Courtesy of Kevin Le for Z Gallery Arts
Guest Artist Workshop · Porto Heli, Peloponnese, Greece
Kevin Le
Kevin Le
Large Forms
Intermediate Throwing: Large Forms
Kevin Le is a Canadian ceramic artist and educator, born and raised in Canada after his family arrived as refugees from Vietnam. His work is rooted in the shared foundations of Vietnamese and Chinese ceramics, a connection that has shaped his practice from an early age.
He trained in Jingdezhen, China, where he studied classical ceramic techniques with a focus on traditional craftsmanship. His practice centres on wheel-thrown larger vessels, refined carving, and qing hua / blue-and-white porcelain.
As an instructor, Le emphasises strong technical foundations, precision, and material understanding, bringing traditional skills into a contemporary studio context.
A one-week workshop for students ready to move beyond beginner wheel throwing and begin working with larger ceramic forms using 3.5kg–8kg of clay. Across the week, students focus on structure, control, and confidence when throwing large ceramic forms such as wide serving bowls, moon jars, tall cylinders, and floor vases.
This workshop runs as two separate one-week sessions. Choose the week you wish to attend — each week is booked individually. Maximum six participants per week.
Students with prior wheel-throwing experience who are ready to progress from beginner work to larger forms, and who want to build the strength, control, and technique that bigger vessels require.
Beginner to advanced welcome. With a maximum of six participants, individual attention is given to each participant according to their level and experience. The invited artist leads the workshop, with Zohra Bonnis assisting throughout the teaching programme.
One-week workshop in Porto Heli — arrival Saturday, departure the following Saturday, with focused studio instruction Monday to Friday. This workshop runs as two separate one-week sessions; book the week you wish to attend. Maximum six participants per week.
Clay (3.5kg–8kg per form as the week progresses), studio wheels, and shared studio tools are part of the workshop programme. Students may bring their own preferred throwing tools.
Large forms carry higher drying and firing risk; cracking, warping, and collapse are part of working at this scale. Controlled drying and careful handling are taught, but kiln results on large works are never guaranteed.
Sessions run Monday to Friday. The studio opens at 10:00. Each day pairs technical instruction at the wheel in the morning with independent throwing and individual coaching in the afternoon.
Demonstrations with Kevin Le — centring larger clay bodies, pulling even walls, and the shaping technique for the day's form. Step-by-step instruction for the whole group.
Catered lunch. The studio stays open for those who wish to keep working or reflect on the morning's throwing.
Independent wheel time on personal large forms, with individual coaching from Kevin. Trimming, refining, and managing the weight and drying of heavy work.
A progressive week building from centring larger clay bodies toward fully resolved large forms. Both booked weeks are taught identically, so participants may choose whichever dates suit them.
| Day | Morning · 10:00 – 12:30 | Afternoon · 13:30 – 16:00 |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Arrival from 3 pm. Settle in, explore the surroundings. Communal dinner in the evening. | |
| Sunday | Completely free day — rest, swim, enjoy Porto Heli, or independently visit Spetses, Hydra or Ancient Epidaurus. No scheduled programme. | |
| Monday | Centring larger clay bodies (3.5 kg). Pulling even, controlled walls. | Practise centring and cylinders at scale — Kevin coaches each participant individually. |
| Tuesday | Wide open forms — serving bowls. Compression and base strength. | Throw wide bowls; managing the rim and avoiding collapse on open forms. |
| Wednesday | Tall cylinders and building height. Closing forms toward the shoulder. | Throw tall cylinders; individual feedback on wall evenness and height. |
| Thursday | Moon jars and floor vases — working at 5–8 kg, joining thrown sections. | Throw and assemble large closed forms; one-on-one coaching on scale. |
| Friday | Trimming, refining feet, and finishing heavy forms. Group critique. | Finish the week's large works; controlled drying and handling for safe firing. |
| Saturday | Departure morning. First ferry at 5:45 am. Optional group shared taxi available — not included in the workshop fee. | |
The following rules apply to all participants. They are shared in advance and agreed to as part of the registration process. Safety is the responsibility of every person in the studio.
Fees and exact terms are confirmed at the time of registration. The following general cancellation framework applies to all Z Gallery Arts workshops.
Less a 15% administrative fee. Refund issued within 14 business days.
Or transfer to another Z Gallery Arts programme in the same season, subject to availability.
In exceptional circumstances (medical), a credit toward a future programme may be offered at Z Gallery Arts' discretion.
Not included: flights, travel from airport to the studio, and personal excursions. If Z Gallery Arts cancels the workshop for any reason, registered participants will receive a full refund.
All registered participants receive the Z Gallery Arts Participant Agreement, Liability Waiver, and Studio Safety Rules prior to the first session. Registration is conditional on agreement to these terms.
Educational Art Programme Declaration. All workshops organised by Z Gallery Arts Inc. (Vancouver, Canada) are educational art programmes focused on ceramic learning and artistic exchange. Studio facilities are made available exclusively to registered programme participants. These programmes do not constitute a hotel, tourism, hospitality, or vocational training service. All technical operations are conducted under instructor supervision. Participants acknowledge that ceramics involves physical risks including exposure to clay dust, heat, and sharp tools, and that they have disclosed any relevant health conditions on their application. Z Gallery Arts Inc. holds all appropriate insurance for the programme activities described. Z Gallery Arts Inc. — Registered Canadian Corporation.
Z Gallery Arts Inc. — Registered Canadian Corporation — Vancouver, BC, Canada. Workshops are organised as educational art programmes focused on ceramic learning and artistic exchange in Porto Heli, Peloponnese, Greece, a seasonal programme location. Maximum six participants.
Receive the 2027 workshop calendar, artist announcements and availability updates.
Not ready to book, or is this week already full? Leave your email and we will write when places open, when a cancellation comes up, or when the next programme is announced. Six participants per workshop.