Exploring Emotions in a Sculpture Portrait with Valentina Zlataroava

Exploring Emotions in a Sculpture Portrait with Valentina Zlataroava | 1-2 August 2025

Tutor: Valentina Zlatarova

Date: Friday 1 August – Saturday 2 August 2025

Time(s): 10.00 – 16:00

Location: Messums Studios, Chilmark

Course Fee: £270

Please bring: photographs of your subject material, notebook, packed lunch, apron, sensible footwear.

Tea and coffee will be provided.

This two day course will focus on understanding and learning to sculpt the mask of the face using photographs. The course tutor artist Valentina Zlatarova will introduce the participants to the anatomy of the human face and you will learn how to sculpt an expression in the human face based on photographs. Using slides from art history as visual references, participants will be guided towards a better visual understanding of how different emotions and characteristics are captured. During this course Valentina will touch upon subjects such as drawing in sculptural terms and caricature versus portraiture. The group will also discuss the meaning of composition in portraiture.

All levels are welcome!

This will be a fast paced and exhilarating creative workshop which will teach you to look at the human face and make you see it in a distinctly different light.

Please bring: photographs of your subject material, notebook, packed lunch, apron, sensible footwear

At the end of the second day the participants will hollow the work out in preparation for optional firing (subject to an additional firing charge).

Day One

• Talking through participants’ photographs

• Introduction to the relevant anatomy of the face to describre emotions

• Working with clay, blocking-in the major volumes of the face

• Preparing the clay for the next day of work, relevant and irrelevant information

Day Two

-Drawing with clay and use of light

-Getting familiar with tools that help us achieve the final outcome

-Working on the features of the face, expression and self-expression

-Emotions and compositions, finishing touches

Valentina Zlatarova is a Bulgarian-born artist. She attended Art School at the age of 13, in her hometown of Plovdiv, where she specialised in sculpture. In 2004 she was accepted at The Florence Academy Art’s Sculpture program where in her last year of study she was offered a teaching position. Since 2007 Valentina has been teaching in Europe, Asia and Indonesia both in private academies and public universities such as The Florence Academy of Art, The Art Academy London, Barcelona Academy of Art, La Salle University, Gaya Ceramics Bali and many more. Valentina’s work has been well recognised and has received several awards for her sculptures including the Founder’s Sculpture Prize and twice has been awarded the Tiranti prize for young artists. Her primary interest has always been the human form, working from life and using natural sustainable materials.

£270

4 in stock