Pottery RESIDENCY — Q&A & Practical Information
HOW DO I ARRIVE AT YOUR PLACE FROM THE AIRPORT?
Fly into our only airport RIX in RIGA, 70km from the studio.
The BEST way to get to us from airpot is by booking BOLT taxi ride. Make sure not to take any random taxi, install the app BOLT and book the ride. It should cost you around 60eur for the 1.1hour ride (it’s 70km).
Arrival with car
It is best to rent the car from RIGA AIRPORT. You will not find rental cars in the small towns such as BAUSKA.
By car: please simply enter LAIMA CERAMICS in google and follow through with your navigation app (Waze or google maps).
If you would like to be independent - rental car is ideal as we are 7km from nearest village shop, but if you are on a budget or don't have drivers licence - you can get by with public transport, get the occasional taxi ride or get a ride with Krišjānis to the closest town for groceries. Trips to/from Bauska for arrivals/shopping trips are charged flat rate 20eur/per trip.
Downstairs en-suite private room featuring a 140 cm double bed, reading light, an antique wardrobe inherited from my great-grandmother, and a small kitchenette with an electric hob, fridge.
Upstairs shared space featuring a dining table, couch, and a shared bathroom. The main kitchen is fully equipped with an electric oven, induction cooker, kettle, hand blender, two fridges, coffee machine, toaster, juicer, as well as pots, pans, and plenty of handmade tableware.
Food / catering info
At the moment, we don’t yet have a cook on site to provide full meal service. However, there is a kitchen available where you can prepare your own meals, and the schedule allows plenty of time for cooking and breaks.
It’s a simple, functional setup.
There are amazing restaurants and cafes in 5-20min driving distance.
Aveņi (in Bauska)
Tornis (in Bauska)
Rezidence (near Rundale palace)
Baltā Māja (near Rundale palace)
food shopping INFO
We recommend the farmers market in Bauska for local seasonal vegetables, meat and fish.
It is most convenient for you to shop at hypermarket Rimi or Lidl. Rimi has the widest selection (also vegan and gluten-free stand) as well as “ready made” meals.
Farmers market, RIMI and LIDL are all in our closest town BAUSKA (20km from the studio). There is also a small local village shop (5km from the studio) easily accessibly with bicycle.
What to bring along?
There is bedding and towels provided as well as selection of ceramic tools.
Welcome to bring the following personal items:
Slippers for the bedroom
Slip-in shoes (such as Crocs or sandals) for studio use — the studio floor is concrete and clay-friendly footwear is recommended
Two aprons — for health and safety reasons, working in a dirty apron is not allowed
(Handmade linen aprons are also available for purchase in the studio)Sleeping eye mask — the rooms are bright
Earphones if you enjoy working while listening to podcasts or your own music
Walking boots if you plan to explore countryside trails
Swimming costume — there is a pond near the studio, a lake in the village, and nearby spa and sauna options
Any specialty pottery tools you prefer to work with
WHAT WOULD A REGULAR DAY LOOK LIKE FOR ME?
The artist residency is fully self-directed so you decide how to organise your time here. Studio is available 24/7 so feel free to work as much or as little as you like there.
HOW MUCH GUIDANCE/CONTACT TIME DO I GET?
Our 2 week program includes welcome tour and basic intro to materials/equipment at the start of your residency to introduce you to the equipment and guided tour around the premises.
You may book individual lessons during your stay, but if you feel you will need more guidance please reach out beforehand so a comprehensive course structure may be devised for you individually.
We also have a fantastic guest lecturer Laura, who teaches traditional pinch pot coil-building skills and reduction wood firing.
How do you manage reclaim?
There are shared buckets for white/grey stoneware and 2 plaster bats for drying the reclaim. If you don't want/know how to process reclaim, then we do it for you, but that means you don't get to re-use your leftovers.
Are there throwing bats for wheel?
No we don’t have/ don’t use a bat system for throwing. Throwing is directly on the wheel head. If you have/need bat system you might want to consider bringing them along. Wheel size is 30cm and 35cm.
How much cleaning will I do?
During your personal practice: You are always required to clean up your working area after use. There is hoover and mop to minimize dust and health hazards ceramic dust poses.
What kind of firings do you have?
