FAQ

If you're taking a course or workshop consisting of multiple lessons, please bring an apron, a towel that you don't mind getting dirty, and a very good mood. Every time you come, make sure your towel and apron are completely clean. When clay dries, it consists of very fine dust particles, silica. In dry form, this is harmful to your health if you breathe it in. If you bring an apron or towel with dry clay particles on it, these will be released into the studio as soon as you move. This is harmful to your health. Every time the lesson is over, we clean the studio as you find it. This means thoroughly cleaning the pottery wheels, the floor, and the sink. This way, we ensure the air stays as clean as possible and we stay as healthy as possible.

It is also useful if your nails are short.

We begin each lesson with a new basic technique, both hand-forming and turning. After you've learned the basic technique, you're free to decide what you want to do with it and what you create. With throwing on the wheel, it's especially important to practice one basic technique many times before you master it. In the ceramics world, we call this "km throwing." Turning isn't a technique you master immediately, so it's a matter of repeating the exercises. With hand-forming, you can start creating objects almost immediately and have more freedom in your choices.

Most people have an idea in mind beforehand and choose one of the two ceramic forms. If you don't, you can choose a trial lesson where we'll cover both throwing and hand-forming.

Certainly, if you come with a group of 4, I can reserve a separate time slot and day for you.

That's possible. Because I'm just starting to teach in the Netherlands, I don't yet know which time slots are preferred. It would be helpful if you indicated which days and times you're available. Perhaps others would prefer a different day, so I can create a new group.

Most guest teachers teach in English. I teach in English, Dutch, and Greek, depending on the languages spoken in the group. I also speak German, French, and Faroese, so I can help most people. 

The duration of the lessons depends on the teacher, but ranges from 4 to 6 hours per day. You can see this for each retreat on the relevant page.

In the afternoon, there's also time to use the potters' wheels and tools and practice unsupervised, or a teacher can be present. However, no lessons are given in these situations.

So, if you want, you can work with clay for 4 to 8 hours a day.

We'll generally be throwing in the garden, in the shade of the trees or under the canopy next to the pool. There are loungers and cushions, and you can take as many breaks or cool off as you like. It's advisable to get the most out of the course, but if that means alternating that with refreshing dips in the water, that's perfectly fine. What we really want is for you to feel free and comfortable enough to follow your feelings and body, and to have an amazing holiday with the right balance of activity and relaxation for you.

We cook vegetarian meals, but we can also accommodate vegan or gluten-free preferences. We can also try to accommodate your wishes as much as possible, but it's not always easy to find specialty items on an island. In such cases, it's advisable to bring some ingredients from home that meet your requirements. If you need meat, or prefer to cook for yourself, you can shop for groceries nearby or at the butcher's at your own expense, and the kitchen is at your disposal. Again, we want everyone to feel as good as possible and free to be or find their best selves.