An immersive clay sculpture workshop — two 1-week sessions, May 1–8 & May 8–15, 2027; register for one or both — exploring sensory experience, touch, and porcelain — led by Vancouver-based artist Tanis Saxby.

Working in the open studio of Porto Heli, Peloponnese, Greece — two hundred metres from the sea — participants discover the joy of clay sculpture through Tanis's unique sensory approach. Week One is designed for beginners: essential techniques, one-on-one guidance, and a first encounter with the material. Week Two moves toward individual sculptural development and finished form.

Tanis brings 25 years of professional practice and a pedagogy rooted in intuition and presence — allowing the hands to lead, form to emerge, and the senses to guide the work. This is not a production workshop. It is slow, personal, and transformative.

Arrival takes place on Saturday from 3 pm. Sunday is a completely free day — rest, swim, or independently visit Spetses, Hydra or Ancient Epidaurus. The week begins with the Welcome Dinner on Saturday evening — participants and the artist meet over a shared meal.

Departure is on Saturday morning. The first ferry departs at 5:45 am. An optional group shared taxi can be arranged for participants travelling together — this is not included in the workshop fee.

Breakfast and light lunch are included during workshop days.

Maximum six participants. Organised by Z Gallery Arts Inc. as an educational art programme.

Workshop information and registration by enquiry. Places are limited to six participants per week.

1–8 May 2027 Week 1 · Clay Sculpture — Beginner to Advanced

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Limited to 6 participants

8–15 May 2027 Week 2 · Clay Sculpture — Individual Development

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Limited to 6 participants

Workshop information and registration by enquiry. Limited to six participants per week.

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Workshop Details

Guest ArtistTanis Saxby

DurationSaturday to Saturday

Dates1–8 May 2027
8–15 May 2027

LocationPorto Heli, Peloponnese, Greece

StudioApprox. 200 m from the sea

LevelBeginner to advanced welcome

Total PlacesMax six per week

ProgrammeMon – Fri

Workshop fee€2,500 · VAT included

If spreading the cost would make participation easier, payment by instalments may be arranged on request. Please contact us before booking to discuss the available arrangement.

IncludedParticipation in the full workshop programme. Shared participant accommodation is provided for the workshop week, with breakfast and a simple lunch on workshop days.

PaymentFull payment confirms your place

A one-week immersive ceramics experience in Greece, including workshop tuition, shared accommodation, breakfast and lunch.

Book May 2027 Workshop

Limited to 6 participants

Workshops require a minimum of four confirmed participants to proceed. Please see our FAQ and Terms & Conditions for full details.

Workshop information and registration by enquiry. Limited to six participants per week. Includes shared accommodation, catered breakfast & lunch.

Workshop fees in Greece are charged in EUR. Vancouver workshops are charged in CAD.

About the Guest Artist

Courtesy of Tanis Saxby for Z Gallery Arts

Tanis Saxby

Sculptor & Ceramist · Vancouver, Canada

My artistic discipline is rooted in porcelain clay sculpture, guided by a deeply sensory approach to making. I work primarily with porcelain for its delicacy, strength, and luminous, skin-like surface. Through it, I explore how sculpture can be experienced not only visually, but through the full body.

My mother taught me how to use my hands, how to sense their quiet connection to the heart. This understanding became the foundation for my book My Mother's Hands: A Sculptor's Journey to Becoming a Six Sensory Artist, where I explore creating from intuition, allowing the hands to lead and form to emerge before thought. Clay meets me there as a malleable, receptive material, responding to touch and holding the subtle imprint of emotion within its surface, while the skills I've developed over the past 25 years provide the structure that allows this exchange to take shape.

My practice is inspired by the senses — touch, scent, sight, and the subtle emotional responses they awaken. Silk is often combined with the ceramic surface to introduce a sensual softness both visually and tactilely; perfume oils, which I personally distill from flowers grown in my garden, are infused into the sculptures to create an intimate olfactory dimension. These elements invite viewers to move closer, to become present and to feel, transforming the sculpture into a lived, embodied experience.

As an artist, my priority is to create sculptures that do not simply occupy space, but activate it sensorially. Through my work, I aim to offer an encounter that gently interrupts distraction and invites viewers into a heightened awareness of touch, scent, and breath — grounded in the present moment.

Daily Studio Rhythm

Sessions run Monday to Friday. The studio opens at 10:00. Each day follows a gentle but purposeful rhythm — technique in the morning, individual work in the afternoon.

10:00 – 12:30

Morning Studio

Guided instruction with Tanis. Demonstrations, skill exercises, material exploration. All levels instructed simultaneously.

12:30 – 13:30

Lunch

Catered lunch. Studio remains open for participants who wish to continue or reflect.

13:30 – 16:00

Afternoon Studio

Independent work on personal pieces, with individual feedback from Tanis. One-on-one sessions scheduled throughout the afternoon.

one-month Programme

Week One — Clay Sculpture for Beginners · In Greece with Tanis

Discover the joy of clay sculpture for beginners with Tanis Saxby, an experienced international sculptor with 25 years of experience. In the stunning surroundings of Greece, learn essential techniques while benefiting from creativity-enhancing approaches and personalised one-on-one guidance. Create your own unique sculpture as your hands explore, shape, and connect with clay while the beauty of the landscape inspires every touch.

