Ancient Earth
Women’s Clay & Music Retreat
The Ancient Earth Women’s Retreat offers a deep journey into the creation of clay instruments, rooted in Mesoamerican traditions, and the art of musical expression — within a space that gently nurtures the natural unfolding of ancestral healing and women’s embodied wisdom.
Costa Rica
April 25 - 30 2027
Rhinebeck, New York
July 18–23, 2027
August 1–6 2027
August 8–13 2027
What We Will Explore
01 — Indigenous Clay Instrument Making
Explore the art of shaping clay instruments through techniques rooted in Mesoamerican traditions. Beginners will be guided through foundational whistle, ocarina, and flute forms, while experienced makers can explore advanced anatomical instruments. Learn ceramic instrument anatomy, personalize each creation, and bring your pieces home for local firing.
02 — Grounding into the Body & Creative Expression
Ground into the earth through the practice of clay while attuning to your own creative voice. Allow your inner visions, intuition, and personal designs to guide each form, creating instruments that feel uniquely connected to you and your relationship with the earth.
03 — Connection & Community
Come together with women from different cultures who share a passion for the arts, creativity, and connection. Surrounded by nature, we’ll create, share, and build community through creating alongside one another.
Meet the Guide
Vianney Lopez is a skilled ceramicist, musician, and multidisciplinary artist whose work flows across many creative mediums. Her artistic journey is deeply rooted in her ancestral traditions of the Indigenous Americas & Carribean, with her creations carrying the wisdom of her cultures.
A vital part of Vianney’s path of instrument making has been her apprenticeship with maestro Guillermo Martinez, a traditional Native instrument maker who has shared teachings rooted in respect, lineage, and intention. With his blessing she continues to walk this path and share the ancestral craft of creating traditional instruments. Guillermo’s former teacher, Xavier Quijas Yxayotl, was part of the lineage of artists who contributed to the revival and continuation of Mesoamerican instruments, carrying forward knowledge that now lives through the hands of many.
For our Ceramic Instrument Workshop, Vianney will lead participants through the hands-on journey of sculpting sound, fostering a deeper connection to clay, creativity, and ancestral memory.
What’s Included
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✦ Ceramic Workshops & Materials
Designed for Every Experience Level
+ For those New to Clay Instruments: We will create a Whistle, Ocarina, Shaker & Flute+ For those Experienced with Clay Instruments: You have the options of creating Harmony/Drone Flutes, Double/Triple Ocarinas, Sound Masks, or Multi Instrument Sculptures.
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✦ Evening Music Jams
Optional Music Jam Gatherings on Select Evenings
Gather for relaxed evening music jams to explore sound, rhythm, and improvisation through instruments, voice, and collective play. No musical experience is needed, and you’re welcome to bring your own instruments to play.
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✦ Vegetarian Whole Food Meals
Enjoy nourishing vegetarian meals throughout your stay, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served daily. Meals offer time to gather, slow down, and refuel between our creative sessions.
(Caters to Gluten, Dairy, Soy & Nut Allergies)
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✦ Amenities
Nature Walks
Daily Classes of Yoga, Meditation & Tai Chi
Kayaks | Canoes at the Lake
Tennis, Pickleball & Basketball Courts
Retreat Investment
New York Retreat Tuition: $950 USD
Lodging is not included in tuition.
Payment plans are available with a $150 deposit to reserve your space.
Estimated Total: $1,375–$2,895 USD
Includes retreat tuition + lodging. Your total will depend on the lodging option you choose.
Full booking and lodging details will be provided after your retreat application is accepted.
Costa Rica Retreat Tuition & Lodging: Visit the Webpage Here
FAQ
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The retreat is open to women of all skill levels who are interested in exploring ceramics, music, and creative expression. No prior experience is required.
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For those new to Clay Instruments: Creating different beginning styles of Whistles, Ocarinas & Flutes
For those experienced with Clay Instruments: Options of creating Harmony or Drone Flutes, Double or Triple Ocarinas, Sound Masks, or Multi Instrument Sculptures.
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All standard materials for the ceramic workshops will be provided, including clay and tools. Participants will also create their own tools during the retreat. You are also more than welcome to bring your own tools as well if you feel called!
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Yes! You are encouraged to take your creations home to fire them at your local pottery studio. I can also take them with me for a Firing & Shipping Fee.
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Yes, once you book your spot, an email will be shared later in the year on the details of what to bring.
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Yes of course! Feel free to bring the instruments you feel called to bring.
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It is encouraged to take your pieces home and have them fired at a local pottery studio near you.
However, I do offer an optional add-on: $30 per person for firing, plus shipping. This helps cover kiln time and the careful packing required to return your creations to you safely.
If you’re local and prefer not to pay for shipping, a studio pick-up option is available.
Please note: Clay pieces must fully dry before firing — usually 1.5 to 2 weeks — to help prevent cracks or explosions in the kiln.
Cancellation Policy for Retreat Tuition
60 days out - 50% of Total Refunded
60 day before: Non-Refundable
Tuition Payment can be transferred to a future retreat.
Cancellation Policy for Venue Lodging
Cancel 8+ days before: Refund minus $60 fee.
Cancel 1–7 days before: Credit for future Venue program minus $60 fee.
No refund or credit for same-day cancellation
A Note on Lineage, Land, and Community
These retreats are rooted in the ancestral teachings of the Mesoamerican tradition. As a woman of Indigenous descent from the lands of Abya Yala (the Americas), I carry these traditional practices of the clay with permission and care, as they were passed on to me by my teacher.
This space is open to all women who feel a sincere call to create, remember, and connect — whether from a lineage of Abya Yala or another Ancestry—so long as the heart moves with respect and openness.
The land we gather on is sacred, carrying the presence of those who came before. For many, this connection awakens remembrance, grief, clarity, and empowerment. These retreats honor difference rather than bypass it, inviting understanding through creativity, intention, and deep listening.
Each woman brings her own story, her own medicine. Together, we shape clay, create music, and weave something greater than ourselves. This is not about perfection—it’s about showing up with honesty, curiosity, and humility.
My role is not to guide from above, but to walk beside you, offering what I can so we may remember something meaningful together.