The studio is equipped with two electric kilns. Firings are done as soon as a kiln is full, and we generally fire at least once per week:
Bisque firing to 980 °C
Glaze firing to 1260 °C
Each firing cycle takes approximately 2.5 days to fully heat up and cool down.
Wood, raku, and reduction gas firings at Laima Ceramics Studio take place on an irregular basis, depending on the type of commissions and ongoing projects. We’re happy to discuss these before or during your stay to see whether joining a specialty firing is possible within your timeframe.
How about glazing? Will I get pre-mixed glazes?
There is a selection of containers with our pre-mixed MAIN STUDIO GLAZES (including transparent, white, beige, black, and several others). These are our most reliable glazes, kept in larger quantities, and are suitable for dipping or submerging small to medium-sized work.
We generally fire to 1260 °C in an oxidation atmosphere using an electric top-loader Rohde kiln, so most of our glazes are formulated specifically for this temperature range and firing type.
In addition, glaze recipe eBooks featuring many of my favourite and well-tested recipes are available for purchase via my website. Have a look at our gorgeous studio glazes for sale here!
Can you help with taking photos/ video of my work?
Yes. Krišjānis is a professional photographer and can arrange a photoshoot for you and/or your pottery during your stay.
Photoshoot rates start from €90 per hour. Please let us know in advance or during your visit if you’re interested, so we can plan accordingly.
How many people work for the studio?
There are four people at the core of the studio:
Laima — Potter and founder. Responsible for all design, wheel-throwing, most glazing and firing, as well as part of marketing (Instagram) and photography.
Oksana — Studio assistant, making dinnerware, handling customer service and packaging.
Vēsma — Laima’s mother, managing bookkeeping and finances.
Krišjānis — Photographer and graphic designer, also supporting household and practical studio operations.
How will I transport my pieces home?
After your residency, all finished pieces can be carefully packed and shipped to your address.
Many participants choose to add extra baggage allowance for their return trip, or opt for delivery organized by us.
We can also glaze and fire your work after your departure, if needed. Alternatively, you are welcome to take bisque-fired pieces (980 °C) with you if you prefer to finish them elsewhere.
Planning your time — the making cycle
To help you plan realistically, please consider the typical ceramic making cycle:
1 day — throwing
1 day — trimming
3 days — drying
2 days — bisque firing
1 day — glazing
3 days — glaze firing
Total: approximately 11 days from start to finish for a fully completed piece.
This timeline is important to keep in mind when planning shorter or longer residencies.
MATERIAL AND FIRING COSTS
Most of our courses include material and firing package. If you plan to make more work we have these materials available:
Porcelain Audrey Blackman 12,5kg - 40eur
stoneware (white/speckled/grey/black) (sibelco/witgert) 10kg - 15eur
firing 200-litre kiln up to 1280° C (2336 F) 90€ (+60eur per kiln load for pre-mixed glaze)
firing 200-litre kiln up to 980° C 80€
WHAT ARE THE TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES?
The studio is located 20km from the town of Bauska and only 70km from the capital Riga. There is convenient public transport everywhere.
The studio is located “middle of nowhere” so there is a sort of bubble feeling here where you need to make a certain effort to get out of the farm and start exploring the surroundings.
We do recommend to reserve some time to explore this beautiful, natural country.
Our top 3 favourites:
Kolka- where the open Baltic sea meets the bay
Kuldīga- the most beautiful, charming old town
Gauja National Park
Have a look here for more details.
Are there any dangerous animals in Latvia?
As we are surrounded by nature, ticks are present in the area and may carry tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. Please check your body carefully after spending time outdoors, especially between March and October.
If you’re lucky, you may spot deer, foxes, badgers, moose, mice, and a wide variety of birds in the surrounding countryside.
A horse paddock lies between the studio and our home. If you are uncomfortable around horses, you’re welcome to use the road that goes around the paddock, so you don’t need to walk through it.
Please also note that there are animals on site:
5 cats and 1 dog around the studio and home
5 German Shepherd dogs on the property belonging to my parents
All animals are accustomed to people, but if you have any concerns or specific fears, please let us know and we’ll gladly guide you.
Congratulations on making it to the end of this extensive page 🤍
If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us via email.
We look forward to welcoming you here in Latvia.
Warmest wishes,
Laima & co