Kirsten Stingle Studio
Retreats and Workshops
2025
Manifesting Your Story
May 29th - June 1st, 2025
Double Island Studio
Green Mountain, NC
Full, Waitlist Only
Stories and myths invite us to explore meaning and build a sense of belonging. In this 4 day class we will explore the potential of narrative sculpture to build connection with our world.
Follow Kirsten down the rabbit hole as she guides students in building a ¾ life size head using a coil method and sharing all of her hand-building techniques. She will break down anatomy and proportion in an easy step-by-step approach with handouts that can be taken home for later reference. Kirsten emphasizes individual attention to help each student achieve their artistic vision. We will then narratively embellish the head to express personal themes of kinship with the human and natural world. Kirsten will also problem solve with students to seamlessly incorporate mixed media after firing.
Beginners welcome. This is an all-levels class.
Embedding Ourselves in the Story
September 8-13th, 2025
Muses Santa Fe
Santa Fe, NM
2 Spots left
Let’s celebrate a story rooted within a pulsating ecosystem. This workshop will explore how our stories are inextricably entangled with a world full of animacy and agency. Students will stretch the potential of figurative sculpture to create a form in which new stories bubble with potential.
Kirsten will guide students to build a small torso in a step-by-step approach to anatomy, proportion, and gesture with one-on-one instruction and handouts.
The figure will ground the sculpture in a familiar storytelling vessel. Then, using the coil method, the class will build a texturally complex form to explore surface potential and a “canvas” on which to expand on ideas and themes. The form and texture will highlight the ecosystem in which the figure thrives and provide narrative context. Students will learn different mark making techniques to build up surface depth.
The resulting sculpture will be approximately an 18” wall piece. Kirsten will discuss how to further build up the complexity of the surface after firing using cold finishes and mixed media. This is an all-levels class. Beginners welcome.
Awakening Cassandra
October 19th - 29th, 2025
International Center for the Arts
Monte Costello di Vibio, Italy
1 Spot Left
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You may know the tragic story of Cassandra: she prophesied the truth but was destined not to be heard or believed. Often, we treat our creative voice in a similar way. While it is unique to every one of us, the question is do we leave space to hear and understand our muse’s song? “We must learn to be a soothsayer for our soul,” says Kirsten, “and listen beyond the din of disbelief in the head and the fear of being misunderstood in the heart.”
Let’s awaken and rewild the tale of our creative muse to give her voice again. This unique sculptural retreat combines technical ceramic figurative instruction and mixed media book arts to harness the creative voice that sings in us all. Studio instruction will be accompanied by site visits to inspire, such as the underground Etruscan dwellings in Orvieto, local antique markets, and the Monster Park outside Rome. As an incubator for soulful expression, Italy is full of myths, histories, and legends that echo in the art and landscape.
During this retreat Kirsten will guide the class to build a 50% life size torso to hang on the wall. Kirsten has a step-by-step approach to figurative ceramics that is easily accessible. Her class demonstrations are followed-up with individual tutorials, enabling her to help each student achieve their narrative vision. In addition, Kirsten will guide the class to expand and strengthen the narrative potential by making an assemblage fiber scroll book that will hang from the torso. Participants will walk away with a knowledge of techniques such as rusting, eco dye, photo transfer, collage, book arts, stitch and mark making.
This class is for ALL LEVELS:
whether you have never touched clay but yearn to stretch your creative potential, or if you are a seasoned ceramicists that want to add a few new techniques to your toolbox.
Participants will be housed in the remarkably well-preserved Umbrian hill town of Monte Castello di Vibio. Your workshop package is all-inclusive, providing welcome and departure services and airport transfer from the Rome Fiumicino, Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO). Aboard our comfortable private bus, single occupancy accommodations with shared bath (a wide range of upgrades with private bath are available), 3 meals per day Monday-Thursday, Prosecco brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday (no meals are served on Friday, our excursion day. Your workshop includes one excursion per week and many additional options are available on weekends for an additional fee. Of course, 24/7 access to facilities and 24/7 bi-lingual support are provided.
Retreats and Workshops
2026
Chasing Sunsets:
Assemblage Journal through Magical Morocco
March 18th to April 2nd, 2026
Join our 16-day inclusive art and travel experience in Morocco, including a 4-day workshop at Michelle's atelier, Kasbah Aitisfoul, in the Sahara.
This distinctive creative travel experience combines ceramics, book arts, as well as assemblage and layering techniques to manifest a travel tome that reflects our travels through the Land of the Sunset.
Using vintage camel saddle bags as our book covers, I will lead participants in building a sculptural assemblage journal including ephemera we have collected along the way. Once in the studio at Kasbah Aitisfoul, I will guide the class in specific book making and assemblage techniques, as well as the art of layering and collage with photo transfers, texture and mark makiung with stitch, fabric rusting, and more.
In addition, the group will have the opportunity to experience the Tamegroute ceramic tradition using native clay and Tamegroute glaze to make simple sculptural embellishments for the journal.
No prior ceramic experience necessary.
A Little About our Journey
Our journey through the sunset lands of Morocco on the western edge of legendary El Maghreb beins in Casablanca where we will begin gathering momentoes and memories on our journey together, where the Promenade follows the Atlantic, also the home to the stunning Hassan II Mosque that Westerners are allowed to visit.
From there we will travel to the enchanting blue city, Chefchaouen, visit the Roman ruins at Volubility and travel the ancient trade route to visit the village of Ait Ben Haddou.
We will learn about the process of the carpet weaving at Afous Agous women's collective in the high Atlas, and negotiate with traders in the souks of Fez.
Arriving at Kasbah Aitisfoul on the northern edge of the Sahara, we will enjoy gentle workshop days and time to collaborate on our assemblage journals as the days unfold in a rhythm of the desert. We will travel into the Sahara to go glaming for a night and take a camel ride to watch the setting sun.
Our path eventually brings us to Marrakech where we will wander the souks visiting some of Michelle's favorite merchants.
Examples of assemblage books made on our recent trip to India
Say Yes!
Spend 16 days seeing with new eyes and connecting to what matters. This inclusive and immersive experience will rekindle your imagination and revitalize your creative soul.
This is a small group experience, so spaces are limited.
Unearthing Ireland:
Explore the myth, magic and the heroine's journey
August 3rd - 16th, 2026
Essence of Mulranny
Mythic and historic sites in Ireland
Join us as we dive headfirst into Irish mythology, legend, and lore. The land holds secrets dating back to the Stone Age and we will listen to the whispers of the people and their stories.
During this 14-day retreat, Kirsten Stingle will guide us to create a sculptural assemblage travel journal to memorialize our journey. Participants will learn to personalize their personal work of art through techniques such as book arts, mark making, image transfer, and stitching and eco printing, and ceramics.
Archeological Places We Will Visit:
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The Hills of Tara: Home of the High Kings of Ireland
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New Grange and Knowth: Neolithic passage tombs that predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
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Lough Crew: The hills and tombs are known as Slieve na Calliagh, meaning the “mountain of the Caileach, the hag of Irish mythology. Legend has it that the monuments were created when the Caileach dropped her cargo of large stones from her apron.
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Uisneach: where we will celebrate Lughnasa (the Gaelic festival celebrating the beginning of the harvest).
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The Burren sites: including Poulnarone Portal Tomb dating from the early Neolithic, the Cliffs of Moher, and Saint Brigit’s holy well.
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Rathcrogan: The legendary dwelling of Queen Medb and the focal point of the epic Tain.
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Owenyghat: The legendary dwelling place of the Battle Goddess Morrigan.
And so much more!
