The Woman Vessel Workshop
An exploration of form and connection through clay.
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Athens
Sep 4-7
Timed and positioned to sit gently within a longer trip, should you wish to explore more of Greece before or after.
Athens in late summer is a dream: warm days, golden evenings, and the perfect base to continue your travels into the islands, or mainland.
Join me in a place where time sits still.
Every time I return, the ground pulls me deeper.
Athens; a place of contradictions — vibrancy with an undercurrent of stillness moving through it.
An invitation for a four-day immersive workshop at 10AM Lofts — a peaceful sanctuary housed in a converted industrial building.
Coincidentally situated in the area where ceramics were produced during ancient times. Visiting the city now at times feels like time travel. You find incredible pots made some thousand years ago in every corner.
Over these four days, I’ve poured in everything I know about coiled, asymmetrical forms.
If you've been planning to join a workshop for a while, but have been restricted to join each level separately due to time limitations or geography, this one is for you. You will go through my usual Level 1 & 2 offering at once. Think of it as an intensive seminar, one from which you will return back home with my 6 years of research in form, in your suitcase. Plus, all the treasures that this country will undoubtedly offer.
Together, we’ll explore the hand-building process of two Women Vessels through coiling techniques.
I’ll share what I’ve learned along my path with clay, alongside teachings generously passed down by my mentors.
This is an invitation to create within a richly atmospheric interior, while grounding yourself in a deeply informative and tactile practice.
I've met many who hold a shared love for architecture and ceramics — myself included. Hosting this workshop at 10AM Lofts brings those two worlds together in one place, making it especially meaningful.
Whether you’re returning to clay or starting from scratch, you’ll be guided with care and clarity.
This workshop is open to all levels and created for those seeking depth, slowness, and connection — to form, process, and place.
Intentions
⋄ Four immersive days of hand-building within a precious architectural gem.
⋄ Conversations over clay surrounded by quiet beauty.
⋄ Guided instruction rooted in intentional asymmetry.
⋄ Connection with like-minded creatives from around the world
Programme
Day I
Foundation & Form
⋄ Welcome and introductions
⋄ A grounding conversation: sharing references, personal journeys, inspirations, and the theory of form.
⋄ Introduction to printed diagrams and a photographic archive of the Women Vessels — the visual backbone of our exploration.
⋄ Brief sketching session to wake up our artist selves. Using transparent overlays, participants explore a few intuitive iterations from Karina’s 6-year archive of forms. This exercise is a gentle reminder that sketches are only starting points — forms often evolve and transform during the making process. Clay has its own voice, and it’s often the act of making that truly shapes the final piece.
⋄ Preparing bases and coils
⋄ Begin building walls — focusing on expanding outward belly shapes
⋄ Q&A and reflections to close the day, setting intentions for Day 2
Day II
Continuing the Build
⋄ Morning arrival with space for Q&A
⋄ Building walls higher, nurturing volume and soft asymmetries
⋄ Finishing rims and exploring balance
⋄ Surface trimming and gentle refinement
⋄ Printed diagrams revisited with fresh eyes: participants will compare the form they’ve created with the initial sketch, noticing how it has evolved and changed through the process. This sets the stage for the shift to the more precise design work to come.
⋄ Reflections and setting intentions for the next phase
By the end of this day we will have completed Level 1; an introduction to my intuitive approach to coiling — a way of working that encourages responsiveness to the material, allowing forms to emerge organically. Here, we focus on shaping outward curves, following the natural flow of the clay.
Day III
From Vision to Precision
⋄ Transitioning into Level 2: a more intentional design process
⋄ Introduction of a new printed diagram: refining a precise form and planning proportions
⋄ Participants are guided in transferring their 2D design to a 3D vessel with clarity and control
⋄ Preparing bases and coils for the second piece
⋄ Begin building the new form — paying close attention to internal grooves and tension
⋄ End of day reflections
Level 2 offers a more structured pathway. You’ll receive a scaled section drawing of a vessel with an inward groove, and I’ll guide you through translating that from paper to form. This approach invites more planning, precision, and intentionality — helping you visualise and realise complex curves with greater control.
Day IV
Refinement & Resolution
⋄ Morning Q&A and continued coiling
⋄ Sculpting with intention — refining structure and silhouette
⋄ Trimming, surface definition, and details
⋄ Final reflections and group sharing
⋄ Closing the workshop with takeaways, both tactile and internal
Together, these two levels offer complementary methods. Level 1 gives space to an open dialogue between the material and you as a maker, which often leads to beautiful results, while Level 2 provides clarity of vision, allowing you more control over the material. With both, you’ll begin to move fluidly between freedom and structure — developing your own rhythm. I truly believe that clay has its own language, and our practices are just conversations between ourselves and our medium. It's about knowing when to step in, having control over the form, and when to take a step back and allow clay and gravity to do their thing, with you in a supporting role.
