Potting Holidays at Lake Malawi.
The experience of a lifetime.


Pottery Course Timetables  

Daily Timetable - Much of Malawi still follows a rural timetable based on daylight hours so at the pottery we start work at 7am . Normally the formal day on the training courses starts at 8am . There is a tea or coffee break at 9.45am and the morning session ends at 12 noon , to leave time for those who wish to swim before lunch at 12.30pm . Afternoon tutored sessions are from 2pm to 4pm . The workshop is open for course participants to use from 7am to 6.00pm daily, and a workshop assistant will always be available to help with wedging clay, cleaning up etc. If you would like additional tuition from any of the course tutors outside the tutored sessions this can normally be arranged.

Free Days allow guests a wide choice. The training workshop is open daily for guests who wish to continue potting and tutors can be available if required. Free Days are also the chance to relax on the beach, go swimming, take a boat ride, go on a walking safari in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, or take a trip out and see some more of Malawi . See Excursions from Nkhotakota for ideas for trips and vehicle hire rates.

TIMETABLE for 2 Week Course

Day

Morning 8am - 12 noon

Tea or Coffee Break at 9.45

Afternoon 2pm - 4pm

Evening

Day 1

Sunday

Arrival at Lilongwe International Airport . Collected by pottery vehicle and drive to Dedza with a short stop at the clay pits en route. Afternoon Tea at Dedza Pottery Coffee Shop.

Orientation and Objectives - Brief notes will be given about Malawi , Dedza, Nkhotakota, the potteries, village life etc. Guests will also be given a “Course Objectives Form” for consideration.

Overnight at Dedza Pottery Lodge.

Day 2

Monday

After breakfast there will be a full tour of Dedza Pottery at 8.30am .

11am Depart Dedza for Mua Mission Museum down the spectacular Golomoti escarpment road. Picnic lunch at Mua before continuing to Nkhotakota Pottery.

Day 3

Tuesday

8am Introduction to Training Workshop staff. Course outline with brief details about the clays and their characteristics and the kilns and glazes available for firing pots.

8.30am Short demonstrations of the different hand building methods as per the course notes.

9.30am Demo of throwing cylinders & mugs

10am Making session to try any of the methods demonstrated.

2pm Demo of finishing and decorating of hand built pots.

 

Demo of making and applying handles to mugs.

2.30pm Making session.

5.00pm

Visit to the Village Head Lady.

Day 4

Wed.

8am Demonstration by village potters of making traditional pots.

8.30am Making session.

10.00am Demo of throwing bowls and throwing “off the hump”.

10.15am Making session.

During this session the course tutors will discuss with each guest their course objectives.

2pm Demo of finishing traditional pots and burnishing.

Demo of turning bowls.

2.20pm Making session

6.00pm

Short talk about pots illustrated with slides & photos.

Day 5

Thursday

8am Demo of throwing a teapot & lid.

8.15am Making session.

10.00am Demo of throwing teapot spouts.

10.15am Making session.

1pm Demo of Finishing Teapot.

1.30pm Making session.

 

Day 6

Friday

8am Demo of decorating unfired pots.

8.30am Making or decorating session.

10.00am Making session

***See note below on finishing pots.

1.30pm

Take a “Slave Trade “ tour to Nkhotakota Town and afterwards visit a cultural village.

Chance to do shopping.

Day 7

Saturday

8am Assisting village potters build and fire a traditional kiln, including firing pots made on Day 4.

***See note below on finishing pots.

Free afternoon.

 

 

Day 8

Sunday

FREE DAY For those that wish to attend a service there are churches of many denominations (some with exciting choirs) in nearby villages and Nkhotakota town. All the other “Free Day” options mentioned above are also available.

***See note below on finishing pots.

 

***By Sunday afternoon guests should finish, ready for biscuit firing, all the pots

they wish to have fired during the course.

Day 9

Monday

8am Talk on glazes; different types and their composition.

8.30am Demos: Glazing and then decorating on top of the glaze.

9.00am Making up glazes or Glazing & decorating.

10.00am Glazing and decorating session.

2pm Demo. on loading electric kiln for biscuit firing.

2.20pm Glazing & decorating session.

4.15pm

Visit to a traditional potter.

Day 10 Tuesday

8am Demo of loading wood fired kiln.

8.15am Completion of all glazing & decorating and putting pots to dry in sun.

10am Building, loading and firing the sawdust kiln.

2pm.Demo of loading electric kiln for glaze firing.

Complete the loading of the wood fired kiln and begin the warm up fire.

 

Day 11 Wed

8am RAKU MORNING

Glazing, loading and firing the charcoal fired Raku kiln.

Reduction firing of wood fired kiln.

Assisting with reduction firing of wood fired kiln. Unloading of electric kiln.

 

Day 12 Thursday

9am Demo of making some simple hand tools.

10.00am Unloading of sawdust kiln and applying polish to burnished pots.

3pm. Unloading of wood fired kiln. Tutors will assist guests to decide the best way to transport the pots they wish to take with them.

 

Day 13

Friday

FREE DAY - Make any final decisions about how to transport your pots (if not already done) and then relax or go out while our packers pack your pots to survive even airport baggage handlers.

 

Day 14

Saturday

FREE DAY

End of Course Dinner

Day 15

Sunday

Depart for airport in pottery vehicle after breakfast.

