Wheel Throwing Pottery Retreat on a Private Island in Panama

Wheel Throwing Pottery Retreat

23rd - 28th July 2025

Find your center on this wheel throwing pottery retreat designed for beginners and intermediates. The outcome of the retreat is for the students to learn to throw on the pottery wheel and understand the foundations of working with clay.

The retreat will be capped to a maximum of 12 pottery 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 pottery wheel throwing workshops – taught in English
Daily yoga overlooking the ocean
4 resort activities: jungle hiking, island hopping and whale watching tour, kayaking mangrove tour and cooking class
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 add-on
Cocktails and premium alcoholic beverages
Additional excursions: fishing, diving, horseback riding.. enquire for more details and pricing in contact form below
Private classes with Garret Pendergrass – for those who want more instruction, additional 2hr slots will be open daily for 1:1 wheel time.
Tips
Bisque fired work can be shipped for an additional fee.

Wheel Throwing Pottery Retreat 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:

Jumping Straight into Wheel Time! Learning the 4 stages of working on the pottery wheel with cups!

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: Build more confidence on the wheel, practice shaping skills and learn the art of handles

12PM-2PM: Lunch

4PM: Resort Activity: Kayaking in the Mangroves Tour or SUP to surrounding beaches

7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner

Day 4:

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: Controlling clay direction, intentional shaping to create bowls

7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner

9PM: Yin Yoga and Sound Meditation

Day 5:

7AM: Yoga

8AM: Breakfast

9AM-12PM: Pottery Workshop: Using trimming to show off your aesthetic style and bring balance to your forms.

12:30PM: Lunch at Coconut Bay Beach Club

2PM-4PM: Resort Activity: Cooking class – learn to make typical Panamanian foods, including our mouthwatering ceviche

7:30PM: 3-course gourmet dinner

Day 6:

6-9AM: Breakfast

11AM: Check-out and transfer to David Airport

Luxury Accommodations and Pricing

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 Find Your Center Pottery 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
Quad Occupancy Room (share the upstairs room in Ursa Villa with 3 other guests): US$ 2,650
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.

Early bird offer: US$500 off when booking before by 31st January 2025 *students only.

Meet
your
hostS

Garret Pendergrass is a Fort Worth-based Ceramic Artist and teacher. Garret has been teaching students from K-12, undergraduates, and private lessons for all ages since 2004. In 2013 Garret opened his own pottery teaching studio GPP, now located in the Magnolia Village of Fort Worth. His studio is popular in the area for specializing in wheel throwing classes. Beginners will find their lessons geared towards learning the basics of the pottery wheel to throw cups and small bowl forms. More advanced students will have the opportunity to challenge themselves to pursue pieces of interest with the help of Garret’s guidance

Samantha will be your resort host and yoga teacher throughout the retreat. Samantha is an ex-trader from London who now manages and lives the island life at the resort. She loves to share the benefits of connection with nature and presence through yoga. Throughout the retreat, Samantha will teach open level hatha, vinyasa and yin classes.

RYT qualified in Hatha, Vinyasa, Rocket (progressive ashtanga), Yin and Yoga Nidra.

Ceramics retreat

Secure Your Spot

Let us know which week you would like to join us from the pottery retreat dates in 2025. We will get back to you within 24 hours.

2025 Retreat Date*

Accommodation*

Would you like more info on our Panama City Package?*

Message:

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.

Do I get to bring my pieces back with me?

Yes, we will fire one of your pieces in our kiln for you to bring home subject to it being dry enough. At an additional fee, we can also arrange to ship any extra pieces to you via DHL.