We are proud of the community we have built at Atelier Retiro and we are excited to open this community to others.
New experiences. Worry-free. Just clay.
In the summer of 2025, Atelier Retiro will open its doors to international artists of all skill levels to join our vibrant community in the historic center of Guimarães. During the months of June and July, we will offer intimate classes taught by a selection of the finest Portuguese artists working with clay.
Each resident will be invited to explore the theme of the residency with an open mind, in a safe and comfortable environment. Classes will be taught in English, with assistance in Portuguese and other languages (please refer to the course descriptions for available languages). There are courses open for beginners to professionals, and each resident artist will be celebrated with a group exhibition at Nº6 - Gallery of Ceramics.
Our residencies
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Self-guided Residencies
For experienced artists, this residency offers autonomy in an active communal studio. It includes a guided tour, introduction to best practices, and the option for work critiques. There is no instruction, but freedom to create.
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Session 1 | Beginning Pottery: zero to 1 kilo
Joy Hanford will guide participants in creating ceramic pieces on the pottery wheel, instilling confidence and control over this technique. The session provides the fundamentals for producing functional ceramics and includes raku firings and visits to Barcelos.
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Session 2 | Portuguese Tiles: Past, Present, and Future
Guided by Mariana Sampaio, participants are invited to explore the history and techniques of Portuguese tiles. Over two weeks, they will delve into techniques such as corda seca, majolica, sgraffito, and 3D sculptural tiles. The experience includes museum visits, lectures, and Raku firings.
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Session 3 | Elevated Beads: Jewelry and alternative kilns
This session, led by ceramic artist and jewelry designer Larissa Stutterheim, explores the incorporation of small decorative elements into creative practice. Ideal for hobbyists, ceramicists, or designers, it offers techniques in bead creation, metalworking, and jewelry design and assembly, as well as alternative firing techniques, such as raku and saggar firing.
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Session 4 | Thrown and Altered forms: Animals and Vegetables
Aimed at intermediate to advanced ceramicists, Master Inês Diana Salgado teaches how to transform cylinders and closed forms into sculptures such as animals, plants, or human shapes. This residency includes sculptural techniques, museum visits, lectures on Portuguese ceramics, and experiences with Raku.
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Nº6 | Ceramics Gallery
Nº6 - Ceramics Gallery is an intimate and dynamic space dedicated to art and ceramics. It serves as a haven for artists, offering them the freedom to showcase their work in a welcoming environment, supported by a community that values the challenges of ceramics.
Each residency culminates in a collective or solo exhibition at Nº6 - Ceramics Gallery, where our community will be invited to share the joy of your achievements.
What can you expect from our residencies?
Start and Schedule
Each residency will begin with the instructor's exhibition opening at Nº6 - Ceramic Gallery on Sunday evening. Students are encouraged to attend to meet the vibrant creative community gathering around Rua do Retiro in our historic center of Guimarães. Classes will start on Monday.
All residents and the instructor will have access to the workshop from 10 AM to 10 PM during the course period. Demonstrations and assistance with classes will be available from 10 AM to 6 PM. A formal schedule will be provided on Monday morning at the start of the course.
Visits and Additions
Each session will include visits to other ateliers and museums, as well as experiences of alternative firings and local creative events.
Each residency will include: a morning snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack. Residents must inform us about allergies and mobility needs, and all dietary adaptations will be made accordingly. Residents may also choose not to include catering services, and the course price will be adjusted (please consult the course listing for more information).
End with an exhibition at Nº6 - Ceramics Gallery
On the last Saturday of each course, the residents and their instructors will jointly set up a collective exhibition at Nº6 - Ceramics Gallery and celebrate the work they have accomplished together. It is the responsibility of each resident to transport the pieces they created back home.
Regardless of the direction your residency takes, your work will be celebrated with an exhibition and an artistic talk at Nº6 - Ceramics Gallery. It is a perfect way to conclude and value your investment in your work and in the time you have spent with us. Whether it is a week to explore ideas and get hands-on or several weeks developing a complete piece, our community will be there to celebrate your achievements and learning.
We are located in the city center
It is common for artist residences to be situated in the countryside or remote destinations, allowing for complete immersion in art within isolated communities of creatives. However, the residency at Atelier Retiro offers the opposite.
We are located in the vibrant historic city center of Guimarães, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A lively city in a welcoming neighborhood, where we are embraced by our neighbors as a creative community. We are an active community studio, with local and international members. We predominantly speak Portuguese and English, but also French, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, and whatever else Google Translate allows.
Choose your accommodation
In our residence, you do not need to adapt to the available on-site lodging. You can choose from hundreds of hotel, hostel, and Airbnb options, all within walking distance of Atelier Retiro, adjusting to your level of comfort.
Immersion in a neighborhood and community (more than just ceramics)
You are in a compact city where everything is a 10-minute walk away! Often, especially during the high season, you will find festivals, events, music, outdoor cinema, as well as cafés and restaurants. It is a perfect opportunity to imagine daily life in Portugal, surrounded by immigrants, emigrants, and neighbors who greet you with a "Good morning!" from the windows of their kitchens.
