Intensive Program at the Gumri Workshop

November 2023

Reflection on this Professionalization Mission

From October 22nd to November 6th, the ceramic workshop of the Family Care Foundation in Gumri hosted the French ceramicist Odile Cazanave-Pin as part of the last professionalization mission of the year 2023. Over two weeks, the workshop was marked by training sessions in pottery throwing and decoration.

Pottery throwing training

After receiving training in casting and molding from Jacques Lardin and Raphaël Mick last May, the new recruits at the workshop were able to benefit from additional training with Odile Cazanave-Pin.

Their goal was to learn the basics of this technique and understand the proper movements to practice turning regularly in the workshop. The ultimate aim is to master this skill. There is still a long way to go before becoming accomplished turners, but there is no doubt that determination and hard work will allow them to acquire more skills.

Moreover, during this first week of exchange, they were joined by a young volunteer who is learning turning at the Hartashen workshop. Since an initiation led by Marc Giroudon in the border village of the Syunik region in March 2022, this young teenager has been regularly practicing turning. This training with Odile Cazanave-Pin has allowed her to analyze her movements and improve her work. Furthermore, her visit to Gumri was also an opportunity for her to explore the workshop, meet the team, and engage in exchanges and collaboration.

Decoration with 6 hands

During their meeting in France – on the occasion of the art residency that took place last July – the decorators from the workshop were admirative of the flowers made by Odile on her ceramics. Eager to learn more about these creations, they had the opportunity to create a joint piece where, as the conductor, Odile set the tone with the first flower, followed by Mher, Nariné, Mariam, Ani, and Knarik. And thus, they turned a plate made a few days earlier by Odile into a masterpiece.

Workshop with the youth of Hartashen

During her stay in Armenia, Odile Canazave-Pin had the opportunity to explore the country and visit the Syunik region, especially the village of Hartashen, where a temporary workshop has been set up with the Family Care Foundation.

In this village, Odile experienced a timeless moment by leading a modeling workshop with some children from the village. Full of imagination, the children were able to create their Christmas decorations in the form of small houses.

The teams of the Family Care Foundation and the Muscari association, as well as the participants in the training, renew their sincere thanks to the ceramicist Odile Cazanave-Pin.

This mission was supported by the Embassy of France, the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region, the Metropolis of Lyon, the City of Lyon, the Bullukian Foundation, and the company Fineco Eurofinancement.