i was born in pskov and when i decided to try working with clay, i asked my friend from skvoshino community (in between pskov and estonian border) to dig up some clay for me from there. then another friend from this community taught me how to prepare wild clay and how to fire it and also provided his own kiln. so that was the great succession experience — from my birthplace, planet, community. i knew from the very beginning that i want to work with wild clays and research primal techniques. so i found clay and started experimenting with it and with techniques. also at this time i was immersing into chinese tea culture. that's why these works are shaped like bowls for the tea ceremony. it was my first series.