How do I get to the Casa? Our closest train station is Montmorillion, it´s a 10-15 minute (depending on how much luggage you have with you!) walk from the Casa. Montmorillon connects to Limoges/Poitiers for high speed connections to Paris and the Airports of Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Bordeaux. The closest airports are Poitiers and Limoges, from there you can transfer to the locale train (At Limoges Airport, you need to take a short taxi ride to the train station.) or hire a car (the cheapest options) or take a taxi (the quickest but most expensive option at around 120 euros. You can also connect via train to Paris and Bordeaux airports relatively easily.
I work with clay, should I book a self-directed vs supported residency?
The simplest way to answer is that for a self-directed residency you really do need to be able to work independently, that is to say, make the work that you want to make in a way that won't damage the kilns. We do say that you should be able to fire your own work, but in all truth we will load/ fire the kiln for you, we mention this more so that those who are wanting to join us understand that you will need to be autonomous. .
If you just want to get on and make your own work in a magical and inspirational space a self directed residency will be perfect for you, but if you would like someone to bounce ideas off of, learn some extra or specific techniques and need help checking that your work is kiln self then a supported residency would be more suitable.
I hope this is helpful and please do let us know if we can help you with anything else
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TIMING
especially because of the length (a supported residency is one week and a self-directed residency is two weeks (though we can sometimes offer a one-week option)
In regards to arrival days / times,
Check in and check out times: Residents are free to arrive at Casa Julfa anytime time after 15:00 on the arrival day (First day of your residency or Atelier) Residents must vacate both the room and studio by 11am on the day of departure to allow us to prepare and receive the following resident(s)
our residencies run back to back on Thursday´s, that is to say that won´t be possible (in most cases) to arrive the night before because there will be another resident already present at Casa Julfa (same goes for departures). What some people chose to do is book a hotel the night before, there are many available in Montmorillon, but we recommend Le Arbre d´Ange which is less than 20 meters from Casa Julfa and owned by a lovely local couple (please note that Montmorillon is a popular tourist destination in spring/ summer so early booking is recommended.)
If you arrive for a self-directed residency, you can begin work independently on the same day you arrive (that is to say after check-in at 15:00) for a supported residency, you can start work on these days, but any tuition/ advice will only be available the following day.
Clay and firing
- Is use of the electric Rhode kiln mentioned part of the price?
Yes of course, one biscuit and one glaze firing is included in the price, if you need to do an additional firing we just charge them at cost.
10kg of earthenware clay is included in the price and you can purchase more at cost if you need. one biscuit and one glaze firing is included in the price, if you need to do an additional firing we just charge them at the actual cost.
Please could I book the additional wood fire workshop on my second week of the residency?
I would be delighted to share the magic of wood firing/ naked raku with you at the end of your stay. You can reserve this by following the link in the document also here. (Whilst this doesn´t need to be settled right away. It's also advisable not to wait too long, as we only do two firings per month as a general rule)
Is it possible to gain information on where to collect the wild clays on a self-directed residency, or is it possible to book and pay for a workshop on searching for and preparing local wild clays?
Absolutely, we are in the process of putting this together as an additional add-on workshop and and that will be available at the time of your residency - I should have more information in the next couple of weeks.
On your website it says that you can pay p/w for an Accompanying guest. Is it possible to add someone at a later date or is that something that has to be arranged now?
You can wait to reserve an additional guest up to four months before your´re stay - it´s possible to arrange afterwards but we cannot guarantee it will be possible, this is because Those with accompanying guests are always given the larger Estrella apartment, where they have a separate bedroom for their guest.
Meals
Meals are not included in our residency programme, but you have your own kitchen to prepare them as and when you want. There are several shops a very close to the house that sell local organic produce and there are also several super markets on the edge of town (a short cycle ride from the house). The is the large market on wednesday´s, right in the center of town and there is also a small market on Saturdays. There are also several restaurants and cafe´s in town as well.
f my friend is not ceramist but a photographer, thinker and she wants to join me, how would that work regarding sharing the cost?
The cost of and accompanying guest is always the same (295 pw) whatever their medium. This is because these costs mainly go towards covering the extra utility consumption and the fact that
I don't speak french, is that a barrier to my time there?
Woodfiring:
Can I fire the kiln by myself?
The way we do the wood-firing workshop is highly personalised anyway, sometimes people prefer to be guided to do most of the process themselves and other times they just want to be present whilst it happens, the cost of the workshop is always the same because of the inherent costs (wood, hire of land, wear and tear on kiln) and that of our time are always the same and obviously one of us always has to be present to insure no damage to the kiln or the surrounding area (the kiln is located by a lake in a nature reserve)
ONCE YOU ARE HERE:
Can I hire a car?
What other places can I visit outside Montmorillon?
Is moving around by train easy?
Where can swim?
Where can I buy antiques?
Teaching style:
OLD NEEDS TO BE EDITIED! With regard to our teaching structure/ style, our Ateliers are very flexible.
In contrast to some of the more formal or traditional ceramics courses available, our teaching philosophy is to disseminate the tools and skills for you to support your specific research, interest and aspirations. We aim to support individual interests and aspirations to encourage development of personal practice (be it in a professional capacity or otherwise).
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Long Weekend Ceramics Atelier (4 nights)
Includes:
- 4 nights bed and breakfast
- 2 x days of making
- 3 hours of guided tuition per day, with plenty of time for self practice and technician support
- 1 x bisque firing (electric or wood)
- 1 x glaze firing (electric)
- Or 1 x guided wood firing for unglazed work
- Take home 1-4 finished pieces
What we can do is just substitute the teaching time to your needs - i.e to be focused on insert here rather than hand building. Your schedule could look something like this:
Schedule:
Day 0. Arrival in afternoon
Day 1.
(10.00-13.00) - Lesson Throwing (based on level of experience)
(14.00-17.00) - Self practice Technician around for support
Day 2.
(10.00-13.00) - Self practice
(afternoon) - Lesson
We will discuss and demonstrate methods for refining form and finishing, such as trimming and glazing techniques
Day 3.
(morning) - Firing dried vessels to be wood fired by technician ready for glazing
(14.00-17.00) - bisque fired vessels will be decorated and glazed or burnished ready to take home
Day 4. Monday - Departure in morning