Beginner Wheel Throwing 14-day course

Two-week Introduction to Wheel Throwing

This course is a two-week introduction to the art of wheel throwing, during which you will have a chance to immerse yourself in the practice of ceramics while also enjoying the tranquil pleasures of Sicilian life.

During the course, you will learn the basics of wheel throwing: wedging, centering, throwing cups and bowls, and trimming your pieces. In week two, you will be able to up your level and learn to make small vases, boxes, and more complex shapes. You will have a unique chance to fully immerse yourself in the practice of wheel throwing, making progress that would take you months of 3h-a-week practice. You'll walk away with a solid foundation in wheel throwing, which will allow you to throw your own pieces from scratch once back home.

By the end of the course, 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 course has concluded.

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 6kg of dry clay (that’s plenty of pieces for a beginner!)
  • There is an extra charge of 20€/kg of clay for firing and glazing of more than 6kg of clay
  • All pieces will be glazed with a standard transparent high temperature glaze
  • We do not ship unglazed bisque pieces, as the chances of them breaking during shipping are too high
  • Shipping costs are charged separately (we’ll provide you with a shipping fee document closer to the date)

Who is the course right for?

This course is right for you if:

  • You love ceramics but you've never really tried before
  • You've tried other techniques but have never dared trying wheel-throwing
  • You’ve tried wheel throwing before but have never learned to centre independently, or struggle to centre clay in general
  • You've tried the wheel before but you've never given yourself a chance to really practise and learn, and you simply want a chance to spend a whole week practising on the wheel without worrying about anything else
  • You’re ready to devote 2 full weeks to learning a new craft

Your teachers

2025 Dates

14th September - 27th September, 2025- Lisa Kosak

16th November - 29th November, 2025- Luca della Maddalena

2026 Dates

1st March - 14th March, 2026- Joy Elsa Hänggi

5th July - 18th July, 2026- Leo Rousseau

16th August - 29th August, 2026 - Chiara Zoppei

Discover the territory/ 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
  • Seasonal cultural excursions

What's Included

  • Ceramics classes and mentorship by established ceramicists
  • 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 6kg of pieces (this will be done after the course has finished)

What's Not Included

  • Accommodation
  • Shipping of pieces that will be fired by the studio
  • Additional cost for firing/glazing more than 6kg of pieces (it’s 20€/kg for each extra kg of clay)
  • Alcoholic beverages

Arrival/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 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.

2025 Dates
EUR €2250
14 Sept - 27th September 2025
16th Nov - 29th November 2025
Learn from our resident teacher
Daily local activities
Check Availability
2026 Dates
EUR €2300
1st March - 14th March 2026
5th July - 18th July 2026
16th August - 29th August 2026
Check Availability

A Typical Day

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 at 0900 through to approximately 1700 on 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, 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

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.

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.

(📷 by Sabela Andrés @sabelaandres)

Meet the team

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