Mythic Totems

In this immersive three-day hands-on workshop, Natasha Dikareva will guide participants through her creative process of forming mythic totems and fantastical beings that weave together mythology, contemporary culture, and imaginative storytelling into compelling ceramic sculptures.

Over the first two days, Dikareva will demonstrate various clay hand-building techniques, exploring methods for constructing dynamic figurative forms and totemic structures. Participants will learn how to approach sculptural figures with both technical precision and creative freedom, discovering ways to infuse their work with narrative depth and symbolic meaning. Through guided instruction and individual mentorship, students will develop their own mythic beings and personal totems, experimenting with proportion, textures, gesture, and form.

The third day shifts focus to the transformative art of surface treatment, where the ceramic surface becomes a canvas for visual storytelling. Dikareva will demonstrate how to layer colored slips, apply underglazes with intention, and employ the sgraffito technique - scratching through layers of slip to reveal contrasting colors beneath - to create vibrant, dynamic surfaces rich with texture and meaning. These surface techniques will bring depth and visual complexity to the fantastical forms, enhancing their totemic power and narrative presence.

Throughout the workshop, Dikareva will work closely with each student to help them develop a personal visual language - exploring iconography, symbols, and forms that resonate with their individual experiences and artistic vision. Participants will depart with finished sculptural works that serve as authentic expressions of their individual perspectives and stories. Beyond the physical pieces, students will carry forward an enriched understanding of ceramic techniques, surface treatments, and figurative construction, along with renewed confidence to continue exploring and refining their sculptural voice.