When I think of Bali, I see the green rice fields, the warm, humid air, and the many smiles that greet you everywhere. But my adventure here is also about something else – clay, natural glazes, and the quiet magic that unfolds when you let yourself be guided by the surroundings and step out of everyday routines.

The course I’m taking isn’t just about techniques or recipes for glazes. It feels more like a journey into a universe where nature itself is the greatest teacher. We work with volcanic soil, wood ash, local stones, and other raw materials, transforming them into living, unpredictable surfaces. Each little test piece we fire carries traces of the landscape – almost as if Bali itself leaves its signature on the glaze.

What I love most is the slowness the process invites. Standing with my hands in clay, listening to the teacher’s stories and knowledge, and at the same time realizing that the material has its own voice. Sometimes the glaze reacts in a way no one could predict – and that is the beauty of it. The imperfections turn out to be the most perfect moments.

The days are filled with experimenting, learning, and laughing together with the other participants. We share stories, thoughts, and little aha-moments when a test tile comes out of the kiln showing the most delicate play of colors. It feels like opening a gift every single time.

Being here is not only about refining my craft – it’s also about finding peace in the process and rediscovering the joy of creating. In many ways, it feels like being a child again – curious, playful, and full of wonder.

I already know that what I take home will be more than just new techniques. I will carry with me the experience of being close to nature’s forces, and a deeper understanding of how to let them flow into my own work.

Bali, in its quiet and generous way, has reminded me why I began working with ceramics in the first place: because it connects me to something raw, simple, and deeply human.