NEWS

On this page we inform you about recent projects and activities as well as the near future plans. More about each article can be found on the separate pages. For the fresh and instant news and photos check also our fb page. Enjoy!

Visit us

and get your bear

Come along for guided tour of our atelier. In about one hour walk and talk we tell you the story of this extraordinary art and life project with details on wood firing ceramic techniques, international exhibitions, sculpture park, local history, etc.
Price (admission) is € 5,-
You get to hear the story of the atelier, refreshment and a souvenir to take home (ceramic bear).

△ THE "TESLA & PLAŠKI" PROJECT 2026 △

INTRODUCTION

"Tesla & Plaški" is one of many artistic and cultural projects coined by our Atelier in the avenue of awakening and contextualizing our local heritage.

The great inventor, Nikola Tesla, was born in Lika where we are situated, and what is more - his family had significant ties to Plaški, our municipality. So much so that his father, Milutin Tesla, finished his studies here and became an Orthodox priest, and was a great poet and philosopher.

Besides from being heavily influenced and inspired by his father's intellectual prowess, Nikola Tesla also frequently visited Plaški and his relatives that lived here, including his youngest sister Marica.

All of these facts are heavily unknown not only by the general public, but also the local community. Amongst other reasons, this fact has been a driving force of us envisioning this project. With these kinds of interdisciplinary and intertemporal workshops, we hope to transform the awareness of heritage preservation in our area as well as bring back an important part of it - lest it falls through the cracks.

THE WORKSHOP

The workshop, held in the spaces of Plaški municipality, was conceptualized with an innovative showcasing and mentoring approach, in cooperation with a team of young academic sculptors.

The artists chose a position in the room where participants could easily see their working process, analyze it and be encouraged to build their own artwork inspired by Nikola Tesla, his father or his inventions and legacy.

While working on their own sculptures, the artists were also available around the room for questions and hands-on mentorship, helping the participants with statics, proportions and sculpting techniques.

This way, each participant was able to build something they were proud of - whether it was a bust, a small sculpture, figurine or relief.

Tesla-Firing

THE FIRING

After the hand-shaping of the works was finished, the job was nowhere near done - our artists then went “behind the scenes” to remove any tiny irregularities that could hurt the final result, removed static aids such as wooden poles and foil that were inside of the works and then prepared them for drying, after which a bisque firing would follow before the main event - firing all the works in our ancient wood-fired kiln: Janjagama.

Janjagama is already known by many, but for those that don’t yet know her - we shall say that she is a kiln we have built in 2013 on the premises of Atelier Janja Gora, modeled on ancient Japanese and Korean wood-fired anagama kilns built with a special kind of brick that can withstand temperatures of up to 1300°C.

It is wood-fired, and the intense firing process is a long one; oftentimes spanning from early morning to early morning of the next day. On these long-sustained high temperatures, the ash from the burned wood melts and pairs with the clay, becoming a one-of-a-kind natural glaze that is impossible to recreate.

But, before the first flame can even be stoked, there is a lot of preparation that must take place beforehand - preparing the wood, checking and repairing the kiln and coating the slabs and small pillars that are used as shelves for stacking objects into the kiln.

Stacking the kiln is a skill in and of itself - first, you have to have someone nimble and willing enough to climb into the long kiln and stay inside it for hours on end (because it can fit a lot!). Then, all the clay works (that can be very large and heavy, but also fragile) have to be properly positioned so that no two objects are touching (this prevents sticking) and so that each and every work gets enough fire.

Sand or wedges made from aluminum and flour are put beneath the works so they don’t stick or melt onto the slabs while firing. The stacking of the works needs to be careful, mindful, but also economical - the kiln is not fired often and has a large volume, so the space has to be used in the best possible way. On the spots that will be visible from the outside once the firing door gets opened, specially made clay figurines are put in place that have glaze cones stuck inside of them - each of these cones melts at a different temperature, and watching them “fall” gives the team a good estimate of the reached temperature, besides the thermometer put inside.

