This November, we are offering two ceramics retreats for you to connect with clay, land, culture, and creativity.
Lanquin, Guatemala
Building a Natural Kiln
November 12-15, 2026
An intensive two-day workshop focused on the theory and hands-on construction of a direct draft ceramic kiln using natural materials, site-based mixtures, and traditional building techniques.
Participants will learn the complete process, from identifying local resources and understanding kiln design principles to building the full structure and gaining foundational knowledge of firing processes and kiln operation.
PROGRAM
Day 1 — Design and Structural Construction
Working load: 8 hours
Block 1 — Introduction and System Understanding (1.5 hours)
Introduction to direct draft kilns
Core firing principles and heat flow
Structural analysis and kiln references
Natural resources available in the environment
Block 2 — Design and Planning (1.5 hours)
General kiln design
Dimensions and proportions
Fire circulation and heat movement
Site selection and orientation
Block 3 — Tools, Materials, and Mixture Formulation (2 hours)
Essential tools and materials
Material selection and preparation
Structural mixture formulation
Insulating mixture preparation
Block 4 — Arch Construction (1 hour)
Building the main arch
Temporary support systems
Stability and closing techniques
Block 5 — Vault and Upper Structure Construction (2 hours)
Building the kiln vault
Chamber integration and airflow
Exterior structural construction
Day 2 — Consolidation, Finishing, and Kiln Function
Working load: 7 hours
Block 1 — Structural Adjustments and Reinforcement (2 hours)
Structural corrections and refinements
Joint consolidation
Airflow and stability review
Block 2 — Plastering and Insulation (2 hours)
Application of protective plaster layers
Exterior insulation techniques
Surface finishing and protection
Block 3 — Drying and Thermal Behavior (1.5 hours)
Drying principles
Moisture management
Thermal stress and crack prevention
Block 4 — Kiln Operation and Safety (1.5 hours)
Stages of ceramic firing
Fire management fundamentals
Kiln care, maintenance, and safety practices
Day 3 - Land, Culture & Cacao Immersion
3-hour cacao tour to learn regenerative agriculture practices, artisanal cacao processing and make your own chocolates
Visit to the beloved Semuc Champey natural pools
Details:
Cost of Retreat (with shared room): $550 USD
Cost of retreat (with private room): $590 USD
Reserve your spot with a 15% deposit (refundable deposit until October 14)
We will help with advising on transportation logistics once you book!
Retreat will be hosted in both Spanish and English
For more information and to reserve your spot, email elbarrovuelve@gmail.com or write to Ana on WhatsApp at +506-8395-1654
Hand-Building Ceramics Retreat
November 19-22, 2026
An Immersive Four-Day Experience in Hand-Built Ceramics
This retreat is designed as a complete introduction to the ceramic process, guiding participants through every stage of making — from understanding the material and building ceramic forms by hand to decorating, wood firing, and waterproofing finished pieces.
Working with clay, participants will develop a deeper understanding of ceramic materials while learning practical techniques that can be applied in their own studio practice. Through demonstrations, guided exercises, and individual feedback, each participant will complete a series of functional or sculptural pieces and experience the transformation that occurs through fire.
The retreat is intentionally limited to a small group, allowing for close instruction and an immersive learning environment.
What You Will Learn
Understanding clay and material preparation
Handbuilding techniques and structural principles
Design, proportion, and functional form
Surface decoration through pastillaje and sgraffito
Stone burnishing techniques
Loading and operating a direct draft wood-fired kiln
Traditional sealing and waterproofing methods
Program:
Day 1 — Arrival & Orientation
Participant Arrival
Check-in and accommodation
Welcome refreshments
Site orientation
Introduction
Program overview
Workshop methodology
Materials, tools and firing process
Studio guidelines
Day 2 — Clay, Handbuilding & Structural Principles
Block 1 — Understanding the Material
Local clay properties
Clay preparation
Plasticity and moisture control
Block 2 — Handbuilding Techniques
Pinch
Coil
Slab construction
Joining methods
Block 3 — Structure & Form
Building stable ceramic forms
Wall thickness
Compression
Structural integrity
Day 3 — Design, Surface & Decoration
Block 1 — Design Principles
Balance
Proportion
Harmony
Functional and sculptural forms
Block 2 — Surface Decoration
Pastillaje
Sgraffito
Surface composition
Block 3 — Stone Burnishing
Surface compression
Burnishing techniques
Preparing pieces for firing
Day 4 — Wood Firing, Semuc Champey & Closing
Block 1 — Loading the Direct Draft Kiln
Preparing the kiln
Stacking strategies
Airflow and placement
Block 2 — Wood Firing
Stages of the firing
Fire management
Temperature development
Block 3 — Sealing, Waterproofing & Closing
Traditional beeswax finish
Waterproofing techniques
Final review
Questions and farewell
Details:
Cost of Retreat (with shared room): $530 USD
Cost of retreat (with private room): $570 USD
Reserve your spot with a 15% deposit (refundable deposit until October 14)
We will help with advising on transportation logistics once you book!
Retreat will be hosted in both Spanish and English
For more information and to reserve your spot, email elbarrovuelve@gmail.com or write to Ana on WhatsApp at +506-8395-1654
If you’d like to register for both retreats, you will receive a 15% discount on the workshops and accommodations extension between the retreats.
The Hosts
Her work focuses on utilitarian and sculptural ceramics inspired by traditional handbuilding and firing techniques, using locally sourced clay and handcrafted kilns. Through her practice, she explores the relationship between ceramic processes, territory, material knowledge, and cultural regeneration through craft traditions.
Panamanian ceramic artist based in the Southern Caribbean region of Costa Rica, and founder of El Barro Vuelve.
Ana
An architect of deep empathy and sensitivity toward the natural environment, a skilled designer passionate about creating and discovering different ways of inhabiting space, perceptive and dedicated to detail.
Responsible for conceptualizing and maintaining the aesthetic-spatial coherence of our projects, bringing a continuous creative interest to resolving the space that supports our clients' way of living.
She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the University of Costa Rica in 2014.
Right after graduating, she co-founded the architecture and construction firm Hábitat Humano Arquitectura Viva SRL with a partner.
The company carries out the entire project realization process — from lot selection, if the client requests it, to project design, construction blueprints, permitting, consulting, project management, technical direction, and construction.
She now has 12 years of experience creating and executing projects.
She completed the Diploma in Earth as Sustenance and Shelter, where she studied and explored earthen construction techniques, which she has since implemented in her projects.
Estefanía
Mackenzie is a social entrepreneur and land steward guided by a deep sensitivity to the natural world and a curiosity for regenerative ways of living, creating, and inhabiting Place.
She is the founder and creator of Casa Awänímä, a regenerative sanctuary on Lake Atitlán exploring natural building, ecological living, and our relationship with the land, and a steward of AWANIMA Cacao, working alongside farming communities to cultivate a more reciprocal relationship between people, food, and Earth.
Her work weaves together land, community, traditional practices, and natural materials, creating spaces and experiences that invite deeper connection to place, to one another, and to the living world.
Founder, AWANIMA