All roads lead to Rome? Many, certainly. But not all.
Some in fact lead to Certaldo, a small Tuscan town a few hours north of the great Italian capital… Particularly if you happen to have a fascination for ceramics and the curiosity to pursue that desire to its source.
For Certaldo is, more or less, given a few kilometres drive through the delightful local countryside, home to La Meridiana, a brilliant and world-renowned ceramics school, a place that has been honing and crafting pottery skills for ambitious potters for more than 40 years. An unpretentious Mecca for anyone wanting to take our skills to the next level.
Ten minutes by car from the historic hill town of Certaldo Alto, La Meridiana Ceramics School stands as a vibrant centre for the preservation, study, and contemporary expression of Italian ceramic art. Rooted in Tuscany’s long tradition of craftsmanship, the school offers “an immersive environment where heritage techniques meet modern creative practice.”
And as an enthusiastic ceramicist back in 2024 with a particular interest in hand built porcelain, not to mention a desire to visit Italy yet again, all my research on extending my personal skills, repertoire and ceramics voice led me to La Meridiana. Via Rome, obviously.
It’s where I spent one of the most stimulating, and rewarding weeks of my life in late European summer 2024 building on the small foundation of porcelain knowledge I already had to more fully realise my artistic and creative goals within the specialist field of hand built porcelain.
And it changed my world.
La Meridiana is dedicated to the belief that ceramics is both an art and a language — one that connects history, material, and personal expression. Through hands-on instruction and small, focused classes, students are guided through every stage of the ceramic process, from clay preparation and wheel throwing to hand-building, glazing, and firing. The school’s approach emphasises technical skill, patience, and an intimate understanding of materials, allowing participants to develop a distinctive voice within a time-honoured craft.
Set against the medieval architecture and sweeping countryside views of Certaldo, La Meridiana offers an atmosphere that is as inspiring as it is instructive. The town itself, famously associated with Giovanni Boccaccio, provides a cultural backdrop that reinforces the school’s philosophy: that art flourishes when deeply connected to place, history, and daily life. Students are encouraged to draw inspiration from their surroundings, engaging with local traditions while exploring contemporary design ideas.
The school’s emphasis on craftsmanship over mass production reflects a broader commitment to sustainability, mindful making, and the enduring value of handmade objects. It’s an approach, a philosophy, I share to my core.
Beyond technical instruction, La Meridiana fosters a sense of community and shared discovery. Students often describe the experience as transformative — not only in terms of skill development, but in their relationship to time, process, and creative intention.
It certainly was the case for me, spending a week with porcelain artist Noemi de Barrios and an international group of women I came to call friends and colleagues.
As interest in artisanal practices continues to grow worldwide, La Meridiana Ceramics School remains a quiet yet influential guardian of ceramic tradition, offering a rare opportunity to learn, create, and connect in one of Tuscany’s most evocative settings.
And yet these things do not come to you in click and collect basis. I did a lot of online research into ceramics courses all over the world before choosing La Meridiana. Most of the courses available to budding and established ceramicists alike focus on wheel throwing. In La Meridiana, I found a school that goes way beyond wheel throwing. Because it has been established so long – 40 years – the school has relationships with the worlds best ceramicists who comprise a core body of visiting tutors in their specialist. Skills many of whom will teach nowhere else.
Having chosen the specific course I wanted to do (hand made porcelain flowers, which I considered would provide fundamental building blocks for an extended range of hand built porcelain pieces, from a range of courses that included throwing, hand building, wood firing, glaziers, porcelain, sculpture, jewellery, and surface techniques,) and researched the tutor, it was time to commit.
Then come the nuts and bolts of such a trip.
All roads may not necessarily lead to Rome but the flight paths probably do. And for anybody in Western Australia, the direct Qantas route Perth - Rome is worth considering. We were in Florence three hours after landing in Rome and from there, the choices are either a train to Certaldo or a rental car. You’re probably going to want a rental car.
With Apple CarPlay and a good copilot, driving in Italy is easy and having a car radically increases your flexibility in terms of accommodation choice and extracurricular activities.
As an aside, the days of doing the tonne on an auto strata and hitting the gas with impunity are completely gone. Italy has speed cameras everywhere and many of the big cities have no drive zones… An expensive surprise when you get home and the rental car company sends the bill for an infringement direct to your front door. It is, nevertheless, a great place to move around in a small Fiat and well worth the money.
And from the point of view of simply seeing more while you’re there, and gleaning inspiration in an holistic sense, private transport facilitates so much more than merely a to b.
If you’re not taking inspiration from the daily exposure to historic architecture extraordinarily textured landscapes, museums, churches, and indeed utterly exquisite retail outlets that have existed for hundreds of years (hello Ginori in Florence), you must be made of stone.
