[clayshapes]

Hi all -- I just noticed a week long course at La Meridiana in Tuscanny with Susan Nemeth next month and am considering signing up if I can get a flight. Has anyone taken course there and if so, do you recommend it? Sounds beautiful and inspiring -- I assume the instruction will be top notch -- but wondering about accommodation etc. Not expecting luxury of course. Just looking for a review!

[Marcia Selsor]

I have been taking groups there since 2001. I strongly recommend it as a great travel experience complimented with a ceramics learning experience.
The studio is a great classroom. The kilns are always developing. The big wood kiln is super!- designed by Pietro and fires really well. Lucia cooks lunch during the workshop and her meals are divine!. The countryside is drop dead postcard imagery of Tuscany. Housing is in surrounding farm houses of various eras.
Claudia and Pietro organize outside things to please the visiting groups and often things just happen for everyone's enjoyment.
The classes and the workshop leaders vary constantly. So I just mentioned the other aspects that don't depend on the workshop teachers.
Marcia
while you are there I can recommend other things to do before or after the workshop if you have time. Feel free to contact me via my email on my profile site. I have been to Italy a lot and lived there in 2005 while my husband had a Fulbright there.
Marcia

[clayshapes]

Marcia Selsor, on 07 August 2012 - 06:15 PM, said:

I have been taking groups there since 2001. I strongly recommend it as a great travel experience complimented with a ceramics learning experience.
The studio is a great classroom. The kilns are always developing. The big wood kiln is super!- designed by Pietro and fires really well. Lucia cooks lunch during the workshop and her meals are divine!. The countryside is drop dead postcard imagery of Tuscany. Housing is in surrounding farm houses of various eras.
Claudia and Pietro organize outside things to please the visiting groups and often things just happen for everyone's enjoyment.
The classes and the workshop leaders vary constantly. So I just mentioned the other aspects that don't depend on the workshop teachers.
Marcia
while you are there I can recommend other things to do before or after the workshop if you have time. Feel free to contact me via my email on my profile site. I have been to Italy a lot and lived there in 2005 while my husband had a Fulbright there.
Marcia

Thanks for the response Marcia -- I thought I noticed something here about you leading classes there. This class is with Susan Nemeth -- someone I really admire. I'm a real newbie, so this would be a great treat. Glad to hear you and others have had such a great experience there. Am going to try to book a flight!

[Marcia Selsor]

You can fly into Florence directly or depending on your access to various airlines, Bologna is 1:20 minutes away from Florence,
Pisa 50 minutes to 1 hour away. And Rome is a bit further.

Marcia

[clayshapes]

Marcia Selsor, on 08 August 2012 - 02:35 PM, said:

You can fly into Florence directly or depending on your access to various airlines, Bologna is 1:20 minutes away from Florence,
Pisa 50 minutes to 1 hour away. And Rome is a bit further.

Marcia

Thanks Marcia. I booked to Florence - it was best from where I'm coming from (Toronto) since I'm using up some old airline points. I'm all set! Can't wait. I've been to Tuscany twice before, but never to Certaldo. Really looking forward to this adventure!

[Marcia Selsor]

You will have a great time....and mangara!
Marcia

[Stephen Robison]

clayshapes, on 07 August 2012 - 01:08 PM, said:

Hi all -- I just noticed a week long course at La Meridiana in Tuscanny with Susan Nemeth next month and am considering signing up if I can get a flight. Has anyone taken course there and if so, do you recommend it? Sounds beautiful and inspiring -- I assume the instruction will be top notch -- but wondering about accommodation etc. Not expecting luxury of course. Just looking for a review!

FANTASTIC place.. Hope to go there some day myself! Many friends of mine have been there and speak so highly of the school. I had breakfast with the head of the school a few times at NCECA and he and his colleague are top notch! GO AND HAVE A BLAST!!!

[Marcia Selsor]

Pietro holds a throwing practice week in the Spring. The focus is purely to practice throwing. He teaches technique.
There is no firing. Everything is wedged up.
People have raved about this program as a great learning process.Here is 2013 schedule:
http://www.lameridia...gramme_2013.htm

Marcia