Clay, Earth and Healing with Sandra
Experience ceramics beyond functional pottery as a living, healing, and ecological practice rooted in nature with Sandra in her forest studio in Croatia. Harvest wild clay, learn hand-building and sculptural techniques, and explore how herbs, horses, and dance can become part of the work. Outside the studio, discover a quieter side of Croatia through forest walks, nearby rivers, local clay heritage, and Sandra’s self-sustainable way of life.
- Snacks, Coffee, & Tea, Lunch
Pricing
- One Guest
- USD $1405
- Additional guest(s) (max 4)
- USD $705
Accommodation
- One Guest
- USD $525
- Additional guest(s)
- USD $225
Meet the Artist
Sandra is a Croatian ceramic sculptor whose practice spans three decades and defies easy categories. Educated in Venice and across Italy in painting, sculpture, theater, film, and fashion, she returned to Croatia and disappeared into the forest, building her own studio from the ground up, digging her own clay by hand, making her own tools, and developing alchemical glaze recipes that have taken years to perfect. Every piece she makes expands what ceramics can be, treating clay not only as a material, but as a way to connect with the earth, the body, and deeper layers of consciousness.
She works with wild and recycled clay, non-toxic glazes, and energy-efficient kilns. Her sculptures combine raw, textured surfaces with abstract forms meant to be touched, heard, and felt as much as seen. Some become multisensory installations with sound, scent, and touch; others become tambourines, seating, or wearable objects. She has even used clay directly on the body in performance, exploring the relationship between human beings and the earth.
Over the years, she has brought clay to people who would never otherwise encounter it, guided by a belief that making has something to offer everyone. For Sandra, art is not separate from life. It awakens hope, builds trust, and fosters inner peace. In her forest studio, surrounded by trees and the smell of earth, you will come one breath closer to your true inner self.
She works with wild and recycled clay, non-toxic glazes, and energy-efficient kilns. Her sculptures combine raw, textured surfaces with abstract forms meant to be touched, heard, and felt as much as seen. Some become multisensory installations with sound, scent, and touch; others become tambourines, seating, or wearable objects. She has even used clay directly on the body in performance, exploring the relationship between human beings and the earth.
Over the years, she has brought clay to people who would never otherwise encounter it, guided by a belief that making has something to offer everyone. For Sandra, art is not separate from life. It awakens hope, builds trust, and fosters inner peace. In her forest studio, surrounded by trees and the smell of earth, you will come one breath closer to your true inner self.
VAWAA Includes:
- Go beyond functional pottery and experience ceramics as a living, healing, expressive, and ecological art form.
- Find inspiration outdoors through sketching and texturing in the forest, surrounded by fruit trees, wild herbs, birdsong, and a self-sustainable creative life.
- Harvest wild clay and natural pigments from the land, learning an ecological, zero-waste approach to materials.
- Build hand skills suited to your level, from pinching, coiling, modeling, and texturing to advanced sculptural construction, abstraction, surface development, and complex form.
- Shape your own ceramic pieces, from sculptural forms and wall works to wearable ceramic jewelry.
- Make simple tools and experiment with non-toxic glazes.
- Learn how wild herbs, plants, and natural elements can inform ceramic surfaces, textures, pigments, and atmosphere.
- Gather around the campfire for conversation on art, creative autonomy, and self-sustainable life in the forest.
- Join an optional micro-performance in nature, where ceramic elements become part of a living dialogue between body, material, and earth.
- Go deeper with optional experiences in horse-led learning, 5Rhythms dance therapy, permaculture gardening, wood sculpture, and clay meditation.
Stay at Sandra's
Stay in a cozy studio room on the first floor of Sandra’s forest studio in Slavsko Polje, with views over the garden. The room has a single bed and access to a shared bathroom on the ground floor, just steps from where you will be creating each day. WiFi and wood fire heating are available for the cooler months.
Please note that accommodation at the studio can host a maximum of 2 guests. For couples or two guests traveling together, a second studio room with a single bed can be arranged.
The studio is set in a natural environment surrounded by forest, medicinal plants, and birdsong, a quietly inspiring place to wake up in. Please note that the space has stairs and is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users. Sandra’s studio is pet free.
Please note that accommodation at the studio can host a maximum of 2 guests. For couples or two guests traveling together, a second studio room with a single bed can be arranged.
The studio is set in a natural environment surrounded by forest, medicinal plants, and birdsong, a quietly inspiring place to wake up in. Please note that the space has stairs and is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users. Sandra’s studio is pet free.
Explore Slavsko Polje, Gvozd
Sandra’s studio is located in Slavsko Polje, a historically rich corner of central Croatia between Karlovac and Petrinja, about 90 minutes south of Zagreb. Set between forest and lowland along the symbolic “Path of the White Knights,” the region is home to one of Croatia’s few ancient deposits of white clay, as well as abundant natural pigments, fruit trees, and wild medicinal herbs. Nearby, soak in the thermal waters of Topusko, explore Karlovac’s four rivers, or visit Petrinja, Croatia’s only city included on the European Route of Ceramics.
With deep archaeological roots and a primordial connection to the earth’s elements, this land has inspired Sandra’s work for decades—and it is the land you will work with during your stay. Here, mornings begin with birdsong and dew beneath bare feet, offering a rare return to the essence. For those who want to explore farther, Plitvice Lakes National Park and Zagreb are both within easy reach.
With deep archaeological roots and a primordial connection to the earth’s elements, this land has inspired Sandra’s work for decades—and it is the land you will work with during your stay. Here, mornings begin with birdsong and dew beneath bare feet, offering a rare return to the essence. For those who want to explore farther, Plitvice Lakes National Park and Zagreb are both within easy reach.
Additional Details
The best time to visit Slavsko Polje is in Spring and Summer, when the fruit trees are in blossom, the days are long, and working outdoors feels effortless. August and September bring ripe fruit and the pleasure of swimming in the nearby river. If you can time your visit with local events, Good Morning Ceramic takes place in late May and the Flik Petrinja City Ceramic festival in mid June. December is also a wonderful time to combine your stay with a visit to Zagreb, known for one of Europe's most beloved Christmas markets.
This VAWAA can be extended for up to 7 days. Please add a note in your booking request.
Children, elders and guests with special needs are welcome to participate. Sandra is a certified Art Therapist and is experienced in adapting sessions to different needs. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access, as the studio is set in a natural environment with stairs. The surrounding area is an unfenced habitat of medicinal plants, wild animals, and birds, and is not suitable for small children or pets.
Sandra speaks Croatian, Italian, and English, with basic French and Spanish, and can communicate in Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Russian.
This VAWAA can be extended for up to 7 days. Please add a note in your booking request.
Children, elders and guests with special needs are welcome to participate. Sandra is a certified Art Therapist and is experienced in adapting sessions to different needs. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access, as the studio is set in a natural environment with stairs. The surrounding area is an unfenced habitat of medicinal plants, wild animals, and birds, and is not suitable for small children or pets.
Sandra speaks Croatian, Italian, and English, with basic French and Spanish, and can communicate in Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Russian.