In the summer of 2025, I spent two weeks in Kecskemét, Hungary, taking part in the Porcelain A–Z: Models, Molds, and Slip Casting workshop at the International Ceramics Studio, led by Ilona Romule.
The workshop covered the full porcelain process: building plaster models, making multi-part molds, and preparing them for slip casting. It balanced technical precision. At the same time, it encouraged an open, experimental approach to form.
For me, it was intense and absorbing; days stretched into evening, yet the work never felt exhausting, more like focused immersion. The studio’s energy was concentrated, curious, and quietly supportive.
I documented little, I was too involved. As a result, what remains are fragments: the quick pace of making molds, plaster dust everywhere, working in masks, and the practical details of handling plaster and porcelain.
Porcelain A–Z with Ilona Romule — Kecskemét, 2025
I remember Ilona’s insistence on precision and cleanliness, how every detail matters with porcelain. I can’t always maintain that discipline, but it stuck with me and shapes my practice.
Looking back, this experience shifted my approach to porcelain, not only as a material, but in how I think about form, structure, and the balance between control and unpredictability.
During this workshop, I decided to return to Kecskemét for a longer residency to continue these processes, a direction that later led to several new series.
