Handbuild Ceramics with Maria
Shape clay in the heart of Athens with ceramic artist Maria, in a city where pottery has deep, ancient roots. Over a week of slow, intentional making, you’ll learn hand-building techniques, color your own clay, and experiment with surface treatments like terra sigillata—reimagined for the present. Beyond the studio, immerse yourself in Athens’ contemporary art scene, wander through ancient temples, and bask in the Mediterranean light.
- Snacks, Coffee, & Tea
Pricing
- One Guest
- USD $1955
- Additional guest(s) (max 4)
- USD $600
Meet the Artist
Maria is a hand-building ceramic artist whose work fuses ancient traditions with playful forms and contemporary surface techniques. Drawing inspiration from ancient Greek pottery and votive traditions, she blends historical motifs with a touch of whimsy. “Immersing myself in Greek culture, living in the very heart of Athens, has profoundly shaped my work,” she says.
Her practice is grounded in slow, intentional methods: pinching, coiling, and slab building using minimal tools. She mixes her own clays and colors them with ceramic stains to create subtle marbled surfaces and wave-like patterns. Finishes often include terra sigillata slips, fired at stoneware temperatures and enriched with cobalt, iron, and chromium oxides, resulting in luminous, textured surfaces.
Committed to sustainability, Maria recycles clay, formulates eco-conscious glazes, and works mindfully to reduce waste. Her tactile process reflects a deep respect for the material. To her, being a craftsperson means understanding every stage of making—honoring the time, care, and intention each piece requires. It’s not just about objects, but about a quiet dialogue between tradition and personal expression.
Maria invites you to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and experience the meditative joy of making by hand. Her work offers a meaningful window into Greek craft heritage and the enduring rhythm of creation.
Her practice is grounded in slow, intentional methods: pinching, coiling, and slab building using minimal tools. She mixes her own clays and colors them with ceramic stains to create subtle marbled surfaces and wave-like patterns. Finishes often include terra sigillata slips, fired at stoneware temperatures and enriched with cobalt, iron, and chromium oxides, resulting in luminous, textured surfaces.
Committed to sustainability, Maria recycles clay, formulates eco-conscious glazes, and works mindfully to reduce waste. Her tactile process reflects a deep respect for the material. To her, being a craftsperson means understanding every stage of making—honoring the time, care, and intention each piece requires. It’s not just about objects, but about a quiet dialogue between tradition and personal expression.
Maria invites you to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and experience the meditative joy of making by hand. Her work offers a meaningful window into Greek craft heritage and the enduring rhythm of creation.
VAWAA Includes:
- Learn the full hand-building process—pinching, coiling, and slab techniques—with an emphasis on slow, intentional making.
- Experiment with ceramic stains to color clay and explore a range of surface decoration techniques.
- Discover the theory behind different clay bodies and firing methods.
- Work with Maria’s personal terra sigillata recipe, discovering how she reinterprets this ancient technique in a modern context.
- Glaze and finish your pieces; once fired, they can be shipped to your home for an additional fee.
- Visit local ceramic studios and museums to connect your hands-on practice with Athens’ vibrant craft heritage and creative scene.
Explore Athens
Athens is far more than its ancient ruins. It’s a raw, restless city where history and contemporary creativity collide. Beyond the Acropolis, a new generation of artists is transforming neighborhoods like Psiri, Metaxourgeio, and Exarchia into vibrant cultural hubs. Murals stretch across neoclassical facades, abandoned factories become performance spaces, and street-level collectives bring art to the everyday.
As Maria says, “Working with clay here feels like a continuation of a very old story. My practice connects the past to the present, blending traditional techniques with a contemporary, personal voice—right in the heart of a city that has always honored craft and culture.” It’s a place that demands your presence, where creativity feels urgent, personal, and deeply embedded in the urban fabric.
As Maria says, “Working with clay here feels like a continuation of a very old story. My practice connects the past to the present, blending traditional techniques with a contemporary, personal voice—right in the heart of a city that has always honored craft and culture.” It’s a place that demands your presence, where creativity feels urgent, personal, and deeply embedded in the urban fabric.
Additional Details
Though Athens is a lovely city to visit year-round, August can be uncomfortably hot, and the Christmas season brings heavy tourist crowds.
This VAWAA is not available for longer durations.
Children accompanied by a guardian, elders, and people with special needs are welcome to participate. The studio is accessible by stairs and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.
Maria speaks Greek, English, and Chinese.
This VAWAA is not available for longer durations.
Children accompanied by a guardian, elders, and people with special needs are welcome to participate. The studio is accessible by stairs and is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.
Maria speaks Greek, English, and Chinese.