Soil to Soul Workshop - Sonya Wilkins Ceramics

Soil to Soul Landart Workshop with Susannah Crook and Sonya Wilkins

Led By Ceramic Artist & Holistic Therapist, Sonya Wilkins

email us to book your place for £80 (£75 Early Bird Before End of March)

‘Soil to Soul’

Use earth pigments and wild clays to make your own pigment painting and wild clay creation /

It is my absolute pleasure to offer you this unique workshop in collaboration with artist Susannah Crook. We’re both so passionate about mindfully foraging organic materials from the land and creating art; so we want to share our practises with you and guide you into the calming realm of land art /

Susannah is a land inspired artist living near the coast in North Somerset. Using natural earth, mineral and botanical pigments, her paintings evoke the timeless geology of the local landscape. The view across the Severn Estuary, the rock formations along the coast, the pebbles at her feet and the markings within them are her inspiration. Using locally sourced sustainable materials as much as she can, means she is an ecologically aware artist, and this is an essential part of her practice /

Sonya discovered an authentic connection with clay from an early age, then through her Ba (Hons) at Bristol Bower Ashton (1995); to a later MFA (Ceramics) in 2023, she came to answer the question ‘Can Ceramic Vessels Become Activators For Well-Being’ /

Her desire to make full-time, initially arose from her teaching role as ceramics specialist at Clifton High School, and this lead to her work being aired on National TV, ‘The Great British Menu’ and ‘Love Your Weekend’ hosted by Alan Titchmarsh. Her nature inspired ceramics are exhibited at national shows, select galleries across the UK and she offers ‘Making and Mentoring in Nature’ and ‘Biophilia & Creativity’ workshops. As both a Reiki Master Teacher and Master in Fine Art, she permeates her ceramic creations with universal life force energy. This enables a harmonising effect, so her vessels can be used as conduits for well-being, mindful contemplation and emotive pieces of functional ware for interior spaces /

About the workshop

What: Join us for a full day (10-5pm) of land-art creation* and guided meditation in nature, using earth pigments and wild clay /

When: Saturday 15th May 2027 10am-5pm
Or Saturday 18th September 2027 10am-5pm

Where: Mendip Croft, Celtic Way, Bleadon WSM BS24 0NA

How Much: £85 per person (or £80 early bird price if booked before end of March 2027)

Facilities: Glass Fronted Yurt Overlooking Somerset Levels and Garden Marquee (Split Group for Morning and Afternoon Sessions & Swap Around)

Numbers: Maximum of 12 (2 groups of 6)

Food & Refreshments: We will provide complimentary teas and coffees and a gluten free cake to share for the close of the workshop. Please bring your own packed lunch or visit Bleadon Cafe, which is a 10 minute walk away (5 minute car journey).

Benefit to You: Immerse yourself in beautiful surroundings, with complimentary teas, coffees, sweet treats and a calming guided meditation. You will also take home your own unique pigment painting and wild clay creation to keep/

*Please note, the type of wild clay making activity may change from the ones described in the imagery on this page, as we adapt to what nature inspires us to teach each year. Please contact us for up to date information /

email us to book your place

email us to book your place

Thank you so much for the Soil to Soul day last Saturday. I've been thinking of it all week too. It truly was a special day of reconnecting with nature and taking time to just be. Just what I've needed at this present time in my life.

I thoroughly enjoyed each aspect of making, both with the clay and also the earth paints. It was so interesting to learn about the different types of clay, and using the slips from the local areas. Making our Kurinuki pots was a lovely experience, to not be too precise, but work with the form and just feel how it evolved. Making the earth paints and seeing the amazing colours they produced was great, especially as they were local pigments. Again, just seeing how the paints interacted and what you could do with them was so exciting.

The whole day was wonderfully balanced, in beautiful surroundings with such lovely hosts, who encouraged and nurtured the sense of calm and well-being, with the mix of relaxation and creativity. I came away feeling so much lighter in spirit, while at the same time thrilled with the end results of our making.

Thank you Susannah and Sonya for such a wonderful day.

Lizzie Butt (May 2026)

Terms & Conditions of Bookings

Cancellations
•More than 21 days before the workshop: £75 refund (original payment minus £10 administration fee).
•7–21 days before the workshop: £30 refund.
•Within 7 days of the workshop: No refund, unless your place can be filled.

Waiting List
If we have a waiting list and are able to fill your place, should you cancel, you can claim the £30 refund, if a fully paid replacement accepts in your place.