Fogo Clay Studio

The clay retreat I recently attended at the Fogo Clay Studio was an extraordinary creative and travel experience. Exceeded all expectations. The week was full of inspirational learning, studio time, amazing food, excursions and wonderful people. It’s a special, intimate program in a beautiful location. If you have the opportunity to go, book it! I can’t wait to return.

Fogo Clay Studio offers a truly exceptional travel and creative experience for so many reasons. Sarah and Peggy were amazing hosts. Their accommodations were lovely and intimate, the food delicious (Sarah is a great cook), the dining room steps from the ceramics studio, all situated on the water - just gorgeous. Sarah led us on a different hike each morning to take in the stunning landscapes of Fogo Island and to artist studios and shops in the afternoon. Of course, the excursions were optional and a few of us preferred to start in the studio before breakfast or continue working after dinner. Thanks to our extraordinary teacher, Joan Bruneau, we returned home with new skills and a toolkit of techniques and strategies to explore. We all had a lot of 1:1 time with Joan because the group was so small. Joan shared demos, slide shows watched us practice, gave us advice. It really was a dream of a week. I'll be returning next year for sure!

Absolutely amazing! The studio is a dream come true. Food spectacular. Joan had so much knowledge to share. Sarah and Peggy are wonderful hosts. I could go on and on! Thank you so much!

The pottery retreat was simply amazing! Not only did Sarah tailor her teachings to every one of us and push us to go to the next level, but she also went above and beyond to show us Fogo Island life. We went on beautiful morning hikes, we ate the most amazing meals and visited countless artists studios, shops and little towns. I will definitely return!

I did one of the Fogo Clay Studio’s week long pottery retreats this summer, and I can’t say enough good things. Sarah was a skilled, patient, and honest teacher to all the experience levels in our class, and the studio was spacious and beautiful. The non-pottery aspects of the week were also amazing. Peggy, Sarah, and the rest of the hosting team members were so welcoming and fun to get to know. The food was excellent. The other participants in the retreat were all friendly and as excited as I was to be there and together. The pacing of the day and the week was nicely structured but relaxed at the same time (with a daily hike option, family style meals, lessons/demos, and free time). In addition to the workshop/studio time we also got a nice introduction to the arts and community on Fogo Island. All of this with breathtaking geography and scenery all around you.I’m dreaming of the day I can return and find all my friends back as well. Very grateful to Sarah and Peggy and everyone else who helped to make this retreat the positive and memorable experience that it was.

Had the BEST week here, at a week long pottery retreat. Sarah is wicked potter and an awesome teacher, who was able to accomodate and support a range of different levels (I was a total newbie and still never felt left behind). The vibe was fun, educational, supportive, and community building; the people were fabulous; the food over the top delicious. We went hiking each morning (if you wanted) and on art excursions, we laughed alot, and even got to have a super fun and talented band in the kitchen! This week healed my soul and inspired me for the future-- I've already signed up for more pottery lessons upon getting home. I can't recommend Sarah and the Fogo Clay Studio enough.

The week-long pottery workshop I did at Fogo Clay Studio was truly the experience of a lifetime. Not only were the daily classes with the wildly-talented Naomi Clement fun and inspiring, Sarah and Peggy put together an amazing itinerary for us each day, complete with gorgeous hikes around the island, fabulous home-cooked meals, amazing live music, wonderful island characters and beautiful island crafts. I left feeling inspired, energized and happy!

Just finished a week with a wonderful instructor. An amazing teacher who managed to teach a range of beginners and more experienced students. The accommodations and meals were exceptional. Besides pottery, we had optional morning hikes, and late afternoon tours of art studios around the island. Peggy and Sarah welcome you to their beautiful home and are exceptional hosts. A great way to experience the arts and culture of Fogo Island.

Our week-long retreat was an experience of a lifetime. Six potters of varying experience all got one-on-one guidance and instruction with Sarah as we went through a variety of exercises. The pottery skills improvement alone was worth the trek to Fogo Island, but the sunrise walks, the family atmosphere as we dined on spectacular meals together, and the overall warm island vibe all made this truly remarkable. Thanks for being wonderful people, Sarah and Peggy! ❤

I can’t even gush enough about how amazing Fogo Clay Studio is. I have come to Fogo 2 years in a row now for a week long pottery retreat and it has been amazing both years! Sarah and Peggy are incredible hosts who welcome you into their lovely home with true warmth. They work hard (but make it look effortless) to ensure you have a truly Fogo island experience. The studio is lovely. The space is bright, inviting and fully equipped. I’m a beginner potter but have enjoyed spending class time learning from my teachers, Toni Losey & Sarah Fulford as well as the more advanced potters taking the workshops. This is my magical happy place: good company, excellent food and wonderful memories to take home.