Have you ever thought about the feeling you get when you see the result of something you’ve dreamed about for so long?

It’s amazing!

That’s exactly the feeling I had when I looked at my creations. The ceramic items that I had sculpted, painted, shaped, and left to bake in the kiln for the first time were now unbelievably shining and sparkling. I can hardly remember the last time I was this happy. I took countless photos and sent them to everyone who didn’t think my new passion was laughable.

How did I get here?

My job suddenly came to a temporary halt. I, who had been working 12 hours a day for the past 20 years at a frantic pace, found myself with nothing to do. It took me a week to process this time-out. Then I thought it was time to fulfill the childhood dreams I had. I started looking for courses and workshops to learn ceramics. It turned out there were many of them in Tbilisi. A large number were opened by Russian citizens. After moving here in recent years, many of them turned this into a business. I blindly attended a few classes for quite a substantial amount of money, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. During my search, I found the Kettari Academy course.

I had encountered Kettari Academy before. During my previous job, I had to interact with them several times. I trusted their professionalism, so without hesitation, I registered. From the very first meeting, I was convinced that I had made the right decision. Our classes took place at “Commodus.” Two wonderful specialist girls tried wholeheartedly to teach us everything necessary to create ceramic items. We held five meetings in this wonderful environment. After each session, I couldn’t wait for the next lesson to see the results of what I had made and learn even more. I gained an understanding of the specifics of clay, the nuances of traditional Georgian ceramics, and learned the importance of every detail in this craft. I realized that, as in everything else, to succeed in this, you need love and dedication to the craft.

Now, I look at the work of ceramicists with a completely different perspective, and most importantly, I see myself in a new light. It turns out it’s never too late to fulfill your dreams and start something new. At such times, when you’re surrounded by good people, the boundaries of possibility open up, and what you want will surely come true!

Thank you to Kettari Academy for this opportunity, and thank you to “Commodus” for these amazing sessions!

Teo Giligashvili