Experience
Atelier Retiro is a studio designed with 26 years of experience and production. The only limitation is the size of our kiln, but we can find options for larger projects. All kinds of tools, clays, and glazing materials can be prepared before your arrival. Additionally, you have access to constructive critiques and encouragement in an energetic studio environment while enjoying the space to work and explore. Our well-established atelier has a vast network of ceramic artists ready to collaborate and exchange ideas.
Joy Hanford
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Beginning Pottery: zero to 1 kilo
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Joy Hanford | Beginning Pottery: zero to 1 kilo |
Portuguese Tiles: Past, Present, and Future
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Mariana Sampaio
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Portuguese Tiles: Past, Present, and Future | Mariana Sampaio |
Larissa Stutterheim
Elevated Beads: Jewelry and Alternative Kilns
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Larissa Stutterheim Elevated Beads: Jewelry and Alternative Kilns |
Inês Salgado
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Thrown and Altered forms: Animals and Vegetables
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Inês Salgado | Thrown and Altered forms: Animals and Vegetables |
Cultural Agenda of Guimarães June - July 2025
Centro Cultural Vila Flor (CCVF)
During these months, the CCVF presents a varied program featuring theater, music, and dance, including contemporary and classical performances, as well as art exhibitions.
Centro para os Assuntos da Arte e Arquitetura (CAAA)
It is a cultural space that promotes exhibitions, performances, workshops, and other activities related to contemporary art.
Casa da Memória
Offers exhibitions and educational activities about the history and culture of Guimarães, with themed guided tours available at various times throughout the month.
Feira Afonsina (June 20 to 23, estimated dates.)
Historical recreation of the medieval period, featuring markets, parades, and cultural presentations in the historic center of Guimarães.
Location: Various points in the city, including Praça da Oliveira and Largo do Toural.
Highlights: Demonstrations of medieval crafts, musical performances, and outdoor theater.
Festas Gualterianas(27th of July to 7th of August)
Traditional festivities with parades, concerts, and a crafts fair.
Highlights:
July 28: Start of the XXV Guimarães Crafts Fair.
August 4: Drumming parade and folk performances.
Centro Internacional das Artes José de Guimarães (CIAJG)
During this period, CIAJG offers exhibitions of contemporary works by national and international artists that provide a diverse perspective on current art.
Outdoor Cinema(specific dates to be confirmed)
Cinema sessions in parks and public squares, promoting cultural leisure during the summer.
Photographic Exhibition – "Bridges of Guimarães" (July 27 to September 15)
Photography exhibition at Francisco de Holanda Secondary School.
What do some of the people
who attended the residencies
have to say?
"Working at Atelier Retiro was really special to me. Joy is so ling and a very happy and funny person. She help me and support me with my ceramic project from the begining to the end.
I was confortable at the atelier because she cares about my space and I knew wonderfull and insterestings people there. Also I have to say that the Atelier is a beautiful and cozy place"
Paloma de la Cruz
“I was a visiting artist for a few weeks at Retiro Atelier, where Joy welcomed me with open arms and an abundance of joie de vivre. At my disposal was a well-equipped atelier with unlimited access. Joy readily sourced and obtained any materials I required to work on my self-paced project.
As a master group facilitator and instructor, it was a pleasure to observe Joy expertly teaching various techniques for working with clay, guiding students from conception to finished products. Her students quickly developed skills and confidence that would typically take much longer to achieve.
Additionally, Joy fosters a wonderful sense of community at the atekier. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with artists from various genres.
All in all, it was an excellent experience.”
Nicole O’Connor
“I've been practicing ceramics as a hobby for 4 years now. For lack of training and enough practice on the wheel, I struggled to throw tall vessels and to "belly" them out without creating inconsistencies in wall thickness and weak spots in the pieces.
I approached Joy at Atelier Retiro with those two specific requests and she devised a series of techniques and steps to be demonstrated and practised over a 1-on-1 workshop.
In my time at Atelier Retiro with Joy I got to learn some techniques I hadn't seen anyone use before and I felt like the workshop had a logical progression in difficulty and had been properly thought through specifically for me. I left being able to throw the pieces I wanted, and managed to impress my colleagues when I returned to my studio with vessels taller than anything I'd been able to do until then.
Atelier Retiro also felt like a genuine creative hub for the community. The "open door" at the atelier gets used a lot, and it attracts visits from locals, from other makers and artisans in the area, who in some cases collaborate with Retiro. It's a welcoming, friendly, vibrant, relaxed and inclusive space, and one where I've always felt welcome in the times I've stopped to visit after my workshop.”
Nuno Vieira
“My time with Joy Hanford was not just instructional, it was life changing. I was fortunate to be able to participate in two residencies at the Atelier Retiro.
