About Nora
"Creating something with your hands from wet clay brought out the child in me...
A potter in the south of France once planted the seed... creating something with your hands from wet clay seemed amazing to me; it brought out the child in me. My first pottery class must have been around 2003.
I never expected that ceramics would play such an important role in my life. After a few years, I became so obsessed with it that I wanted to know and learn everything related to clay. I enrolled in a five-year course at the Institute for Arts and Crafts (IKA) in Mechelen, became addicted to YouTube and Instagram, and took additional courses wherever I could.
Looking for more...
It quickly became apparent that the more I knew, the more I felt that I knew nothing. It simply wasn't possible to be knowledgeable about all the building, handbuilding, and throwing techniques, all possible firing techniques, decoration techniques, and types of clay. And glazes... that's yet another topic all together.
Moreover, it seemed like the knowledge of the ceramics craft was disappearing along with a small group of remaining 'potters' in Belgium. This led me to foreign masters and teachers, and it became my goal to boost the knowledge about the ceramics craft in my home country.
I organized my first masterclasses in 2014, and I haven't stopped since. Every summer, I welcome teachers and students to my own garden, and meanwhile, online courses have become indispensable.
Is it a hype?
In recent years, ceramics has truly been booming, and many talk about a 'hype'. I am firmly convinced, however, that it will not turn out to be a mere trend but a genuine resurgence of a fantastic medium in which many will find themselves. Even the younger generations are increasingly finding their way into this fantastic craft. (Technically, I am GenX, but my kids call me a Boomer.) My first goal is to provide them with all possible techniques, but on top of that, I also want to teach them how to express themselves in clay and even how to pursue it professionally.
I am thrilled when I can give someone these small 'aha' moments or that one, crucial, push, and in the meantime, I am still (re)discovering my own path.
Isn't clay amazing!?
