Casa Julfa Presents….
Re Jin Lee & Corinne Aivazian - Basic kiln building - the ancestral way
SPRING 2026 | Thurs 7th May - Tues 12th May 2026
Participation fees: €1995 per person (private room and bathroom) Trip is limited to 8 people
This workshop is for anyone who wants to learn how to create a small wood-fired kiln using limited resources.
You will be guided through the fundamentals of fire science…
gaining a deeper understanding of how you can use your kiln to create ceramics with traditional decoration techniques not possible with modern electric or gas kilns…
..and supported to create your own kiln based on those used across cultures for millennia.
Suitable for all levels
Your hosts Re Jin Lee & Corinne Aivazian draw on decades of research and development into the ancestral pottery ceramics practice of their own cultures (Korea and Armenia respectively) as well as that of other first peoples.
You will learn :
The advantage of wood-burning kilns over modern gas or electric kilns
The basic concepts of fire and its significance in traditional ceramics
Gain greater understanding of the physical and elemental process of firing usually masked by modern kilns
Participate in building several kinds of simple wood-fired kiln
Participate in the process of a traditional wood firing and working with naked Raku techniques like Obvara and horse hair decoration.
Watch the magic that unfolds when we take the pieces out of the kiln when they are red hot and they undergo transformation.
They demystify the process, sharing their own experiences through trial and error as well as that handed down to them by indigenous master artisans
…you will soon see that making your own kiln is much simpler than you might think
Itinerary
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Arrivals and welcome dinner, time to sink into a slower pace and our beautiful backdrop that invites inspiration and reflection. Arrivals anytime from 14:00, but guests must arrive by 18:00.
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We will visit existing kilns built by Corinne and Re Jin and begin making small pieces suited for firing in rudimentary kilns, we will use a range of clays including local wild clays which we can harvest and prepare from the same site
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We will fire one of our existing kilns while going through the basic mechanics of how the fire and heat work in the kiln to vitrify the pieces and begin building our kilns based on the designs we will have studied together.
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We continue building our kilns, whilst exploring a clay render for them and well as discussing the possible decoration techniques for the pieces.
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We will prepare your pieces to be fired as potters have for millennia, using ancestral wood-firing techniques handed down to Corinne through her Armenian kin. The firing will take place at a nearby lake/Nature reserve where we share a picnic-feast of delicious local produce and watch our pieces transform before our eyes . There will prepare a closing dinner together
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Departures. Please arrange your departure before 11:00 am from Montmorillon.
"This worksop brought me back to my roots in the most literal and beautiful way. In many senses, it felt more like a homecoming. Guided by Corinne's profound respect for the earth, each day was a discovery of our intrinsic connection to ancient practices that will sustain my spirit for a long time to come."
Joanna Lai (Canada) Workshop Participant Spring 2024
More about your hosts …
Re Jin & Casa Julfa founder Corinne Aivazian met as part of a Terra Ancestral research and development in Mexico some years ago, where they instantly connected. They spent hours musing over the ways that clay had helped them reclaim their ancestry and make sense of their diasporadic identities.
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A native of São Paulo, Brazil, and of South Korean heritage, Re Jin Pronounced: Re-jeen Lee - /ˈre.dʒɪŋ/ , /li:/ draws inspiration from the amalgamation of modern Brazilian architecture, such as the works of Oscar Niemeyer and Lina Bo Bardi, Portuguese colonial architecture, and traditional Korean arts. .
Re Jin Lee’s work is a unique assembly of individually rolled-out clay slabs and coils created by a 'hand and clay' collaboration inspired by the contemplative process of ceramics and belief in the power of simplicity.
She is also founder of Naiana Nami , a creative space that bridges traditional and modern artistic expressions, encouraging a return to hands-on artistry. We aim to deepen appreciation for heritage, sustainability, and the positive impact of creativity.
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Corinne is Founder of Casa Julfa & Terra Ancestral, she is an artist , writer and researcher who works with clay to investigate historical narratives that have the power to insight change in the present.
Her work is heavily informed by her Armenian heritage and the pre-christian cultural and spiritual practices of her ancestors practised in their indigenous lands of the fertile crescent and SWANA region.