Ceramic Studios in Tuscany

[PounehHafizi]

A very hot hello from Dubai.

I have been trying to find more information on the net, about ceramic and pottery studios in Tuscany. Preferably, I would like to find one that has accommodation and possibly one I could work there in return for taking courses.
I am Canadian and I guess I would be able to get a temporary residency for 3 to 6 months.

I would appreciate it if anyone has any information on this.
Please note, I am not looking for all the modern classes. It's the local potter that I am after.
Not the fancy smancy ones

Have a lovely day.
Pouneh

[Lourdes]

Ciao PouneHafizi,

Don't know of any ceramic or pottery studios that are actually as organized as you'd like them to be, offering accommodation or work in exchange for courses. I do know from talking directly to some ceramics artisans that they'd like to have/actually need apprentices so that their business doesn't die out but that the present government/bureaucratic procedures practically make it impossible. Which means anyone trying to be able to do this is pretty much left on their own to figure out how to do it.

This means that helping you out with paperwork (for residency) is pretty much impossible as well, if they're willing to try something out. Count on 3 months you might be able to stay in Italy without a need for a visa (entering just for tourism) if you can get something set up.
For this, I'd recommend looking for ceramics shops run by the direct artisans, not resellers. Many of the small towns in Tuscany still have some of these types of artisans, we just met one in Siena this past week. A potter making her own plates and dishes on the wheel, baking and decorating everything with coat of arms of the 17 contrada in Siena. If you'd like to try to get in touch with her, send me a PM and I can send you her contact info since I got a card (and we did buy a plate with a contrada coat of arms from her).

Best of luck!!

[PounehHafizi]

Ciao Dear,
Many thanks for your detailed email.
I would appreciate if you could share the ladies detail with me.
Many thanks and have a lovely day.
Pouneh

Ciao PouneHafizi,

Don't know of any ceramic or pottery studios that are actually as organized as you'd like them to be, offering accommodation or work in exchange for courses. I do know from talking directly to some ceramics artisans that they'd like to have/actually need apprentices so that their business doesn't die out but that the present government/bureaucratic procedures practically make it impossible. Which means anyone trying to be able to do this is pretty much left on their own to figure out how to do it.

This means that helping you out with paperwork (for residency) is pretty much impossible as well, if they're willing to try something out. Count on 3 months you might be able to stay in Italy without a need for a visa (entering just for tourism) if you can get something set up.
For this, I'd recommend looking for ceramics shops run by the direct artisans, not resellers. Many of the small towns in Tuscany still have some of these types of artisans, we just met one in Siena this past week. A potter making her own plates and dishes on the wheel, baking and decorating everything with coat of arms of the 17 contrada in Siena. If you'd like to try to get in touch with her, send me a PM and I can send you her contact info since I got a card (and we did buy a plate with a contrada coat of arms from her).

Best of luck!!

[Lourdes]

Her name is Sonia Staccioli and this is her website: http://www.biancoenero.it/index.htm

She was very kind and open, I am sure if you write to her and make her a proposal she'd be willing to at least consider it. Make sure to tell her you got her name from Lourdes from Discover Tuscany - since we talked with her for about two hours, I am sure she will appreciate knowing we remember her and are talking about her on the web