 

TIMETABLE for 3 Week Course

Day

Morning 8am - 12 noon

Tea or Coffee Break at 9.45

Afternoon 2pm - 4pm

Evening

Day 1

Sunday

Arrival at Lilongwe International Airport . Collected by pottery vehicle and drive to Dedza with a short stop at the clay pits en route. Afternoon Tea at Dedza Pottery Coffee Shop.

Orientation and Objectives - Brief notes will be given about Malawi , Dedza, Nkhotakota, the potteries, village life etc. Guests will also be given a “Course Objectives Form” for consideration.

Overnight at Dedza Pottery Lodge.

Day 2

Monday

After breakfast there will be a full tour of Dedza Pottery at 8.30am .

11am Depart Dedza for Mua Mission Museum down the spectacular Golomoti escarpment road. Picnic lunch at Mua before continuing to Nkhotakota Pottery.

Day 3

Tuesday

8am Introduction to Training Workshop staff. Course outline with brief details about the clays and their characteristics and the kilns and glazes available for firing pots.

8.30am Short demonstrations of the different hand building methods as per the course notes.

9.30am Demo of throwing cylinders & mugs

10am Making session to try any of the methods demonstrated.

2pm Demo of finishing and decorating of hand built pots.

 

Demo of making and applying handles to mugs.

2.30pm Making session.

5.00pm

Visit to the Village Head Lady.

Day 4

Wed.

8am Demonstration by village potters of making traditional pots.

8.30am Making session.

10.00am Demo of throwing bowls and throwing “off the hump”.

10.15am Making session.

During this session the course tutors will discuss with each guest their course objectives.

2pm Demo of finishing traditional pots and burnishing.

Demo of turning bowls.

2.20pm Making session

6.00pm

Short talk about pots illustrated with slides & photos.

Day 5

Thursday

8am Demo of throwing a teapot & lid.

8.15am Making session.

10.00am Demo of throwing teapot spouts.

10.15am Making session.

1pm Demo of Finishing Teapot.

1.30pm Making session.

 

Day 6

Friday

8am Demo of decorating unfired pots.

8.30am Making or decorating session.

10.00am Making session

***See note below on finishing pots.

1.30pm

Take a “Slave Trade “ tour to Nkhotakota Town and afterwards visit a cultural village.

Chance to do shopping.

Day 7

Saturday

8am Assisting village potters build and fire a traditional kiln, including firing pots made on Day 4.

***See note below on finishing pots.

Free afternoon.

 

 

Day 8

Sunday

FREE DAY For those that wish to attend a service there are churches of many denominations (some with exciting choirs) in nearby villages and Nkhotakota town. All the other “Free Day” options mentioned above are also available.

 

Day 9

Monday

8am Making & decorating session.

Last session for making pots for Raku firing.

2pm Making & decorating session.

4.15pm

Visit to a traditional potter.

Day 10

Tuesday

8am Making & decorating session. For those going on the 4 day safari trip this is the last day for making pots for completion by the end of the course.

2pm Demo. on loading electric kiln for biscuit firing.

2.20pm Making & decorating session

 

Day 11

Wed.

8am RAKU MORNING

Glazing, loading and firing the charcoal fired Raku kiln.

2pm Making & decorating session.

 

By Wednesday afternoon all guests going on the 4 day safari trip should complete, ready for biscuit firing, all the pots they wish to have fired during the course.

Day 12

Thursday

8am Making and decorating session.

OR Depart at 7am for 4 day safari trip.

2pm Making and decorating session.

 

Day 13

Friday

8am Making and decorating session.

***See note below on finishing pots.

OR on safari.

2pm Making and decorating session.

 

Day 14

Saturday

FREE DAY

***See note below on finishing pots.

OR on safari.

 

Day 15

Sunday

FREE DAY

***See note below on finishing pots.

OR return from safari.

 

***By Sunday afternoon guests should finish, ready for biscuit firing, all the pots

they wish to have fired during the course.

Day 16

Monday

8am Talk on glazes; different types and their composition.

8.30am Demos: Glazing and then decorating on top of the glaze.

9.00am Making up glazes or Glazing & decorating.

10.00am Glazing and decorating session.

2pm Glazing & decorating session.

 

Day 17 Tuesday

8am Demo of loading wood fired kiln

8.15am Completion of all glazing & decorating and putting pots to dry in sun.

10am Building, loading and firing the sawdust kiln.

2pm.Demo of loading electric kiln for glaze firing.

Complete the loading of the wood fired kiln and begin the warm up fire.

 

Day 18 Wed

Assisting with reduction firing in wood fired kiln.

 

Assisting with reduction firing in wood fired kiln.

Unloading of electric kiln.

 

Day 19 Thursday

9am. Demo of making some simple hand tools.

10am Unloading of sawdust kiln and applying polish to burnished pots.

3pm Unloading of wood fired kiln. Tutors will assist guests to decide the best way to transport the pots they wish to take with them.

 

Day 20

Friday

FREE DAY - Make any final decisions about how to transport your pots (if not already done) and then relax or go out while our packers pack your pots to survive even airport baggage handlers.

 

Day 21

Saturday

FREE DAY

End of Course Dinner

Day 22

Sunday

Depart for airport in pottery vehicle after breakfast.

 

P. O. Box 54, Dedza, Malawi
Tel: (265) 1 223069 / Fax: (265) 1 223131
©2007 Paragon Ceramics