Pottery Studio Offers Joy to Weary Kurgan Residents
«At 50, I suddenly got hit — by pottery!» said Natalya Sokolova, head of the Kurgan creative studio «Mama Kerama», describing how she unexpectedly fell in love with the pottery craft.
For most of her life, Natalya worked as a cosmetologist and loved her profession. She had recognition from colleagues, regular clients, and a decent income.
«I always approached my profession creatively. For me, it was important not primarily to earn money, but to invest all my skills in working with the client. To achieve a result that the client would be happy with, and that means I would be happy too! I studied constantly, improved in my profession: both in France and at seminars across Russia. But then I still started to lack creative drive in my life,» noted Natalya.
«I started looking for what would give me a high. I attended various workshops: I mastered batik, glass painting, oil painting, acrylic and gouache. At the dacha, I built a powerful workbench with my own hands, tried making wooden furniture on it — chairs, stools. Everything seemed to work out, but it wasn»t quite right. And then I ended up at a workshop in the Kolmogorovs« studio, they are our wonderful ceramists, Andrey and Elena,» told Natalya.
After throwing her first mug on the potter«s wheel, Natalya understood: this is it!
«From that minute, I »caught the bug« for ceramics. I started studying with the Kolmogorovs, ordering a potter»s wheel for myself. Then I came to Alexandra Menshchikova in a ceramic workshop and mastered hand modeling. I traveled to learn the secrets of the craft from famous Russian potters — Ilya Kalashnikov, Evgeny Pokidaev, Anna Kupriyanova,« recalled Natalya.
«I studied, experimented, and so, opened my own studio. So that in Kurgan there would be a little corner of creativity, an outlet. I want to bring light to our city, to support people morally. To share energy with the poor, worn-out Kurgan people: people are really very tired,» explained Natalya.
«Mama Kerama» is located on the second floor of a building familiar to Kurgan residents as the «Detsky Mir» store.
«It used to be a warehouse, completely awful. I did the renovation with my own hands, brought furniture from my cosmetology office and painted it myself,» told Natalya.
In the studio, which opened in summer 2025, workshops are held.
«Here you can do anything you want: plates, salad bowls, mugs with animal figures inside. Paint ready-made items. People come to the studio, of course, not for dishes, but for bright positive emotions. In the future, I want to work in the studio, including with children with severe disabilities and their parents. I myself am the mother of such a child, my son is already 22 years old. I know how important it is for such families to engage in creativity, to distract themselves at least briefly from their problems,» told Natalya.
Where does Natalya Sokolova get so much creative energy? The craftswoman herself believes that she is very lucky with her husband.
«My husband is my shoulder and support, thanks to this I, despite my son»s severe disability, remained a positive person and love life. And I am also inspired and greatly helped by my like-minded friend Tatyana Pelyavina, with whom we create together since the workshop opened,« noted Natalya.
In «Mama Kerama,» there are no requirements for skill level. You can come to a workshop even if you are holding clay for the first time in your life. Or rather, ceramic mass. Natalya tries to use the best grades.
«The more creators there are in Kurgan, the better the city will live. People, worn out by daily life, come to a workshop, and their eyes shine. Here a girl molded a salad bowl, sits and admires it, she has so many emotions! I will fire the item, and then she will come to paint or glaze it, and will be happy that she created such beauty with her own hands. And I will be glad that I do not live in vain, that I am not pointlessly toiling away,» reasoned Natalya.
Practically every item in Natalya«s workshop undergoes two firings in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 1200 degrees Celsius. The first firing is called »bodily,« the second — »glazed.« Firing lasts 8–10 hours, after which the furnace along with the item inside cools for two days. You cannot open the furnace until it has cooled completely.
The studio will bring income to its owner only in the distant future. For now, it«s mainly investments: a clay rolling machine, potter»s wheels, a muffle furnace.
«I want to install another furnace to fire items faster, so people don»t have to wait long,« shared plans Natalya.
According to Natalya, ceramics in Russia is developing at a tremendous pace, although this hobby is not cheap. Many original masters have appeared, each with their own style. Exhibitions and festivals are constantly held. Online — numerous chats of ceramists, where people exchange experience, share nuances of the craft, ask questions.
«If some mistake happens, you ask, and they will definitely help you. Ceramists — one big family,» convinced Natalya.
Ceramics, in Natalya«s opinion, attracts because it is creation.
«You can take a piece of clay and breathe life into it, put your energy into it. And it is also a way of meditation. I often spin the potter»s wheel and model to prayers, Orthodox chants. The item turns out alive, with a soul. And when you take your creation out of the furnace, you experience indescribable pleasure!« shared Natalya.
In «Mama Kerama,» an endless creative process goes on.
«Life with a disabled child is not easy, it»s no secret. If I didn«t do ceramics, I would have stagnated long ago. My hobby doesn»t let me fall into despondency, I am literally on fire. The soul comes into harmony, and all troubles and difficulties are nothing. I get immense joy from activities in the studio, and I want to share this joy. I firmly believe that the world becomes better through the hands of creators!« said Natalya Sokolova.
