It is with great pleasure that Dr. Fred Valdez of the University of Texas Anthropology Department, my co-instructor Cory Dangerfield, and I invite you to attend a unique pottery workshop in the Belizean jungle focusing on research through replication of Lowland Maya pottery. Join us for 10 days and become immersed in the Maya civilization, the amazing rain forest, and camp camaraderie, as "potters study potters."

The Pottery

Maya potters produced pottery for 2500 years. Their ceramic legacy included both forms and paintings that eclipsed any in the New World. Using my replication methodology, we have begun the daunting task of Maya pottery production research and enlist your help--everyone is welcome, regardless of pottery experience. At this stage, still much of the work is simply experimental requiring only a desire to participate in important research.

But, we will pot! After 3 years of research, It's working great. We are now making beautiful authentic Maya pots. Cory and I can supply any level or focus of pottery instruction for the beginner or advanced student. Happily, the marvelous Maya polychrome pots are now possible given the tested palate of slip clays and paint we have stored in camp. Also, potters can study cache vessels or God pots (photo left, pot with face) of which there are 3 in the camp lab as well as other Maya pots we may replicate.

The Setting
We will live and work at the R.E.W. Adams Research Facility (left) located in northwestern Belize. This "camp" is in the Rio Bravo Conservation Area, which is a 250,000 acre nature reserve, containing over 50 ancient Maya settlements and astonishing populations of Neotropical flora and fauna. That's right, it's a jungle! Participants must be in reasonably good physical condition, animal and heat tolerant.

Accommodations

It's not the Ritz! Rooms are double occupancy cabanas, small screened "cabins," with a bed. Non-heated showers and pit latrines round out the facilities. There is also part time electricity, potable water, cold beer/pop and terrific food featuring lots of rice and beans, local fruit, vegetables, and meat entrees every other night. By special arrangement between UT and the "next door neighbor" Programme for Belize (PfB), an accommodation upgrade is available.For an additional cost of $26/person/night, payable to PfB at the end of the workshop, double occupancy, dorm style rooms (photo above right) are available with non-attached showers, indoor plumbing, almost 24-hour electricity, comfy beds and "killer porches" with hammocks. These facilities are just a 3-minute walk from camp.

Other Activities
In addition to pottery research we will be touring the Maya sites La Milpa and Lamanai (photo left). Day and night nature hikes around PfB and plenty of Belizean-style "relaxin'" will also be included.

Cost
Here it is--$1500. This includes transportation within Belize, room and board, instruction and other activities for 10 days. A $350 deposit is required to secure your space, which is fully refundable 45 days prior to the beginning of the workshop and forfeited after that. Full tuition is due 30 days prior to the workshop. At additional cost, University of Texas graduate and undergraduate credits are available; please inquire.

Belizean Scholarship

For the first time, we will be teaching at least one Belizean full time student, Alva, to create the pottery of her ancestors. There is currently no worthwhile pottery specialization in Belize and one goal of this workshop is to help return beautiful Maya pottery to Belize using only native materials. Tuition donations are needed.

Travel
I will meet you at, and deliver you back to, Belize International Airport, Belize City. You will be responsible for International airfare.

Other Information
Go online to to http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~marl/pfbap.htm for a very thorough description of camp. Perusing this site and the image gallery at: http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~marl/image_gallery.htm. For information about me go to www.swinkart.com.

If I can help you with additional information, please contact me. Please Click her for a registration form.

Looking forward to seeing you in the jungle--"Ya betta Belize it,"

Clint Swink

Swink Art
688 Raven Ridge
Bayfield, CO 81122
970/563-4624
swink@rmi.net www.swinkart.com