Mindful Clay-Making
By Ally Vella
14 June 2025 | 3:00pm-6:00pm
Donation of €65
€55 for Members
Register Here
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Join us for a meditative and intuitive hand-building ceramics workshop led by Maltese artist Ally Vella. This workshop invites participants to explore clay as a tactile, grounding material through a process rooted in presence, flow, and creative play.
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Ally Vella has been working with clay for the past five years, shaping her pieces by hand using slabs and coils. Her approach allows each form to emerge naturally, responding to the rhythm of the material rather than following rigid plans. For Ally, clay is more than a medium — it’s a conversation between body and earth, gesture and texture.
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Inspired by natural surfaces, gentle movement, and the raw beauty of stoneware, Ally’s sculptural vessels embody a quiet strength. She often leaves areas of the clay unglazed to highlight the material’s organic qualities, and her subtle earthy finishes evoke a sense of grounded elegance.
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This workshop is ideal for both beginners and those looking to reconnect with their creativity in an open-ended, supportive environment.
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Workshop structure: ​
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The session will begin with a short grounding exercise (approx. 5–10 minutes), inviting participants to connect with the material and set a calm tone for the experience. From there, the workshop will unfold as a fluid, intuitive process. There will be no fixed outcome or template (such as a mug or bowl). However, each participant will be encouraged to explore their own ideas and allow their piece to evolve naturally.
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At the end of the session, participants will be offered a choice of four glaze options. Ally will fire and glaze the finished works herself. The pieces will be available for collection approximately 4 weeks after the workshop, depending on drying time and studio availability.
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All materials, tools, and firings are included.
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Workshop details:
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14 June 2025 | 3:00pm-6:00pm
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Location: Valletta Contemporary Gallery Shop
10 spaces available – registration here.
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For more details on VC’s membership scheme, contact Maria at maria@vallettacontemporary.com.
Donations help support the Norbert Francis Attard Foundation.​​
Biography:
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Ally Vella is a Maltese ceramic artist who has been working with clay since 2020. Her practice focuses on hand-building techniques using slabs and coils, allowing for a raw and intuitive creative process. For Ally, clay is both a material and a teacher, guiding her through lessons in patience, flexibility, and trust.
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Her sculptural vessels explore natural textures, the balance between stillness and movement, and the subtle power of form. Ally’s approach is shaped by her broader interests in the arts, philosophy, and wellbeing. She is currently training as a Gestalt psychotherapist and integrates mindfulness into her workshops, viewing her work as a bridge between art and personal growth.
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Ally continues to explore how ceramics can embody both simplicity and complexity — as an object, a process, and a way of being.
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