Reviews for
Ceramic
Masterclass

"I had the privilege of attending the 12-day wheel throwing masterclass with Teacher Kwak and his team (shout out to Tomi, Maisie, Jaehun and Daeng Daeng!) in October 2024. It was a beautiful experience filled with lots of laughter, joy, good food, and of course, time at the wheel! Teacher Kwak is not only a master of his craft, but one of the best teachers I have ever encountered. He takes his time showing each and every single step of the wheel throwing process, from spiral wedging to pulling even/high walls of any form. His friendly and warm demeanour created a very open environment in our class; all of the students felt very comfortable asking questions and for one-on-one assistance. Over the course of the masterclass, we saw countless demonstrations for basic and complex forms, many of which I hope to attempt after returning home. The syllabus for the masterclass is well developed and leaves plenty of time for practicing and exploring new techniques.

The remainder of the teaching team (Tomi and Maisie) are similarly welcoming and kind; they always took the time to observe our individual throwing practices and provided helpful feedback/suggestions on how to improve. As someone who is often too shy to ask for help, I felt very safe in reaching out to Teacher Kwak, Tomi and Maisie whenever I got stuck at a particular step or generally had a question (even if it was the tenth time I'd asked that same question). Their skill, patience and kindness helped make this experience something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

Teacher Kwak and his team really go the extra mile to ensure that each person has a great learning experience and a comfortable stay in Icheon. Our accommodations were well-equipped and had everything we needed (kitchenette, individual room with ensuite bathroom, laundry, etc.), and were within walking distance of the studio. Every meal we had was phenomenal and hand-picked by the teaching team after their own visits to the restaurants. During our stay, the weather became much cooler and the team always made sure we were eating/sleeping well and taking care of ourselves (they even provided vitamin C tablets so we could fend off any colds!).

It can be scary to go to a foreign country and commit to spending 2 weeks with a group of strangers to learn a craft (or for some, to learn new skills/techniques to improve their existing craft). Teacher Kwak and his team have created a haven for clay enthusiasts to connect, learn and feel the freedom to challenge themselves. I can't wait to visit Toroo Studio again!"