Pottery Foundations Retreat
25th - 30th June 2026
This is a 4-day handbuilding series designed for beginners. Each session is 3 hours long and focuses on foundational pottery skills, surface design, and creativity. The emphasis is on the experience of making rather than producing perfect pieces.
This retreat is capped to 12 students.
Details:
What’s Included:
- 5 nights / 6 days stay at Selva Terra Private Island Resort
- Round trip airport transfers from David Airport to the island
- All-inclusive fresh and healthy meals: breakfast, lunch and 3-course gourmet dinner
- Selected wines and beers
- 12 hours of ceramics workshops – taught in English
- Daily yoga overlooking the ocean
- 3 resort activities: hiking, island hopping, kayaking or SUP in the mangroves
- Use of facilities including kayaks, paddleboards and surfboards
- Use of clay and workshop materials
- Panamanian taxes
What’s Not Included:
- International airfares
- Domestic airfares – Panama City Package available as an ad-on
- Cocktails and premium alcoholic beverages
- Additional excursions: fishing, diving, horseback riding.. enquire for more details and pricing in contact form below
- Option to bisque fire one of your creations to ship home *student to pay
- Tips
Bri Santo
Meet your Teacher
Bri Santo is a Ceramic Artist and Educator whose work is deeply rooted in the art of handbuilding and the joy of making. Inspired by the balance between function and play, her pottery embraces organic forms, thoughtful details, and everyday rituals. With a background in education and a passion for fostering creativity, Bri founded Studio Sumi, a San Francisco-based ceramics studio designed to be a welcoming space where artists of all levels can explore clay in a fun, accessible, and inspiring environment.
As the creator of Sumiware Ceramics, Bri crafts thoughtfully designed, handbuilt pieces that bring warmth and intention into daily life. Her work has been featured in shops and markets throughout the Bay Area, and she continues to share her love for ceramics through workshops, community events, and a growing membership program.
Sample Itinerary:
Day 1:
3PM: Transportation from David Airport to the Island – 60-75 mins
4PM: Welcome cocktail spritz and check ins
7:30PM: 3-course welcome dinner
Day 2:
7AM: Yoga
8AM: Breakfast
9AM–12PM: Pottery Workshop:
Intro + Form Building
Guests will learn slab-building techniques and create a mug or sculptural vase form. We’ll cover basic handbuilding methods and clay prep.
12PM-2PM: Lunch
5PM: Resort Activity: Hiking tour in the jungle – a chance to spot the islands howler monkeys as well as visit the plantation and learn about how to grow fruit and vegetables in the tropics
7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner
Day 3:
7AM: Yoga
8AM: Breakfast
9AM-12PM: Pottery Workshop:
Underglaze Painting
We’ll introduce underglazes and explore color blocking, layering, and brushwork to add surface decoration to their pieces.
12PM-2PM: Lunch
4PM: Resort Activity: Kayaking in the Mangroves Tour or SUP to surrounding beaches
7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner
Day 4:
7AM: Yoga
8AM: Breakfast
10AM-1PM: Resort Activity: Island Hopping Tour – explore the surrounding uninhabited islands, a chance for beach time, volleyball, or perhaps snorkel with turtles
1:30PM: Lunch
3PM-6PM: Pottery Workshop: Sgraffito + Linework
Guests will learn how to carve into their painted surfaces to add personal patterns, symbols, or text using sgraffito techniques.
7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner
Day 5:
7AM: Yoga
8AM: Breakfast
9AM-12PM: Pottery Workshop: Finishing Touches
We’ll go over optional transfer and detail techniques. Guests can add finishing touches to their work and make a small tile or charm. We’ll also take time for a short group reflection.
12:30PM: Lunch at Coconut Bay Beach Club
7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner
Day 6:
6-9AM: Breakfast
11AM: Check-out and transfer to David Airport
Accommodation
All rooms are ocean facing, have AC, WiFi, own bathroom with hot water and a private terrace.
The prices below are per person for the duration of the whole ceramics retreat and are inclusive of taxes.
- Private Occupancy Casita or Room – king: US$ 3,500
- Double Occupancy Casita or Room (Bring a friend or pair up with another student) – 2 twins or 1 king: US$ 2,800
- Non-Students Stay: US$ 2,200 if sharing in a double occupancy room or $3,100 for a private room
Deposit and Payment: US$750 deposit is required upfront to secure your spot with the balance due 90 days prior to the retreat start date. Payments can be made via credit card (Mastercard or Visa) or wire transfer.
Add-Ons:
Panama City Package (on arrival): US$ 850 including tax
- VIP immigration clearance upon arrival in Panama City – no queues in immigration
- 1 night stay at the Hilton, option to upgrade to The Old Town
- Round trip domestic flight bookings (PTY/PAC-DAV & DAV-PTY)
- Guided tour: Panama Canal or The Old City Casco Viejo
Boquete Package (on arrival or departure): enquire for pricing
Spend 1 or 2 nights in the highlands of Chiriqui plus 1 or 2 activities
Spend 1 or 2 nights in the highlands of Chiriqui plus 1 or 2 activities
Ceramics retreat
Secure Your Spot
Let us know which week you would like to join our unique yoga, island and pottery retreat from the available dates in 2025. We will get back to you within 24 hours.
FAQ's
How do you get to Selva Terra?
Check out our Getting Here section. When booking the retreat, airport transfers from David Airport are included.
If you require assistance in Panama City we can also help you. Our Panama City package includes all logistics from the moment you arrive in Panama with an overnight stay in the capital. Enquire for more details.
Can I bring someone that doesn’t want to participate in the pottery classes?
Want to bring a friend, partner or family along with you? Bring them along and they are welcome to join the retreat as a non-student. They will still get to enjoy the resort activities, facilities and retreat schedule, but without the pottery workshops.
Can I bring my artwork home?
Yes, we can fire one of your pieces in our kiln for you to bring home *subject to dryness. At an additional fee, we can also arrange to ship any extra pieces to you via DHL.
Get in touch
We accept
Visa, Mastercard, Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum and UDSC/USDT)
Get in touch
We accept
Visa, Mastercard, Wire, Crypto (Bitcoin, Ethereum and UDSC)
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