Hands in Clay: Atzompa

Hands in Clay: A Pottery Experience in Oaxaca with Three Generations of Women Artists

There are few things more grounding than creating art directly from the earth. Tlayudona invites you to join our “Hands in Clay” workshop in Atzompa, Oaxaca, where you’ll learn the ancestral art of pottery alongside three generations of women artisans in their home studio.

This is more than just a ceramic class—it’s a chance to connect with Oaxaca’s rich artistic traditions, explore the sustainable roots of this practice, and feel the earth between your fingers as you shape it into something meaningful.

Whether you’re a beginner curious to try something new or a seasoned potter seeking deeper cultural context, this experience meets you where you are. You’ll have the freedom to create as many pieces as your heart desires, guided by expert hands and ancestral knowledge.

Spend the afternoon immersed in a household of dynamic, talented women who are preserving and evolving one of Oaxaca’s most iconic traditions. Through storytelling, technique, and hands-on practice, you’ll witness how pottery bridges design, utility, memory, and art—all grounded in a sustainable way of life that has endured for thousands of years.

Experience Includes:

• Round-trip transportation from Tlayudona to Atzompa, and your return
• Translation during the duration of your experience
• Demonstration and talk from your host family
• All materials
• The opportunity to make as many pieces as your heart desires
• Memelitas or an equivalent typical brunch made by our host family

Important Notes:

Depending on the size of the piece you create, it will most likely require 1-2 weeks to dry fully before being able to be fired. You are welcome to take your piece “as-is” (to be kept as a souvenir or fired for greater durability at a later point), or to leave your piece in the studio for the next firing. If you are still in Oaxaca 1-2 weeks later when the pieces have been fired, we can arrange to have your piece brought to Tlayudona for pick-up at that time.

We can also arrange international shipping of your piece at an additional cost, but be aware that this service tends to be expensive. (If the pieces are fired prematurely, they will crack or even explode in the kiln.)

We are not responsible for your pieces. We will do our best to get them to you without cracks or breakage, but sometimes pieces do not make it through the firing process intact.