Casa Julfa Presents….
Ancestral ceramics: The language of fire
Led by Re Jin Lee & Corinne Aivazian
SPRING 2026 | Thurs 7th May - Tues 12th May 2026
Participation fees: €1995 per person (private room and bathroom) Trip is limited to 8 people
From wild clay to primitive kiln building, this workshop explores ancient ceramic methods not only as ways of making, but as tools for creative transformation and reconnection…
… to the earth, to lineage, and to a more intuitive way of thinking and working…
Drawing on decades of research and hands-on practice, your hosts Re Jin Lee and Corinne Aivazian share knowledge rooted in their own cultural heritages (Korea and Armenia), as well as ways of working handed down to them from Indigenous potters.
This is an invitation to step away from modern systems of control and efficiency and instead enter into a collaborative relationship with the elements (fire in particular) guided by traditional techniques and local materials.
-
If you wish to explore a slower, more responsive approach to ceramics that encourages listening, surrender, and trust in natural processes this workshop is for you.
Suitable for all levels, this an immersive journey into ancestral clay practice from beginning to end, where you will explore:
Wild Clay
Learn how to identify, collect, and process wild clay. (You will be encouraged to develop your own way of working with natural clay relative to your geographic location, background, and personal history.)
Ancestral Pottery
Using the clay foraged with your own hands we will explore traditional handbuilding methods and surface-finishing techniques such as burnishing and terra sigillata - allowing pieces to be finished without glaze.
Ancestral Kiln Building
Participants will take part in building several types of simple, small-scale wood-fired kilns using limited resources, learning how kiln structures have been adapted across cultures and times. You will come to see that building and working with your own kiln is far more accessible - than it may first appear.
Sacred Fire
Once your pieces are complete, we will prepare them for firing as potters have for millennia, and begin our traditional wood firing. You will be guided through the fundamentals of fire science and taught how to read the flames—gaining a deeper understanding of the physical and elemental processes often hidden by modern gas or electric kilns.
Naked raku and ancestral glazing
Once the pieces have researched temperature we will experiment with natural, non-commercial surface effects such as reduction, obvara, and other forms of naked raku. Witness the transformation as pieces are removed from the kiln while red hot, undergoing dramatic and unpredictable change.
Itinerary
-
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.
-
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
-
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.
-
We continue building our kilns, whilst exploring a clay render for them and well as discussing the possible decoration techniques for the pieces.
-
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
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.