Sunday 5th to Sunday 12th May 2019
A fully catered week at Le Pommier and ceramics workshops at Atelier La Tour des Bidoux with Jessie Mooy.
Workshops at Atelier La Tour des Bidoux, Dordogne
We will handle a wide range of work from vessels to sculpture, depending on your personal level. Using clay and underglaze pigments, you will investigate form and decoration. Through discussion and collaboration, we try to arrive at new possibilities. You only need a willingness to have fun and experiment and embrace the deliberate awkwardness of finding yourself in unknown territory if you have not worked with clay before. All levels welcome and no experience needed.
You will be taught all hand building techniques in ceramic art. You will learn decorative techniques. You can create something from a range of objects: bowls, platters, tiles, lanterns, garden sculptures, according to your level.
These classes are 140 Euros for a workshop of 12 hours spread over 4 mornings. From 9.30 till 12.30. A short tea/coffee break at 11.00.
All clay, underglaze pigments, slips, oxides glazes included as well as a firing for all your pieces. Book in advance as places are limited to 4 or 5 persons. The rest of the week is needed for drying, firing and cooling of the kiln before you can go home with your creation!
Jessie Mooy has a degree in Fine Arts and has been working for more than 30 years as a ceramicist and teacher. Her ceramic creations have been acquired by several Art museums in South Africa and are part of private collections worldwide.
Your week at Le Pommier
You will arrive on Sunday, and after a chance to settle in, and tea and cake, we will all dine together.
After breakfast (Mon to Thurs) you will walk the short distance up the road to La Tour des Bidoux for your workshop, returning to Le Pommier for lunch. In the afternoon you are free to go for a walk or spend your time at Le Pommier, maybe reading a book in the gardens, or by the pool or playing pool or table tennis in the barn. Dinner will be served each evening, on the terrace, in the garden, or in La Maison subject to the weather.
On Friday we will go to Riberac market, and on Saturday to Aubeterre sur Dronne, a beautiful village with several pottery shops. We'll eat out in a local restaurant on one of these days.
Your fired masterpiece will be ready to pack to take home on Sunday.
Jessie can accommodate a maximum of 5 in her studio, but if you'd like to come with a non-participating partner or friend to share a bedroom we have a reduced price for them.
Accommodation:
Le Pommier has 5 bedrooms
Le Gite - a ground floor double with ensuite shower, toilet and washbasin, upstairs a spacious twin with adjacent bathroom.
A kitchen diner and comfortable lounge.
La Maison - 1 ground floor double with adjacent bathroom, upstairs a double and a twin share a fabulous large bathroom.
The kitchen has a table and chairs, and we will use the large dining table in the lounge for any indoor meals.
Travel: Please note flight, ferry or train are not included the holiday price.
Driving - gives you the advantage of being able to take any size piece of work home easily, and the freedom to explore the area in the afternoons.
Flying - we will collect from Bergerac airport (an hour from us) on the Sunday but you may have to spend a little time at the airport if we have guests coming in on different flights. There is a cafe. Remember you will need luggage space for your creation. You also have the option of hiring a car from there.
Train - an option that we'd need to work out with you for collection from Mussidan station.
Catering:
Linda was a chef and worked in catering for 30 years.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner served with wine, beer and soft drinks.
There will be tea, coffee and milk in the kitchens for you to help yourselves, and a basket of fresh fruit.
On workshop mornings you'll have a short coffee break with Jessie.
Please let us know when booking if you have any special dietary requirements, or strong dislikes.
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Prices 2019
Le Pommier
Accommodation and catering 995 euros PP
Person sharing a room 750 euros PP
Atelier La Tour
4 x workshops and firing 140 euros PP