Clay Sculpting w/ Tatsiana

This one-day intensive is not about speed or spectacle. It is about intention — about learning to listen to the clay, to your hands, to the architecture of form as it unfolds.

Guided by the incredibly talented sculptor Tatsiana Shevarenkova, this exclusive workshop invites students to slow down and look closely. Through a series of skill-focused demonstrations and one-on-one instruction, you’ll explore the fundamentals of sculptural hand-building: stability, scale, and structural awareness. You will not finish a sculpture in five hours — and you are not meant to. Instead, you will come away with the knowledge required to begin building bigger, with confidence and clarity.

Tatsiana will share insights into her own process — how she constructs large-scale hollow forms, how she works in stages, what she uses for internal support and why. You’ll learn where the limits are, and how to approach them with care. You’ll practice methods that refine your touch, extend your working time, and reduce collapse and cracking.

This is a class for those ready to move beyond small and symmetrical. It is for those who want to build pieces that breathe — that lean, stretch, sag, or stand with quiet defiance.

DATE & TIME:

• SAT 17th May / 9am – 2pm (30 minutes break)

EXPERIENCE LEVEL:  Intermediate (basic understanding of clay handling recommended)

Who is Tatsiana Shevarenkova?

Tatsiana is a sculptor working between clay, beeswax, and cast materials. Born in Belarus and now based in Sydney, her practice centers on impermanence — how forms shift, soften, erode. Her work has been exhibited in galleries across Sydney, Melbourne, and Shanghai, and held in private collections in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. She was a finalist in the Tom Bass Prize for Figurative Sculpture and the North Queensland Ceramic Awards. She is currently developing new projects in metal and glass, continuing her exploration of fragility, material memory, and the body.

WORKSHOP GOALS:

• Studio introduction & material overview 
• building hollow sculptural forms
• Understanding support structures & internal armatures
• Controlling moisture, timing, and wall thickness
• Avoiding common pitfalls in larger builds
• Guided hand-building session with individual feedback

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

• Time: 5 hours of guided instruction
• Materials: White Raku clay provided (you may bring your own preferred grogged clay)
• Tools: Basic sculpting tools available (students are welcome to bring their own)

•  What You’ll Create: A small sculptural study or the beginnings of a larger for that can be bisque fired. 
  

WHAT TO BRING:

• A pencil and small unruled notebook for sketching and notes
•  Lunch/snack (kitchen with fridge and microwave available)

• Curiosity and patience

Age Requirement: 13 & over (Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an enrolled adult)

Please Note: Finishes pieces will be available for pickup 2–3 weeks later