In recent years, the Pietro Elia Maddalena Scholarship has enabled selected young potters and ceramic artists to explore a variety of techniques in the stimulating workshop environment of La Meridiana Ceramic School. Our scholarships offer a chance to learn and experiment, refine material understanding and develop a personal language in clay.

Working with Luigi Pullini, recipients collected and processed wild clay and glaze materials. They identified local clays and mineral deposits, carried out tests, formulated clay bodies and glazes. There was time for making too – their wild clay pieces were glazed using only wild materials.

During the glaze course with Eve Carrobourg, scholarship holders investigated glaze chemistry in depth. They studied the function of glaze materials, observed substitutions, explored glaze families and colourants. Emphasis was placed on critically reading results and enabling participants to develop their own glazes independently and confidently after returning home.

Under the guidance of John Mackenzie, students focused on thrown and altered vessels, developing rich textures and loose forms that highlight the effects of woodfiring. The course introduced important aspects of the firing process, including kiln stacking, recording temperature curves and controlling the kiln atmosphere.

With Casey Beck, scholarship recipients explored clay body formulation for soda firing. Participants tested varying proportions of raw materials to optimize surface response and worked together in the studio, visited local museums for inspiration and fired the soda kiln as a group.

Beyond technical skills, the Pietro Elia Maddalena scholarship also nurtures dialogue and idea exchange: working side by side, participants discuss processes, challenge assumptions and learn as much from each other as from their instructors.

Voices from our scholarship recipients

“I really enjoyed the studio time together, because I work so much back home in isolation, so being surrounded by such talented makers who all think a little bit differently, I could see the way we were … feeding off each other a little bit, and I really loved that. Just being in the studio with everybody was really nice. We were kind of making some of the same forms, and we could have our own take on it.”  Dylan

“There’s nobody in Ireland who does soda firing…so we all have to go abroad, and working as a potter full-time, I don’t have the financial resources to be able to afford something like that, so it’s been really great to have the opportunity.” Katharina

“Just pulling (these) people together, … it’s been amazing. You could sit down with anybody and have just the most meaningful and great conversation. Everybody’s just been so amazing. From the staff through all of the students, it’s been great.”  Cruz