The program Joy created for my experience was fun and engaging. I was able to meet and work with other artists, which allowed me to learn many styles while finding my own. The community that Joy has built was so supportive and welcoming. I had never worked in ceramics before and my knowledge was limited to what my daughter shared from her experiences in high school ceramics.
I have learned so much from my time with Joy and the Atelier Retiro. I found a love for a craft that I did not know I needed, a community that I dearly love and am privileged to be part of, all in a city full of beauty and wonder. I would highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to spend a residency with Joy and the Atelier Retiro. It is an adventure you can’t miss out on!”
Mandy Miles
“Joy Hanford creates a loving, fun, safe space that is informational and transformative. My time with Joy was a truly eye-opening experience. I was priveliged to be able to participate in two residencies at the Atelier Retiro. The curriculum Joy created was challenging, but fun. Joy connected us with artists of different backgrounds and knowledge, of whom we were able to then work with. The community within Atelier Retiro that Joy has fostered welcoming, loving, fun, and supportive, making such a warm environment.
Having had some knowledge from my ceramics classes in High School, Joy took that into account and found ways to continue to challenge me and push me outside of my comfort zone. She showed me new techniques and materials to use. I found myself falling deeper in love with ceramics. I am very privileged to have been able to be apart of a beautiful community that I now love deeply. I was able to explore the beautiful city of Guimarães in addition to this incredible opportunity. Joy creates such a space and opportunity that you don’t want to miss out on!
I highly recommend participating in a residency with Joy and spending time with the community within the Atelier Retiro!”
Clair Miles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will I stay?
The residences at Retiro don’t include accommodation. Artists traveling to participate in our classes or undertake a self-guided residency are responsible for organizing their own lodging. The Historic Center of Guimarães offers a wide range of hotels, hostels, and Air B&B accommodations, all within walking distance of Atelier Retiro.
Be sure to consider your specific needs when booking accommodation. Air conditioning and mini-fridges are not standard. Additionally, the Historic City Center has a vibrant nightlife, and our summer sessions coincide with the festival season. Read reviews carefully and plan to book your accommodation well in advance of your residency.
Do I need to rent a car?
Parking is limited in the historic center, and the area directly in front of Atelier Retiro is reserved for residents of Rua do Retiro, not students or staff.
If you intend to travel by car, be sure that your accommodation provides parking, or look for one of the several public parking facilities in the historic city center.
Do I need travel insurance?
If you are traveling from abroad, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. This investment ensures the safety of your trip and provides support in case of emergencies during your stay. It is in your best interest to travel with these assurances.
Do you offer academic credits?
Atelier Retiro doesn’t offer academic credits for students or researchers. Our residencies focus on skill development and professional growth. However, all residents will have the opportunity to participate in a group exhibition at gallery Nº6, which can enrich one's artistic curriculum.
Do I have access to WIFI?
Atelier Retiro does not offer WIFI. Due to the nature of clay and the damage it can cause to technology, we encourage our community to disconnect while in the studio, using devices only outside of clay working hours.
There are WIFI access points throughout the area, and you can access the WIFI network for free at Nº6 Gallery, next to the atelier.
Can I send my work home?
Be aware of the updated shipping rates from Portugal to your home country. We always advise artists to bring an extra suitcase to carry their art pieces when traveling from outside the European Union.
Do you pay attention to dietary requirements?
Guimarães is able to accommodate all dietary needs. Please inform us in advance of your requirements so that we can ensure the catering, when available, meets your preferences.
I have allergies, will you be careful?
Consider that allergens in a historic city, accommodations, and a foreign country can affect your comfort. Bring all necessary allergy medications with you.
If you have severe allergies, please inform the team prior to your arrival, so we can support your health and safety while you are with us.
Do I need to buy my own materials?
All necessary materials for the course are included in the cost. However, if there are specific tools you prefer to use, please bring them with you, as access to purchasing those tools may be limited.
What if you need healthcare?
There are walk-in clinics and pharmacies available for your convenience.
Bring all necessary medications in sufficient quantities for your entire stay. If you need assistance obtaining medications, we are available to help.
Is the space adapted for mobility issues or special needs?
At Atelier Retiro, it’s essential for us to be an inclusive and supportive environment. Our atelier has a small step at the entrance, but a ramp can be made available. If you require special accommodations due to mobility issues, please contact our team.
We are here to help plan your visit and ensure that you feel warmly welcomed in our community.
How do I get from the airport to Guimarães?
Get Bus: easy solution with direct schedules from the airport to Guimarães.
Uber: available for pickup at the airport.
Taxi: available for pickup at the airport.
Can I bring a friend or a family member?
As you will be responsible for your own accommodation, you are welcome to travel with friends or family. They may participate in social events at the Residency and visit the atelier outside of instruction and demonstration hours. However, only officially registered residents will be able to engage in active work during the course or the self-guided residency, due to licensing and insurance issues.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
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CLICK HERE
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WE NEED YOUR HELP! | CLICK HERE |
Do you have any questions?
If you still have any questions, get in touch!
We're here and will respond as soon as we can — or as soon as the coffee kicks in!
