Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

• ⁠Analyze a painting to identify formal and sensory elements that can inform artistic exploration.
• ⁠Experiment with fundamental modeling techniques to explore the expressive possibilities of clay.
• Reinterpret pictorial elements as three-dimensional forms by employing various techniques for transforming the material.
• Develop and present a personal artistic exploration in the form of a cohesive body of work.

Venice is a city where art can be found at every turn: in its museums, palaces, and churches, but also in the everyday objects depicted by painters. Over the course of four days, participants will explore Venetian painting to draw inspiration from a chosen work and create a personal world to be expressed in clay.

The workshop will begin with a visit to one or two museums. Each participant will be able to choose a painting or work from a piece selected by the group, which will serve as the guiding thread for their creative exploration. The goal is not to reproduce the painting, but to immerse oneself in it: to observe its forms, compositions, characters, objects, gestures, or simply its atmosphere, and then explore how to translate these elements from the painting into clay.

In the studio, Marion Graux will teach the fundamentals of modeling so that everyone can freely explore working with clay. Participants will be able to design an entire tableware set inspired by their artwork, as well as reinterpret a detail, an object, or a scene depicted in the painting. A plate can become the canvas for an engraved scene, a motif can be transformed into a relief, while a carafe can take the form of a figure or a character.

Clay will be approached as a sensory medium for self-expression, feeling, and exploration. The goal is not to acquire specific technical skills or to strive for perfection, but to let oneself be guided by movement and ideas. Just as one might pick up paintbrushes to interpret a painting, participants will use clay to bring their own forms to life.

The workshop will emphasize spontaneity, experimentation, and the joy of creating. Workshop sessions will also be opportunities for exchange, where each person’s explorations can enrich those of the group and spark new ideas.

Each day will conclude with a yoga session from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., designed as a time to reconnect with the body and transition. After working with clay, this practice will allow participants to slow down, release tension, and extend the day’s sensory experience in a different way.

Shape & Flow is thus conceived as an immersion in Venice, painting, and materials: observing, absorbing, shaping, experimenting, and letting the works take form in your hands.

Please note: this is an experimental journey rather than a technical training course. Pieces created during the workshop cannot be fired on site. They are, above all, an exploration of form, gesture, and expression.

Schedule:

Day 1 — Entering the World of Painting

Morning

• Welcome and workshop overview
• Introduction to the Shape & Flow approach
• Introduction to modeling and the expressive possibilities of clay
• Presentation of initial areas of exploration

Afternoon

• Museum visit and exploration of Venetian paintings
• Selecting a painting or pictorial world as a source of inspiration
• Observation and collection: shapes, objects, figures, motifs, compositions
• Initial research and sketches related to the project

6:00–7:00 p.m.

• Yoga session—reconnecting with the body and relaxation

Day 2 — From Painting to Material

Morning

• Review of selected works and sharing of initial ideas
• Introduction to the essential principles of sculpting
• Exploring shapes and volumes
• First attempts with clay

Afternoon

• Development of personal projects
• Creating the first pieces for the table
• Experimenting with relief, marks, engraving, and deformation
• Discussions and individual guidance

6:00–7:00 p.m.

• Yoga session

Day 3 — Transform, repurpose, invent

Morning

• Continuation of modeling work
• Transposing elements from the paintings onto culinary objects
• Exploration of motifs and scenes: engraving, sculpting, printing, modeling
• Developing a personal artistic language

Afternoon

• Deepening projects
• Creating a cohesive set of tableware
• Free experimentation: plates, bowls, dishes, containers, carafes…
• Time for research and collective inspiration

6:00–7:00 p.m.

• Yoga session

Day 4 — Bringing Forms to Life

Morning

• Finalizing and refining the pieces
• Work on details, textures, and marks
• Bringing the various creations together
• Personalized guidance on projects

Afternoon

• Presentation of research and group discussions
• Reflecting on the journey so far, from paint to clay
• Final experiments and finishing touches
• Tidying up the workshop
• Presentation of training certificates

The Spirit of the Workshop

Shape & Flow is an invitation to take the time to observe and create. In Venice, painting becomes a starting point, clay a medium for transformation, and the table a space for expression.

A workshop where you can get your hands in the clay, let ideas flow, and infuse the forms you create with a little of Venice’s beauty.

• Classrooms, multipurpose rooms, workshops with professional equipment
• Supply of materials
• Individual and collaborative work
• Workshop-based learning
• Active participation and hands-on experimentation by participants are emphasized

• Group and personalized monitoring of assignments, regular check-ins
• Self-assessment of technical skills
• Group presentation
• Attendance sheet for each half-day
• Certificate of completion issued by Campus MaNa