Andy X Aura
Crafting Bold Ceramics with Andy
A Hand Building Experience with Groggy Clay
December 5th to 10th, 2025
About the Retreat
Join us for an exclusive 6-day pottery retreat at Aura Pottery, where creativity and craftsmanship converge in a serene, inspiring setting. Tailored specifically for intermediate-level potters, this retreat is designed to enhance your hand-building skills and explore new dimensions in pottery. Under the expert guidance of our senior resident potter, Anuja—affectionately known as Andy—you’ll delve deep into advanced pottery techniques, particularly focusing on the challenging yet rewarding art of working with groggy clay.
What to Expect
- Hands-On Learning: Immerse yourself in intensive, hands-on sessions where you’ll master techniques like coiling, pinching, and surface decoration.
- Explore Groggy Clay: Learn to shape, carve, and decorate with groggy clay, a textured material that requires both skill and patience.
- Create Large-Scale Art: Conceptualize and bring to life 24-inch high pottery pieces, working backward from your vision to the finished product.
- Holistic Experience: Beyond pottery, enjoy the tranquil surroundings of Aura Farm, organic meals, and evenings filled with fun and camaraderie.
Meet Anuja a.k.a. Andy
Anuja, fondly known as Andy in the studio, is a self-taught potter whose work is celebrated for its bold scale and intricate surface decoration. Specializing in creating large collective pots, Andy employs traditional techniques such as coiling and pinching to craft pieces that are as imposing as they are delicate. Her mastery of groggy clay—a textured material known for its robustness—sets her apart in the pottery world. Andy’s skill in carving this challenging medium results in striking, durable pieces that stand as a testament to her artistic vision and technical expertise.
Andy’s Artistic Philosophy
- Process Over Product: Andy emphasizes the importance of the creative process, believing that each step is as valuable as the finished piece.
- Collaboration and Learning: She is passionate about sharing knowledge and fostering a collaborative environment where ideas and techniques are exchanged freely.
- Inspiration from Nature: The serene environment of Aura Farm greatly influences Andy’s work, with natural elements often reflected in her designs.
Retreat Schedule
Day 1 : Welcome & Introduction
Day 2: Conceptualization & Building Techniques
Participants dive into the process of conceptualizing their pottery pieces, sketching and planning their designs. They explore Andy’s techniques for visualizing large-scale works and begin the initial stages of building their pieces, guided by her expertise.
Day 3: Shaping & Refining
Participants focus on refining the shape of their pieces, working on intricate details and ensuring the overall balance. With Andy’s guidance, they fine-tune the structure and design to create a cohesive and well-proportioned piece.
Day 4: Surface Decoration
The focus shifts to surface decoration as participants explore carving, attaching, and texturing techniques. Andy demonstrates her signature methods for enhancing pottery, and participants apply these to their pieces, experimenting with various textures to add visual interest.
Day 5: Finishing Touches
Participants add the final details to their pottery, preparing the pieces for drying and firing. After reflecting on their work and the week’s experiences, they enjoy a final breakfast together before departing in the morning, leaving their pieces for firing and future shipment.
Day 6: Departure
After a wholesome five days of building large ceramics in the studio, its time to move onto the next adventure. We bid farewell to guests and cherish this wonderful experience.
Retreat Price
Residential Retreat
Potters Villa
Shared Room: USD 875
Single Room: USD 980
Luxury Single: USD 1190
Luxury Double: USD 1875
Your Stay
The farm is home to great architecture, lawns and a myriad shades of green, making it inspirational for people with diverse interests.
Shared Room
Perfect for bringing a friend or sharing with a fellow potter, making connections and memories. All rooms are air-conditioned, cozy, and equipped with attached bathrooms and private porches.
Private Room
Ideal for those seeking a peaceful and private retreat. All rooms are air-conditioned, cozy, and equipped with attached bathrooms and private porches.
Luxury Room
A private double occupancy bedroom with two large picture windows and a beautiful pool OR garden view. Calming and nostalgic, the perfect room to relax after working in the studio. The Luxury Rooms are in the Main Residence
Potters Villa
The villa is a small building towards the far end of the property; it faces the orchard and is a two-minute walk from the studio. The villa is a cozy space with all rooms opening onto a central lounge where residents get together for meals, music and socializing with other residents, making the retreat a fulfilling experience.
The Private Residence
Surrounded by lush gardens and serenity, and home to more than a hundred lifestyle ceramics, handcrafted in the studio, you can expect to immerse yourself in an elegant ambience and unwind in utmost comfort
Your Meals
We believe in the power of food to nourish both body and soul, which is why we take pride in serving simple home cooked meals made with farm grown/locally sourced produce.
Your Surroundings
Sprawled over 3 acres, Aura offers beautiful outdoor spaces for you to enjoy. Grab a book & a beverage and find yourself by our infinity pool. After a busy day in the studio, take a dip in the pool and relax. A walking path around the entire periphery of the property takes you through our fruit orchard, organic kitchen garden, ponds, potters villa and the meditation circle. You could also find a great spot for a picnic & catch some hammock time.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Breakfast
Studio time
Lunch and rest
Studio time
Dinner
Here’s a rough flow of the day:
8-9 AM: Yoga @ the Yoga Lounge9.30 AM: Breakfast11 AM: Studio Time2 PM: Break for lunch2.30 PM: Back to the Studio or Snooze4.30-6.30 PM: Review with Andy7.45 PM: Dinner
Yoga happens everyday from Monday to Saturday.
Terms
1. We require a 100% deposit to confirm your spot for the retreat.2. Please refer to the cancellation policy here: https://aurapottery.com/cancellation-policy/4. Firing charges are INR 100/ 100 grams. We need 3-4 weeks to fire the pieces.5. Shipping charges will apply as per logistics company estimates.6. Participants must be at least 18 years or older to attend this retreat.7. Prices and Schedules/Itineraries as shown on the website are subject to change. We reserve the right to change retreat/day trip/event prices, or prices of individual add-on components, without prior notice.8. You acknowledge that retreat photographs and images which include you can be published by Aura Pottery for marketing.10. Residents can request a load of laundry, which is chargeable at INR 500 per load.