"Belief in the significance of architecture is premised on the notion that we are, for better or worse, different people in different places."
— Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness
"I enjoyed developing my skills in a lovely environment. Taking part in The Woman Vessel workshop helped me see the beauty in imperfection. Karina is a wonderful teacher and makes everyone feel that they have created something personal and unique. I would definitely recommend it. "
Alex
"I really enjoyed the way that Karina guided us to work. I loved the clay that she gave us and really enjoyed learning the techniques that Karina taught us. The combination allowed us all to make amazing pieces within a very short space of time.
The workshop showed me a new way to achieve sizeable sculptures in a technique that is very adaptable. I would definitely recommend this workshop. Karina is an excellent teacher who gives clear guidance whilst allowing freedom to find one's own way."
Mariana
What we will cover
⋄ Coil preparation techniques
⋄ Horizontal coiling & inward groove
⋄ Pinching and coiling fundamentals
⋄ Creating necks and rim refinements
⋄ Designing your vessel form
⋄ Translating 2D sketches into 3D forms with intention
⋄ Asymmetrical curves & directional shifts
⋄ Bellying out and narrowing in
What is included
4-day immersive workshop (4 hours/day)
Deepen your practice over four days, learning coiling techniques to create your own Women Vessels.
All materials and tools
Everything you need will be provided, so you can focus on your creative process without any distractions. And travel light.
Guidance from Karina
Receive expert guidance throughout the workshop, with one-on-one support and feedback.
Downloadable PDFs & Resources
Access helpful guides and resources to continue your practice after the workshop.
Price
£760 per person
A very limited number of places are available to keep the experience intimate and focused. If you’d like to inquire about payment plans, feel free to get in touch: info@karinasmagulova.com
Venue
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What forms of payment are accepted?We currently accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal. Please contact us if you would like to pay via Bank Transfer.
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What are Karina Smagulova’s returns and refund policy?See Shipping & Returns
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About colour variations:Every effort is made to ensure colours appear as realistic as possible. However, due to the constraints of digital reproduction on different web browsers, the exact colour depiction cannot be guaranteed. Please contact me if you would like to receive photographs of additional examples for each colour.
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What are my delivery options and how much will it cost?See Shipping & Returns
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Can I collect my purchase in order to avoid the shipping hussle?Of course, just use the code "collection" during the check out in order to collect your piece from the studio I work in London E10. Please, contact me beforehand in order to arrange the visit.
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Are the items you sell food safe?Yes. All the pieces are glazed using food safe glazes.
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Do you do custom orders?I love working on custom orders and special collaborations, contact me in case you have some special request or any idea.
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Can you remake a sold piece for me?If you like any of the sold pieces, get in touch with me and I'll do my best to make something similar for you.
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Where are you based?Every piece has been made by me in the studio where I work in East London.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
All materials and tools will be provided — all you need to bring is yourself and a willingness to explore.
Firing is not included as part of the Athens immersion. This is an intentional decision to focus on the process, technique, and form, rather than the final fired outcome.
Cancellation Policy
To support the flow of the studio and honour the energy invested in planning and preparation, bookings are non-refundable and dates are fixed. Unfortunately, it is not possible to reschedule or transfer missed sessions.
Health & Safety
Participants must disclose any medical conditions, injuries, or allergies that may impact their experience. You participate at your own risk and are encouraged to tune in to your personal limits and physical wellbeing throughout the workshop.
Travel & Accommodation
Participants are responsible for organising their own travel and accommodation. The organizers are not liable for any associated bookings or changes.
Materials
All working materials are included.
Insurance
We recommend participants have personal or travel insurance that covers accidents, cancellations, or losses during their time in Athens.
Media Release
By enrolling, you consent to being photographed or recorded during the workshop, with the understanding that your image or voice may be used in future promotional materials. No compensation will be offered for this use.
Photography Policy
You are warmly encouraged to document your own experience for personal use. Commercial photography, filming, or use of equipment beyond handheld devices is not permitted without prior approval.
Workshop Cancellation
In the unlikely event that the workshop is cancelled by the host, you will be offered a full refund or the option to transfer to a future date. We are not responsible for any costs incurred for travel or accommodation.
Force Majeure
The organizers are not liable for cancellations or disruptions caused by events beyond their control, including but not limited to natural disasters, strikes, illness, or pandemics.
Liability Waiver
By participating in this workshop, you agree to release the organizers and venue from any liability for injury, loss, or damage incurred during the experience.
Code of Conduct
All participants are expected to approach the workshop with kindness, openness, and respect — towards fellow attendees, the studio, and the work. A shared atmosphere of calm and curiosity is essential to the immersive nature of this experience.
By enrolling in this in-person workshop, you confirm that you have read and agreed to all the above Terms and Conditions.