Masterclass: Structure, Texture & Erosion
A three-day hand-building and surface-research journey with Elena Vasilantonaki
Step into a world of clay, texture and transformation!
Join us for a deep-dive, hands-on three-day masterclass with renowned ceramic artist Elena Vasilantonaki from Greece. This experiential masterclass is designed for anyone passionate about clay – whether you’re just starting out (with a basic familiarity) or looking to deepen your practice. Together, we’ll explore hand-building, surface research and the dynamic dialogue between clay, texture and place.
Dates: 11th - 13th of May, 2026
Location: LerKalaset, Ry, Denmark
Duration: 3 days
Teaching hours: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM (including 1-hour lunch break)
Format: Coil building, surface research, texture, slip-work
Includes: Clay 12 kg per participant (extra clay may be purchased or brought for larger pieces), coffee/tea and snacks
Firing options: Participants may have their pieces fired by paying a kiln-and-glazing service fee (DKK 150-1200 per piece, depending on size). Unfired pieces can be collected at no additional cost.
Number of masterclass enrollments: 12
Masterclass enrollment fee: DKK 7.355 (986 €)
What to expect
Across three inspiring days, we’ll move from construction and structure, through texture and material investigation, to surface transformation using porcelain and soda slip. You will create a series of small and medium-sized pieces, allowing you to focus on specific techniques without the pressure of a single finished object.
Day by day: A creative exploration
Day 1: Structure & visible joints
Focus: Hand-building with flat coils and intentional joins
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Learn to build vessels using coiling techniques where the joins become part of the visual language.
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Explore rhythm, repetition and proportion – choose between clean, architectural lines or more organic, flowing forms.
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The day centres on construction as surface, without additional texture or decoration.
Your vessel from Day 1 will serve as a structural study, celebrating the beauty of visible joins.
Day 2: Texture as research
Focus: Surface exploration and texture development
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Begin with a demonstration of various textural approaches: imprinting, raised surfaces, carving and thoughtful combinations.
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Enjoy a guided outdoor walk (if the weather permits) to collect materials and observe textures in the natural environment.
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Back in the studio, create a series of small study pieces, experimenting with both found materials and simple tools.
These studies form your research – no pressure, no finished pieces required, simply pure experimentation.
Day 3: Porcelain slip, soda slip & erosion
Focus: Surface transformation
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Learn to apply porcelain slip and explore the effects of soda slip on your study pieces.
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Experiment with vinegar spraying and drying to create unique, eroded surfaces.
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Discover how materials react and transform, giving you new tools and insights for future work.
What you’ll take away
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One hand-built vessel with visible joins
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A series of small texture and surface studies
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Practical experience in flat-coil construction
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An understanding of texture as a structured visual language
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Knowledge of porcelain and soda slip techniques
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Tools, methods and inspiration to continue your own surface research.
Elena Vasilantonaki - Artist statement
Elena Vasilantonaki is a Greek ceramic artist based in Athens, where she explores the meeting point between ancient pottery traditions and contemporary ceramic art. Since founding her studio practice in 2019, she has created unique hand-built vessels using coiling techniques, emphasising the meditative and intuitive process of slow making.
Inspired by the timeless pottery forms of her Greek heritage, Elena’s work reinterprets rather than replicates historical shapes, questioning function and progress. Her vessels are defined by tactile textures, visible joins and surfaces that invite touch and close observation – embracing imperfections as traces of the human hand and the making process.
Elena’s practice is deeply rooted in the Greek landscape. She collects and experiments with natural materials – wild clays, olive ash, minerals and found objects – incorporating them into her work and building a personal archive of textures and techniques. This research-led approach informs both her artistic practice and her teaching, where she encourages participants to develop their own visual language through experimentation and sensory awareness.
As a workshop facilitator, Elena values exchange – between cultures, materials and ways of working. She believes in teaching as a shared, exploratory process that nutures creativity and attentiveness in every participant.
Elena studied ceramics with Janet Lines and Menandros Papadopoulos. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across Greece, including the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion and MonCoin Gallery in Athens.
Each piece carries the story of its making – land, time and hand.
Practical information: transport and accommodation
If you require accommodation near the studio, we recommend:
If you arrive by car, free parking is available at the studio. If you travel by public transport, there are trains and buses from Aarhus to Ry. From Billund and Aarhus airports, pick-up can be arranged for €60 or a taxi for around €130. Alternative and cheaper options are bus and train from both airports.
Registration is confirmed upon payment.
Once you have received the order confirmation per email, you are registered for the masterclass. The invoice you receive per email shortly thereafter is valid as your ticket. (Note that both order confirmation and invoice will be issued in the Danish language). Your registration is binding. Refund or exchange will only take place in the event that LerKalaset reschedules or cancels the dates. You may sell your ticket if you are prevented from participating. If so, please inform LerKalaset of the name and email address of the new participant.