So, you’re going to need somewhere to rest your head and that’s going to depend a lot on your budget, what you believe you need, and the time of year.
My advice: try to stay as close to the school as possible. Sure, you can stay in Certaldo (although nice accomodation there does seem quite limited) and commute daily but by doing so I truly believe you would miss out on some of the camaraderie and team-building that is an intangible benefit of the school and the courses.
We actually were able to book the schools own accommodation, a modest bedsit, but most of my fellow students stayed in nearby properties arranged by the school itself. If you’re going any time around summer, a swimming pool is a massive advantage.
If, like me, food & wine are essential pillars of any overseas trip, Italy is a great place to tickle that fancy. The great news is that the food provided by La Meridiana itself is brilliant and by the time a day’s education has finished punctuated by a delicious morning tea, a terrific three-course lunch and pastries and fruit for afternoon tea, dining at night can very happily be done à la picnic.
My husband, being someone who finds it difficult to walk past a restaurant without going inside, insisted we do one decent dinner in town during our day and it was at Certaldo’s La Saletta: Small, family run, elegant in an unfussed manner, with superb local food and wine and regardless of the horror stories you may hear about dining in Europe these days, about half the price of dining in a comparable Italian restaurant in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth.
You will need to get up to the old town, Certaldo Alto, while you’re there. It’s either a very long steep walk or a funicular. Go the latter. There are oodles of small restaurants up there and not all of them tourist traps. The terrace at Ristorante L'Antica Fonte is completely recommendable.
Looking back, these are the questions I’m most often asked about studying at La Meridiana — and the ones that continue to shape how I teach and structure learning in my own studio.
1. Why did you choose to study at La Meridiana?
My strongest criteria was I didn’t want a touristy amateur course. All my research made me confident La Meridiana would deliver on that. I was looking for a program that emphasised material understanding and disciplined studio practice rather than a holiday course for fun and quick results. La Meridiana appealed to me because of its focus on traditional techniques, surface research, and long-term engagement with clay. It aligned with the way I wanted to deepen my practice at that stage, rather than add another short workshop to my résumé.
2. What level of experience do you need to study there?
While the school welcomes a range of backgrounds, I found that having some prior experience with clay made it easier to fully engage with the coursework. The pace and expectations reward curiosity, patience, and a willingness to repeat processes. It’s less about arriving “advanced” and more about being prepared to work seriously.
3. What kind of learning environment does La Meridiana offer?
The learning environment is quiet, focused, and very studio-oriented. There’s a strong emphasis on practical application of demonstrated techniques. There are two tutors in the studio at all times as well as several other studio support staff. For me, this reinforced the habit of critical self-assessment, which has continued to shape how I work independently.
4. How did studying there influence your ceramic practice?
Studying at La Meridiana helped me refine my approach to form and surface, particularly in how I test and evaluate results over time. It strengthened my technical foundation and gave me a clearer framework for experimentation. Even now, I still use methods I developed there when approaching new work.
5. Is La Meridiana more technique-focused or concept-driven?
The program is strongly technique-focused, but not in a mechanical way. Technique is treated as a language—you learn it deeply so you can make informed decisions later. Conceptual development tends to emerge through making, reflection, and repetition rather than formal critique sessions. What I have particularly enjoyed is the ongoing relationships I have with my teacher and other members of the class. We have formed a lovely, supportive group sharing our successes and failures; pictures and links to inspirational work we have seen and enjoyed; and a wealth of knowledge on which to draw when we need it.
6. What was the most challenging part of studying there?
The biggest challenge was adapting to the slower, more deliberate pace of work. Results aren’t immediate, and progress often comes through small adjustments over time. That was demanding, but it also taught me to value process over productivity. Next time I go, and there will definitely be more trips in the future, I will book and stay longer.
7. Who do you think benefits most from studying at La Meridiana?
I think the school suits people who are genuinely interested in building a long-term ceramic practice—especially those who enjoy working independently and learning through repetition. It may not be ideal for someone looking for fast portfolio pieces, a beginners holiday course or a highly structured academic environment.
8. Would you recommend studying there?
Whether it’s the right choice really depends on what someone is looking for. For me, it was a valuable period of focused learning that strengthened both my technical skills and my way of thinking about ceramics. I tend to see it as one meaningful chapter in a longer path, rather than a single defining experience.
Studying at La Meridiana continues to influence how I think about clay, process, and learning — particularly the importance of material understanding and thoughtful making. While my own studio practice is specialised, the classes I teach at Claymates are deliberately welcoming and beginner-friendly.
Claymates classes are designed as an enjoyable, hands-on introduction to working with clay. For visitors to the Margaret River region, they offer a chance to spend time in a working studio, connect with place through making, and leave with a piece that becomes a lasting reminder of time well spent — muddy hands, good conversation, and all.
1 comment
What a well-written blog piece. Nice work Claymates.