🇨🇭 Basel • 5–8 November • Spalentor

You’ll shape your own piece entirely by hand, without a wheel, then burnish its surface with a smooth stone until it begins to shine.

This way of working comes from Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca, where it has been passed from person to person for more than 3,000 years.

I keep each group small so I can work closely with everyone.

I’m coming to Basel to teach these workshops. They’re part of my tour through six countries in Northern Europe and Switzerland, from August to December 2026.

Thursday 5 November

18:00–22:00

Friday 6 November

10:30–14:30

Saturday 7 November

10:30–14:30 or 16:30–20:30

Sunday 8 November

10:30–14:30 or 16:30–20:30

Tickets

Friday morning · CHF 125
Final week · CHF 140

All other sessions · CHF 140
Final week · CHF 155

Prices per person · 10 bookable places per session
Final-week prices apply from Monday 2 November.

Everything will be ready when you arrive

Your ticket includes clay, materials, tools and the firing of your piece.

Open to beginners, experienced ceramicists and artists.

Come with a friend, partner or family member, or join us on your own, as many participants do.

We’ll spend four hours together, though the workshop may run a little longer. About two and a half hours in, we’ll take a break. There’ll be enough time to go out for something to eat if you like, or you can stay at the studio.

Amelia: Tesoros vivos del barro · Official trailer · 1:59

The documentary grew from footage I filmed while studying with Amelia in 2021. Innovando la Tradición later developed it into the full 28-minute film. 

In 2024, it was an official selection at the Morelia International Film Festival and was screened at Docs Oaxaca. The film has also been shown elsewhere in Mexico, in other parts of Latin America, in the United States and across Europe.

Read the story behind the documentary
Article in Spanish

Story · Shape · Burnish

What we’ll do together

We begin with the story

Through photographs and stories, I’ll take some time to share the wider history of pottery in Oaxaca and across southern Mexico, before bringing us closer to Ixtlán: its mountains, red clay, open-air wood firings and the people who preserved this knowledge and passed it down from one generation to the next.

Then we shape

You’ll begin with a piece of freshly prepared clay. I’ll show you how to open it, raise the walls and shape a bowl, cup or another simple vessel.

After a short pause, we burnish

Once the clay is firmer, we’ll refine the curves, add the final details and burnish the surface with a stone until it begins to shine.

One piece, made by you

You’ll finish one piece and add your signature underneath. I’ll help you make the walls, rim and base strong enough for firing, but the final shape is yours.

After the workshop

Your piece will stay at Ceramics Collective Basel to dry completely before firing. It should be ready around four weeks after your workshop.

I’ll email you when it’s ready and let you know how to pick it up from the studio..

Shared in small groups across 42 cities and communities

Since 2022, I’ve shared this workshop across ten countries in Europe and Latin America.

See every place where I’ve shared the workshop

What past participants remember

Read all participant reviews on Google Maps

Basel · Switzerland

At Ceramics Collective Basel

We’ll meet at Ceramics Collective Basel, a volunteer-led ceramics collective in the city.

Ceramics Collective Basel

Spalentorweg 7
4051 Basel
Switzerland

You can find the studio on Instagram @ceramics_collective_basel.

Open in Google Maps

How your booking works

1 · Choose your session

Choose the date and time that work best for you. Each ticket is for one session.

2 · Complete the payment

Pay through PayPal with an account or by card. A PayPal account isn’t required.

3 · Check your email

Your confirmation includes your session, the address and practical details. Please check your spam folder if it doesn’t arrive.

I’ll invite you to an optional WhatsApp announcements group before the workshop. You won’t be added automatically; essential details also come by email.

Do I need to bring anything?

No. The clay and materials will be ready, along with all the tools you’ll use during the workshop.

You don’t need to wear anything in particular for the workshop. The process is usually quite clean, and if you get a little clay on your clothes, it normally washes out easily. An apron is entirely optional. Shorter nails make hand-building easier, but long nails are fine too.

How much clay will I have, and how many pieces will I make?

You’ll work with around 400 g of clay to make one medium-sized piece, such as a generous cup, bowl or another simple vessel.

We’ll focus on that one piece from start to finish, with time to shape it, smooth it and burnish it with a stone. By the end, you’ll know the whole process well enough to try it again afterwards.

When will my piece be ready, and where do I collect it?

Your piece will stay at Ceramics Collective Basel to dry and be fired and should be ready to collect around four weeks after your workshop. The collective will handle collection at the studio. I’ll email you once it’s ready, with its collection instructions.

Can my piece be shipped?

We don’t offer shipping. If you need your piece sent, please arrange for someone to collect it at the studio and ship it to you independently.

Please give them clear photographs of your piece and its mark, your name and session details so they can identify it at collection.

What language is the workshop in?

The workshop is taught entirely in English. Everyone attending needs to be able to follow spoken explanations, demonstrations and instructions without relying on another person to translate during the session.

Can children join?

The workshop is mainly for adults. Children from around age 8 or 9 may join with a parent or responsible adult if they enjoy focused, hands-on activities and can follow the workshop in English without an adult translating. The session lasts 4 hours, so it may not suit every child.

Please book a separate ticket for the child and the accompanying adult. There is no reduced rate for children or young people. If a young person would like to attend independently, please contact me before booking so we can check the arrangements.

What should I know about firing?

Small marks, colour changes, warping or cracks can happen during drying, handling and firing. In very rare cases, a piece may break. I’ll guide you through the steps that give it the best chance, but the final result cannot be guaranteed.

Can I change or cancel my ticket?

If you cancel or can’t attend, your ticket is non-refundable. If you need to change sessions, please contact me at least 10 days before your booked workshop. If another Basel session still has space, I’ll be happy to move your booking. Your original booking remains valid until I confirm the change.

You can also transfer your place to another eligible person before the workshop begins. Please let me know who will attend instead.