Studio Manager

Mandy Scanlon

An avid world traveler and resident, Mandy couldn't resist la dolce vita of Italy, swapping Australia for Salemi. The Salemi studio's aesthetic and function reflects her own harmonious approach and aims to stimulate your long-term creativity. She draws personal inspiration from everyday rituals, human encounters from her travels and the stories they tell. Mandy is passionate about the therapeutic benefits of clay working, acceptance of the imperfect and making space for good conversation and creative connection. The Salemi School of Ceramics is the beginning of a greater community story and Mandy can't wait to welcome and share the space with you.

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Meet the rest of the team

We are dedicated to giving you the best experience

Rebeca & Mat Newton

Studio Directors
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 Cini

Lead Ceramicist & Teacher
Mati is an Italian ceramicist based between Salemi and Barcelona, with 10 years of experience working with and teaching ceramics. She is the Lead Ceramicist 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 Bozsik

Bookings Operations
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 "other right hand," handling bookings, answering questions, and other administrative tasks, working remotely from home.

Chiara Angelo

Assistant Studio Manager
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 Puma

Studio Assistant
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.