Rakukeramik* application closed

August 3 – August 9, 2025

Course leader: Jeanette Wåhlstrand

Welcome to Capellagården's course in raku ceramics! The course is for those who are curious about ceramics in the raku technique and want to know more about how it is done. Here we manufacture objects that are fired in a wood-fired raku oven. If you have experience working with clay, that's great, but not necessary. During the first two days of the course, we will thumb, roll, swirl and twist objects based on our own ideas or with models. Our course leader gives you individual help as needed. We let our creations dry, fire in a kiln, glaze and finally raku fire in our wood kiln. While we wait for the clay to dry, lectures are held with picture shows and conversations about raku ceramics in Japan and the Western world. We are a small group with varying backgrounds and ages. This weekly course is work-intensive, but we still have time for walks and relaxation in Capellagården's garden.

Course fee

The course fee is SEK 5100
The course takes place in collaboration with the Authority for Vocational College, Art and Culture, which means that the course fee can be kept lower than other courses.

If Capellagården has to cancel the course, you always have the right to get back the course fee you have paid. If you need to withdraw your offer due to obstacles or illness, a refund will be made with 50% of the course fee.

Please note that board and lodging are not included in the course fee, but are booked and paid for separately after admission. Material cost for individual works can be added and paid on site?

Application and admission

Who can apply for the course?
No previous knowledge required.

You who search Capellagården's summer courses must be 18 years of age, except for the children/youth courses.

How do I apply?
Link to application form.

ATTENTION! When you have submitted your application, you will only receive a confirmation on the screen. You will not receive an automatic confirmation of your application via email, but you have the option to fill in that you would like a copy of your application via email in the application form. After you have submitted your application, you will be redirected to Capellagården's website.

How is the selection of course participants done?
We apply continuous admission. When a course has enough applicants to fill course and reserve places, we close the possibility to apply for the course. The selection for the course is based on your motivation in the application and the desire to have a spread in the group.

When will I receive a response to my application?
We will provide feedback on an ongoing basis. That is, the time it takes to receive notification can vary. Notification is sent via email. 
The first e-mails with notifications will be tentatively sent out during the month of February. Upon admission, information is given about payment and confirmation of course place. In case of non-payment, we offer the course place to the next person in line. In connection with admission, it is possible to book and pay for board and lodging. 

Why is there a delay in answering my question?
Send your questions and concerns to sommarkurser@capellagarden.se. We will reply as soon as we can, so please be patient if it takes a few days.

Board and lodging

In connection with admission, you are offered to possibility to book and pay for possible board and lodging during the course week. There are about ten different houses on the "storgården" with proximity to workshops and the Vingårdsalen. The rooms are varied with a simple standard, in the houses there is access to a shared kitchen, shower and toilet. Many houses/rooms thus have shared bathrooms. Full board is included for everyone who lives at Capellagården and our shared meals are largely based on vegetables from our organic garden.

Cost of board and lodging in a single room:
Board and accommodation for one week: SEK 5,300
Bed linen is included in the fee.

If Capellagården has to cancel the course, you always have the right to recover all fees for board and lodging. In case of cancellation, we charge an administrative fee of SEK 500.

We are usually able to offer rooms to anyone who wishes, but unfortunately cannot give any guarantee. If we are unable to offer you accommodation during your course period, you will receive information about this in your acceptance letter.

If you have arranged your own accommodation and want to eat together with your coursemates, it is fine to buy individual meals. The price is then:
Breakfast SEK 85, Lunch or dinner SEK 130, Cheese tray (end) SEK 160.
Coffee and shared coffee are included in the course fee

Bring to the course

Everything we burn raku is made on site, so you should not bring any defective goods to the course. Bring your own tools if you have them, as well as sketching and note-taking materials, a towel to have in the workshop, apron if you wish to use it, or other non-sore clothing to wear in the workshop. Before burning, covering shoes, covering clothes in natural materials, preferably a shawl for the hair are needed. If you want, you are welcome to buy your own protective mask to take with you (e.g. Sundström SR 100 M/L with gas filter A1 217) which can be bought at most hardware and hardware stores. Otherwise, you can buy disposable masks on site at Capella. Also bring packing material for the journey home if you wish to take what you create with you.

Course start and end

Sunday, course start
On Sunday, the course starts for everyone. Arrival time and check-in takes place from 15.00 – 16.45. Meeting place in the school courtyard in front of the yellow mangård building. Afterwards, a simpler dinner is served in the Vingårdsalen. Roll call and joint start together with everyone on your course takes place at 18.00, also in the courtyard.

Course week
The course day starts at 8.30 and ends at 16.30. On certain days, you may be invited to a joint meeting/lecture in the morning or evening. Work in workshops and the garden is also permitted outside of teaching hours according to our workshop policy, which you will get well in place. 

Friday, the last day of the course
During the day, workshop cleaning and course evaluation are included, followed by a joint tour of the workshops. The course ends with a joint final evening in the courtyard.

Saturday, the return day
Breakfast is served and uCheck-out takes place no later than 11.00. 

Language

The language of instruction on the course is Swedish. However, summaries in English may appear.

Jeanette Wåhlstrand

Jeanette Wåhlstrand is an artist from Öland. She has studied to become an art teacher at Umeå University and since 2000 has taught art at high school level, including in several ceramics courses where raku has been included. She has also studied ceramics at Capellagården and has had a summer course in raku ceramics at Capellagården for several years. She mainly works with representational sculpture in ceramics and raku is one of the many techniques she uses in her artistry.

www.jeanettewahlstrand.se