Porcelain Mastery Course — 24-28 August

This immersion is designed to help you experience porcelain from multiple angles within a focused and highly practical format. Rather than working exclusively at the wheel or solely through hand-building, we combine both approaches throughout the course, allowing techniques to inform and strengthen one another.

Limited to just four participants, the immersion offers a supportive, relaxed atmosphere with plenty of individual guidance. Whether you're taking your first steps with porcelain or refining an existing practice

What We Explore

• Wheel-thrown porcelain

• Slab building and hand-built forms

• Surface texture and decoration

• Functional design principles

• Cups, bowls, plates, serving ware, and teapots

• Studio workflow and efficient making methods

Along the way, you'll develop:

• Better control and sensitivity with porcelain

• Stronger understanding of form and proportion

• Confidence moving between wheel and hand-building techniques

• Efficient processes for creating cohesive collections

Many participants arrive expecting “a pottery class” — and leave with something far deeper.

“I left home for a pottery class but returned with so much more. This experience far exceeded anything I could have imagined.”
— Eliza, Romania

Wheel Throwing

We begin with the foundations: spiral wedging, centering, opening, pulling cylinders, shaping forms, and trimming.

Depending on your skill level, we may explore:

• Larger forms

• Teapots and lidded vessels

• Handles and attachments

Having guided hundreds of students through their first experiences with clay, I teach with a balance of precision and intuitive understanding, helping each participant find an approach that feels both effective and natural.

Hand Building & Heirloom Dinnerware

Alongside wheel work, we will explore hand-building techniques that allow beautiful, functional pieces to emerge quickly and efficiently.

Together we create:

• Slab-built dinnerware

• Textured porcelain cups

• Plates and serving pieces

I share the methods used within my own studio practice and hospitality collections, including approaches that make it possible to create coherent, professional-looking tableware set.

Course Rhythm

• 4 days and 4 nights (arrival on 24 August, departure on 28 August)

• 4 hours of guided sessions per day

• Daily rhythm: Morning session 10:00–12:00, Afternoon session 14:00–16:00

• Studio remains open to you beyond guided sessions

Location

The immersion takes place in our light-filled studio in rural Zemgale, surrounded by open farmland, an apple orchard, and the horse sanctuary.

Distances:

• 25 km from Bauska

• 70 km from Riga

• Approximately 1 hour from Riga International Airport (RIX)

• 5 minutes from the magnificent Rundāle Palace, one of the Baltic region's most celebrated historic estates

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided in our family home — a historic brick building dating back to 1878 and lovingly renovated in 2021.

The atmosphere is quiet, relaxed, and deeply connected to the surrounding landscape. The house is shared with our family, five cats, and one friendly dog. Between the house and studio lies the horses' paddock, where the rhythm of daily life naturally unfolds.

Guests are accommodated across three rooms:

• A twin room with two single beds and privacy divider (linen curtain)

• A small private single room

• A spacious en-suite room with private kitchenette

All rooms include bedding, towels, Wi-Fi, and access to a fully equipped kitchen.

Meals are self-organised, and participants often choose to cook and share meals together, creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere beyond the studio hours.

The kitchen is stocked with our handmade pottery, offering a chance to live with and use the pieces throughout your stay—from morning coffee and tea rituals to shared dinners around the table. A farewell dinner is provided on the final day of the immersion.

The studio is only a two-minute walk away from the house..

TRANSPORT & GETTING AROUND

Most groups choose to share a rental car, which offers greater flexibility for evening outings, restaurant visits, or local exploration.

If arriving by public transport, we recommend coming by Bolt taxi, in which case most participants remain on the premises throughout the immersion. We also offer a shuttle service to/from Bauska for anyone arriving with public transport.

What's Included

• 16 hours of guided instruction

• Small group of only four participants

• All materials, Bisque firing, glazing, and final firing*

• Accommodation for four nights

• Continued access to the studio outside teaching hours

* Includes glazing and firing of up to 30 pieces

Finished pieces are glazed and fired by us within 4 weeks after the course and shipped to your home (shipping costs additional).

Course Fee

€1,800 per person

Payment plan available.

Places are intentionally limited to four participants to ensure personal guidance and ample studio access throughout the immersion.

Practical Information

Q&A with travel tips, arrival information, and practical considerations

Arrival
Arrival is scheduled for 24 August evening, between 17:00–18:00, allowing time to settle in and ease into the space.

Departure
Departure is on 28 August after 18:00. Please note that this is still a full and active day with shared dinner at 16:30.

Booking Terms & Conditions

Application

If this immersion resonates with you, write to laimaceramics@gmail.com and include:

• A short introduction about yourself

• Your experience level with ceramics

We look forward to welcoming you into our studio and sharing four days of porcelain, craftsmanship, and creative exploration.