Viktoriia Smirnova

I was born and lived in Kharkiv, Ukraine. With the invasion of Ukraine, I was displaced from my home. After overcoming many obstacles, I made the difficult choice to temporarily leave some of my family in Ukraine. I currently live with family in Boulder County, as a Ukrainian refugee. Now that I am settled into the community, I share my passion for creating stunning pottery with an old-world technique called Milk Sealing. I pour my heart and love into my work. It brings me great joy to create with my hands. All my pieces are one of one, with no two pieces the same. My work is created with molding by hand without a potter's wheel.
I am a self-taught ceramist using primarily an old-world technique called Milk Sealing. This unique firing technique was passed down to me from my mentor. It uses a combination of milk and beeswax in the finishing process. This technique was used prior to the discovery of current glazing methods. Very few artists truly know this original Milk Sealing process. My work is a combination of milk and beeswax or solely beeswax. All my pieces are waterproof due to the special use of beeswax in firing. Of note, my pieces are handwash only and no microwave.