Pottery workshop in the Sacred Valley
of Urubamba
After a riveting flight over the UNESCO World
Heritage Site, I flew to Cusco and journeyed into the
Sacred Valley in Peru’s Andean highlands. The Sacred
Valley of the Incas or the Urubamba Valley is a valley in
the Andes of Peru, north of the Inca capital of Cusco. I
was warmly greeted by Pablo Seminario and his family
at his gorgeous studio where I was to learn about the
unique “Seminario Style” he created while giving life to
the ceramic traditions of the Pre-Colombian cultures of
Peru. Pablo’s son, Kusi, gave me a tour of the spacious
studios and a rundown of the process. What makes the
Seminario Style unique is the way he prepares, carves,
and treats the clay. In all of his work, he uses typical
Peruvian designs and motifs to carve into the clay and
adds mineral-oxides for color and decoration. He then uses
semi-precious stones from Brazil to smooth, engrain, and
gloss the color into the clay. After my tour, I was treated
With Pablo Seminario.
to my own personal workshop where I could create my
own ceramic slabs influenced by the “Seminario Style.”
This workshop was not only educational and extremely interesting, it ultimately will inform
my pottery curriculum at Saint David’s.
At the Seminario studio in Cusco.
Projects inspired by Peruvian pottery
My journey and discoveries in Peru have provided me with artistic and educational inspiration.
My time at Pablo’s studio in Urubamba will inform my First Grade curriculum, as I wish to
demonstrate this new style of preparing clay before it is ever fired. My first graders will use the experience they gained in
Kindergarten pottery and apply their skills to a more advanced curriculum that I know they are capable of achieving.
Cajamarca ceramics, from the highlands of northern Peru, are characterized by their geometric motifs
and stylized zoomorphic designs. Paintings were applied both on the interior and exterior of
the piece. The principal forms of this pottery were tripod vessels, cups with bases and plates.
The predominant colors were cream and orange. I would like to elevate my existing pinch pot
project in First Grade, by adding elements of the Cajamarca ceramic style.
As our Headmaster has duly noted, “Great schools must develop
practices and protocols that constantly reconnect their teachers with
the most current knowledge not only in their disciplines, but also in
pedagogy.” To be able to study, research, and travel in order to heighten,
enlighten, and enhance my pottery curriculum and knowledge at Saint
David’s is an extraordinary opportunity. Saint David’s philosophy and
four pillars have allowed me to conduct educational research incorporated
to maximize learning and understanding, through the school-wide
Curriculum Initiative. Through my grant, I have been reminded how Saint
David’s seeks to create responsible lifelong learners who are reflective and
respect differences. I have been given the opportunity to continue my
studies and practices as an artist and educator and incorporate my own
teaching philosophy of global citizenship and world cultures. I wish to
engage the young minds I teach with the research and philosophies I learned throughout my
trip to Peru. Having a “Critical Eye” and “Critical Mind” cultivated so that boys can critically
evaluate the world around them is paramount. M
Melanie Fidler teaches Lower School art and pottery at Saint David’s School. She traveled to Peru as a recipient of a Saint
David’s School summer 2018 professional development study grant.
26 • Saint David’s Magazine