studied the territories around Salemi and she will share her findings with you. She will take you on walks through the Sicilian fields to collect materials; then, back at the studio, she’ll guide you to experiment by mixing, grinding, sieving, wedging, pouring and brushing wild clays in order to produce exciting experimental ceramics. You will be encouraged to follow your personal inspiration in the making of one or more pieces.

Outcome

Although the course is focused on learning rather than making pieces, you will be able to keep some of the pieces you make:

  • The course includes the firing and glazing of up to 3 kg of dry clay (that’s plenty of small pieces for a beginner!)
  • There is an extra charge of 20€/kg of clay for firing and glazing of more than 3kg of clay
  • You will be able to glaze some of your pieces with the glazes you made. All other pieces will be glazed with a standard transparent glaze by our studio technician by the end of the course 
  • We do not ship unglazed bisque pieces, as the chances of them breaking during shipping are too high

Shipping costs are charged extra, and can vary from 40€ for 3 kg for Germany, to 80€ for  3kg shipped to the US.

Who is the course right for?

This course is open to all levels. However, we encourage participants with at least some ceramics experience and a curiosity for materials.

The course is right for you if:

  • you want to experiment with materials
  • you are looking for a new inspiring way to make ceramic pieces 
  • you want to discover the richness of the Sicilian territory in an unprecedented way
  • you think that being a ceramist also means being an alchemist and a geologist

Your Teacher

Marta Vino was born and grew up in Apulia, in Southern Italy. After a long period of academic study between Rome and Lisbon, she discovered clay and dedicated her whole self to ceramic. When back to Italy in 2017, Marta has been working as apprentice in a pottery studio for two years and attended dozens of workshops about ceramic techniques, from porcelain nerikomi to etruscan bucchero. Three years ago, she started experimenting with wood-firing. Her academic background stands through her interest in history, popular pottery and local ceramic materials. She’s currently based in Turin where she runs her own studio: here she produces her ceramic work and teaches wheel throwing and chemistry of ceramic materials.

Discover Sicily

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 beautiful Salemi and its rich history and territory. 

You will:

  • Eat breakfast like the locals do in our favourite local bars
  • Enjoy meals in a variety of authentic, local Sicilian restaurants / home-restaurants
  • Carry out at least one excursion to a local cultural heritage site, either Cretto di Burri or Segesta archaeological site  

The Project

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 Sant'Agostino Monastery - 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.

What's Included

  • Ceramics classes and mentorship by Marta Vino
  • All materials
  • Palermo Airport pick-up (12 noon Sunday) or Palermo City Pick Up (11am Sunday). There is an additional charge for any pick-ups at other times
  • Return Palermo Airport transfer and Palermo City drop off on Saturday, departing Salemi at 7am
  • 2 x Yoga and 2 x meditation classes
  • All meals and non-alcoholic beverages from Sunday dinner through to Saturday breakfast
  • Glazing and firing a max of 3kg of pieces (this will be done after the retreat has finished)

What's Not Included

  • Accommodation
  • Shipping costs of pieces that will be fired by the studio (it’s between 30€ and 70€ for 3 kg depending on the country)
  • Additional cost for firing/glazing more than 3kg of pieces (it’s 20€/kg for each extra kg of clay)
  • Alcoholic beverages

A Typical Day

Classes will be held from Monday through to Friday. On Sunday, there will be a welcome dinner and on Saturday, we will bid you farewell. Classes will be 4h each morning 

(9am-1pm) and 2/3h each afternoon (2-5pm), except one afternoon of cultural activities.

Order of the day:

  • Yoga (2 classes x week)
  • Breakfast
  • First Class 9am-10.30am
  • Break
  • Second Class 11am-1pm
  • Lunch
  • Third Class 2pm-5pm
  • Finish

EUR €1399
Special Course
Wild Clays for Pottery with Marta Vino
13th July - 19th July 2025
Learn from our resident teacher
Daily local activities
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Meet the team

Our team is passionate about bringing Salemi to life and providing you with an authentic Sicilian experience