After the works are stacked, the front of the kiln is closed with the same high-temperature bricks, further smoothed over with a clay mixture, leaving just a small opening with a door hooked to a wire, able to be moved when the next batch of wood needs to be thrown inside.

The first flame is lit under the main firebox, and when it “catches on”, the firing is moved to it through that door.

And then - the dance begins…

Firing Janjagama is always an art of surrendering to the process. As each firing is completely unique and largely dependent on factors outside of our control such as atmosphere, humidity levels, the temperature of the surroundings, the type of available firing wood etc. - it is impossible to predict, let alone repeat the results of each and every firing.

This is why ceramics from anagama kilns is unique in the full sense of the word, and is a result of the collaboration between human creativity and elemental unpredictability.

When the firing team is well coordinated, at a certain moment the enrgy shifts into something almost ritual - all of the atention si focused on the flames, and Janjagama comes alive and communicates with each of the participants, giving them what they need in the moment.

This particular firing was one of the more successful ones - we reached the desired temperature faster than previous times, and the process was really smooth and without difficulties, with the large enthusiasm of the core Atelier team dedicated to the mystery of the dragon lady, even reaching the desired temperature of 1300°C a couple of times!

And even though the firing started in the morning and was not expected to end until the next morning, we were aleady “done” by 1:30 a.m. After we closed up the kiln and nestled it into fireproof foil so it cools down slowly, we still managed to get a good nights sleep!

And then comes the painstaking process of - waiting…

Everybody is excited to see what the fire has made from our clay works, but patience is needed so that the kiln releases heat slowly and steadily - sudden jumps in temperature almost certainly lead to cracking and compromising the quality of the works. This time, we let it cool for almost a full week, barely resisting the urge to “peek just a little bit”.

Still, the day had come - we opened and disassembled the kiln door, and when we looked inside - we were all delighted.

The firing was - truly - one of the most successful ones yet!

The layers of color, the effects and depths of the pigment developed from the clay was truly remarkable, and even though each firing carries with it an understandable and expected risk of a few works getting stuck together, melting or otherwise being destroyed by the process - this time there were only two symbolic objects that melted together: a coffee cup and an ashtray stuck together by the side! We concluded it was Janjagama making a little joke and congratulating us on a successful firing.

Although the loading of the kiln takes a long time; the unloading maybe takes even longer - the team stands in a row spanning from the door of the kiln to the table where we put the works, but while an artwork goes through everyone's hands, the excitement can just not be contained.

Thus each and every kiln opening is followed by many “Oooh”’s and “Aaah”’s, admiring, tilting the objects in different directions to see them in a different light, catching every reflection in the beautiful gradients of fire and ash.

The works made by the participants of our workshop also got their own unique character, and because of the reduction quality, some of them looked as if they were made of bronze.

All in all, a great success that we hope to recreate many, many more times!

The following link will take you to the digital version of our catalogue where you can see the artworks in question:

*the link will appear here once the catalogue is published

*This activity was published with the financial support of the 'Kultura nova' Foundation. The opinions expressed in this text reflect solely the opinions of the author and do not necessarily express the point of view of the 'Kultura nova' Foundation

Regular workshops

Every Saturday from 10.00 to 12.00

Max number of participants 6.

Price: € 30,-

Our atelier is open for you to come and make your own work. We offer you clay, equipment, professional leading, firing, refreshment and lot's of good energy and knowledge exchange.

You can come as a total beginner or advanced ceramist, you can combine this workshops with our other program's like raku, pit-fire or anagama firings. This workshops are here to stay and offer a continuous opportunity to everybody interested in creative growth and self discovery.

Price includes clay, pigments, glazes and all other necessary tools and materials needed. Firing of the works included.

Sign in every week before Thursday for the desired day. Just before you book check if the dates are available due to our other activities or in case al the available spots are filled.

Use of atelier tools and equipment

For artists already familiar with the clay and ceramics who need a place where you can work, with use of al of the equipment, tools and kilns. Firings of the works included. Price is determined depending on the personal needs.