Summary

8 days of retreat. 5 days of creative fire. A journey to yourself. On the sun-drenched Mediterranean island of Gozo, an extraordinary ceramics retreat awaits you, combining art, nature, and deep well-being. In an intensive 5-day workshop, we will devote ourselves to the archaic raku technique and fascinating firing methods using horsehair, feather, and obvara glazes—a lively interplay of fire, earth, air, and intuition. Under the guiding principle
"Relaxation with nature, fire & earth – a sensual journey into ceramics and well-being," a protected space for creativity, mindfulness, and inner balance is created. As the clay takes shape through your hands, a space of deceleration and grounding opens up. The artistic accommodation Art Stay Modique – a place with a special atmosphere – ensures a holistic experience. The warm hot tub under the Mediterranean sky and the unique wellness crystal grotto invite you to regenerate your body and mind and let your creative energy linger. This retreat is more than a workshop – it is a conscious time-out, an immersion in the elements and a reconnection with your own creative power.

The retreat at a glance

The most important facts in a nutshell:

Categories: Pottery, Relaxation, Wellness, Creative Retreats, Detox Retreats
Date: Mar | May | Aug
Language(s): English, German
Level: Beginner
Group Size: 4
Place: Nadur, Malta
Accommodation: Overnight stay included
Catering: Half board
Types of food: Vegetarian
Services: 7 nights' accommodation

breakfast

bathrobe

hot tub

Shampoo, shower gel, conditioner

towels

Beach umbrella

beach towel

Coffee or tea

3 lunches during the retreat

2 evening meals during the retreat

All materials and clay up to 3 kg

2 Burned

Additional services Sound bath/sound therapy 60 min $60

Paddle board rental $25 per day

Additional culinary services starting at €35

Extra workshops such as Maltese tile design on ceramic tiles, 4 hours with evening meal, $60

Additional services Massages in the crystal grotto from €35

Accommodation

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

Catering

The retreat includes an 8-day stay at Art Stay Modique with a 5-day retreat program, 4 days of light vegetarian lunches, and cozy dinners with wine and other delicacies on the last 2 evenings.  All culinary delicacies are lovingly served on homemade ceramic tableware. Coffee and drinks are also available free of charge during the retreat.

sequence

Theme: Relaxation with nature, fire, and 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 CLAY (10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.)
Morning Introduction to Hermi's crystal grotto: opening round & setting common goals Introduction to the history of raku, horsehair, and feather firing Safety briefing (kiln, flammable materials, outdoor firing)
Late morning – Workshop clay preparation & wedging meditation Demonstration: shapes that are particularly suitable for raku firing Planning your own creations Hand-building your first creation (vessels, sculptural forms, small bowls, etc.)
Light lunch on the roof terrace Afternoon – Workshop Continuation of the hand-building session 🌿 DAY 3 – LETTING NATURE SPEAK THROUGH CLAY (10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.) Morning Weather permitting: Trip to "Hermi's Dreamland" (outdoor studio)
Short walk through nature 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 many uses
Preparation of Obvara glaze 🌿 DAY 4 – FORM, TEXTURE & SURFACE DESIGN (10:00–15:00) Morning Weather permitting: Trip to Hermi's Dreamland Refining leather-hard pieces
Polishing techniques (for surfaces during horsehair firing) Scoring & scraping textures Light lunch at Hermi's Dreamland Afternoon Applying terra sigillata for horsehair works 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 Use of feathers for characteristic carbon impressions 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 free for leisure Evening Closing ceremony & dinner together with a pizza experience Gratitude ritual by the fire 🌿 DAY 8 – DEPARTURE
A week to arrive, let go, and creatively immerse yourself in the elements of nature, fire, and earth. Price per person €1125 for shared double room or €1350 per person for single room occupancy Price includes: Material costs (3kg clay and all associated materials, glaze, firing, etc. Additional consumption may be charged extra).
🧘‍♀️ 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 digital detox

Arrival

You will need to arrange your own flight, but I am happy to recommend airlines. The airport is in Malta, and there are various ways to get to Gozo from there. The easiest is to take the TD2 bus to Valletta and then the fast ferry to Gozo. I will then come and pick you up from the ferry in Gozo.

Triq ta Mattiju 7, NDR 2043 Nadur, , Malta