Wild Pottery – Level 2

Postponed to 2026

2 days, 10.30am – 5pm 

Venue: 70 acre ancient coppiced  woodland on a family-run working farm: peaceful and beautiful Dernwood Farm Nr Heathfield, East Sussex.

An immersive 2 days making wild pottery using clay you dig from the woods, decorating it with earth pigments and firing in an open fire, leaving no trace.

This course provides a thorough understanding of all the processes involved in making wild pottery, and gives you a hands-on appreciation of the origins of this craft. The tools, equipment and technology we’ll be using are, as far as is known, the same as those used since Neolithic times, when pottery began, and well into the Bronze age.

The making: the whole of the first day will be for prepping the clay and making your pots. You’ll dig your own clay from the woods. A range of natural earth pigments will be available for you to decorate your pots, using various natural brushes.

The firing: on the second day we’ll set up the open firing together. It’s a wonderful team activity prepping and bringing together the various elements including wood, fire and earth.

Groups are kept small to allow for individual attention.

A simple but hearty vegetarian lunch is provided, we’ll have have a kettle on the camp fire, plus a huge tarp on hand for cover in case we need it. I aim to offer you a satisfying learning experience as well as an enjoyable time away from it all. To support you in getting the most from the days, we’ll connect to the woodland surroundings through a short and simple, guided mindfulness-based practice.

The clay: Native Hands has a special agreement with the farm venue to dig small amounts of clay with participants on Wild Pottery courses. This permission does not extend to people who are not part of the group on the day of the course.