AlterWork Studios proudly welcomes…

KSENIYA POLYAKOVA

AlterWork Studios is thrilled to announce that we will be hosting Kseniya Polyakova for her first series of workshops in the United States. We have admired her work and technique for years and are honored to welcome her to our studio this Fall.

Workshop dates will be announced soon. Follow us online and join our mailing list for the latest information

For her first time in the United States… exclusively at AlterWork Studios!

For all those who cannot come to Russia to train with Kseniya, she has developed a programme of short weekend pottery workshops. This is the ideal format to get to know her technique, learn an effective method of working with clay using her quick learning system and start working with large and composite shapes.

No matter if you are a beginner or an experienced master, everyone will find something new and useful for themselves here. We will work together, step by step, mastering both basic and advanced pottery techniques. You will get not only new knowledge and skills, but also unforgettable impressions, new acquaintances and inspiration for future creative projects.

artist statement

I specialise in compound large-scale ceramic forms made in pottery. I have developed my own technique of working behind the wheel, which allows me to use massive clay blanks and make pieces that sometimes exceed my own height. I like the idea that with my activity I break stereotypes about the exclusivity of physical strength in this field. Even at the beginning of my studies in pottery technique, I encountered a strong opinion that it is impossible to work with such weighty masses of clay without being a person of large build. I strive to ensure that the works not only convey my inner sensual experiences, but also harmonise with the surrounding world, becoming part of an open space or landscape.

«The way Kseniya Polyakova interacts with the material while working at the pottery wheel, feeling the thickness of the piece, the texture of the material and the height of the future work, can be described as observing herself in a moment of maximum tension of interaction with the material. Using pottery tools developed from her own moulds, she makes works of impressive complexity and scale. All of her works are made from red or white high temperature clay. The artist uses glazes to cover the already fired pieces, developed according to her own formulas. Her designs stand out not only because of the silhouette honed by years of work and teaching, but also because of the play of colour, thanks to the textured patterned coating.»