Relax amidst nature, fire, and sound on the Mediterranean island of Gozo

Our ART STAY Modique (MODern and antIQUE) features two guest rooms, each with a double bed consisting of two single beds. Each guest room has its own bathroom and guests have access to the rooftop terrace with a hot tub and the kitchen-living area. The guest rooms are furnished to a high standard: shampoo, conditioner & shower gel, hair dryer, 2 towels, a hot tub towel, a bathrobe, and a blanket for the rooftop terrace, Smart TV, tea, coffee, and a kettle. ART STAY Modique is located in the center of Nadur, right next to my ArTELIER (art studio). The TAN-NASPLA guest room is themed around the nasp tree, and TAT-TIN around the fig tree. The rooftop terrace is my cactus garden, and the kitchen-living room has an olive tree theme. Art Stay Modique is a home away from home.

The retreat includes an 8-day stay at Art Stay Modique, featuring a 5-day retreat program, 4 days of light vegetarian lunches, and, on the last 2 evenings, a cozy dinner with wine and other treats. 
All culinary delights are lovingly served on handmade ceramic tableware. Coffee and beverages are also available to you at no extra charge during the retreat.

Theme: Relaxation with Nature, Fire & Earth – a sensory journey into ceramics and well-being.
🌿 DAY 1 – ARRIVAL & GROUNDING
Guest arrival
Welcome drink with homemade lemonades
🌿 DAY 2 – BECOMING ONE WITH THE CLAY (10:00–15:00)
Morning
Introduction to Hermi’s Crystal Grotto:
Opening session & setting shared goals
Introduction to the history of Raku, Horsehair, & Feather firing
Safety briefing (kiln, flammable materials, outdoor firing)
Late Morning – Workshop
Clay preparation & wedging meditation
Demonstration: Shapes particularly suited for Raku firing
Planning your own creations
Hand-building your first creation (vessels, sculptural forms, small bowls …)
Light lunch on the rooftop terrace
Afternoon – Workshop
Continuation of the hand-building session
🌿 DAY 3 – LET NATURE SPEAK THROUGH THE CLAY (10:00–15:00)
Morning
Weather permitting: Trip to “Hermi’s Dreamland” (outdoor studio)
Short nature walk to discover patterns and structures
Hand-building session on the theme: Letting nature speak through clay (vessels, sculptures, small bowls)
Light lunch at Hermi’s Dreamland
Afternoon – Workshop
Information about local Gozitan clay and its diverse applications
Preparation of the Obvara glaze
🌿 DAY 4 – FORM, TEXTURE & SURFACE DESIGN (10:00–15:00)
Morning
Weather permitting: Drive to Hermi’s Dreamland
Refining leather-hard pieces
Polishing techniques (for surfaces in horsehair firing)
Scratching & carving textures
Light lunch at Hermi’s Dreamland
Afternoon
Applying Terra Sigillata for horsehair pieces
Return to accommodation
🌿 DAY 5 – FOLLOW YOUR RHYTHM
Free day – drying and firing day
Optional: Excursion & spa treatments
🔥🐴 DAY 6 – RAKU, HORSEHAIR & FEATHER FIRING
Afternoon
Glazing the Raku pieces
Explanation of the carbon trapping technique
Firing in the outdoor kiln
Applying the horsehair technique to one of the creations
Using feathers to create distinctive carbon imprints
Dinner
Smoke intensification techniques
Cleaning & polishing the Raku and Obvara pieces
🌿 DAY 7 – INTEGRATION & CONCLUSION
Morning
Final touches
Light sanding & waxing
Photo session of the finished works
Artistic exchange & reflection
Afternoon at leisure
Evening
Closing ceremony & group dinner with a pizza experience
Gratitude ritual by the fire
🌿 DAY 8 – DEPARTURE
A week to arrive, let go, and immerse yourself creatively in the elements of nature, fire, and earth.
Price per person €1125 for a shared double room or €1350 per person for a single room

Price includes:
Material costs (3 kg of clay and all associated materials, glaze, firings, etc. Additional consumption may be charged separately.)
🧘‍♀️ Wellness elements included
Guided meditation & sound bath (grounding & regenerating)
Meditative music during creative work
Nature walks
Whirlpool relaxation
Optional massages or sound therapy with crystal bowls and tuning forks
Journaling prompts
Invitation to a digital detox

You’ll need to arrange your own flight, but I’d be happy to recommend some airlines. The airport is located in Malta, and from there there are several ways to get to Gozo. The easiest is to take the TD2 bus to Valletta and then the high-speed ferry to Gozo. I’ll meet you at the ferry terminal in Gozo.