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	Introduction. Basic clay skills: wedging, joining. Introduction to basic sculpture concepts.	Pinch pot sculpture. Participants create — Tanis works individually with each participant.
Tuesday	Beginner sculpture concepts continued: texture and form, light. Slab sculpture demo.	Participants create — Tanis works individually with each participant.
Wednesday	Surface treatment demo: textures. Creativity discussion and exercises to enhance creativity.	Critique of works that want to be discussed. Participants create — Tanis works individually with each participant.
Thursday	Finishing techniques. Last full day of making.	Participants create — Tanis works individually with each participant.
Friday	Participant request demos. Group critique and individual critique for those who want work discussed.	Participants create — Tanis works individually with each participant. Finish Week One sculptures.
Saturday	Departure morning. First ferry at 5:45 am. Optional group shared taxi available — not included in the workshop fee.

Week Two — Sculpting Clay in Greece: From First Touch to Finished Form

Join Tanis Saxby for an immersive clay sculpture workshop set in beautiful Greece. Designed for beginners to intermediate levels, this hands-on experience introduces essential sculpting techniques while supporting you in creating your own unique sculpture. You'll leave not only with a finished sculpture, but with a meaningful, tactile memory of your time in Greece.

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	Introduction. Basic clay skills review: wedging, joining. Sculpture basics. Pinch pot sculpture demo.	Discussion on project each participant would like to create. Participants begin to create — Tanis works individually with each participant.
Tuesday	Texture, form, and light discussion. Slab sculpting demo. Creativity warm-up exercise.	Participants create their project — Tanis works individually with each participant.
Wednesday	Open demo designed for workshop participants. Exercise to develop advanced creativity.	Critique of works with group. Tanis works individually with participants on their project.
Thursday	Surface treatment demo. Critique of works that want to be discussed.	One-on-one individual work — participants finishing project.
Friday	Finishing techniques. Critique of works — individually and group — for those who want feedback.	Tanis works individually with participants. Finish sculptures and closure.
Saturday	Departure morning. First ferry at 5:45 am. Optional group shared taxi available — not included in the workshop fee.

Your Week Includes

—Saturday evening Welcome Dinner — the group and Tanis Saxby meet over a shared meal

—Artist-led ceramic instruction Monday–Friday — Tanis Saxby’s confirmed curriculum, with daily individual guidance

—25 hours of instruction — 10:00–12:30 and 13:30–16:00 each studio day

—Shared participant accommodation as part of the educational programme

—Breakfast Monday–Friday

—Lunch Monday–Friday

—Clay included — as much as the workshop programme requires

—Use of the ceramic studio, tools and equipment

—Maximum six participants — beginner to advanced welcome, individual guidance adapted to each participant’s experience

—The invited artist leads the workshop, with Zohra Bonnis assisting throughout the teaching programme

—Free Sunday for independent rest and exploration

—Studio environment approximately 200 metres from the sea

You Arrange — Not Included

—Airfare, travel insurance, and visas where applicable

—Transport from Athens to Porto Heli — ferry, bus, or shared taxi, arranged independently

—Sunday meals and Monday–Friday dinners — Saturday’s Welcome Dinner is included; other evenings are free to explore local restaurants independently

—Optional Sunday activities, entrance fees, and their transport

—Additional accommodation outside programme dates

—Bisque and glaze firing — standard technique workshops focus on learning, making, refining and finishing; work is not fired during the week

Studio Safety & Participant Rules

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.

All participants must complete the Z Gallery Arts Participant Agreement & Liability Waiver before the first session. No exceptions.
Health conditions, allergies, and physical limitations that may affect studio participation must be disclosed in advance on the application form.
No food or drink other than water and designated refreshments in the throwing/hand-building area.
The kiln area is accessible only when supervised by Tanis Saxby or Zohra Bonnis. Participants do not operate the kiln independently.
All tools are returned to their designated places at the end of each session. Loss or damage to tools reported immediately.
Photography of the studio and works in progress is welcomed for personal use. Video recordings and images intended for commercial use or publication require prior written consent from Z Gallery Arts Inc.
Participants must respect the studio as a shared, focused space. Disruptions to other participants' work are not acceptable.
Any concerns or conflicts are raised directly with Zohra Bonnis, Programme Director.
Z Gallery Arts Inc. reserves the right to remove a participant from the programme if conduct endangers safety, disrupts the programme, or violates the Participant Agreement.

Cancellation Policy

Fees and exact terms are confirmed at the time of registration. The following general cancellation framework applies to all Z Gallery Arts workshops.

More than 60 days

Full refund

Less a 15% administrative fee. Refund issued within 14 business days.

30 – 60 days before

50% refund

Or transfer to another Z Gallery Arts programme in the same season, subject to availability.

Under 30 days

No refund

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.

Participant Agreement

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.

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Workshop information and registration by enquiry. Limited to six participants.

Interest List

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.

Tanis SaxbyClay Sculpture

Week One — Clay Sculpture for Beginners · In Greece with Tanis

Week Two — Sculpting Clay in Greece: From First Touch to Finished Form

Tanis Saxby
Clay Sculpture