16.05.2022

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: BULGARIAN CERAMICS IS GAINING MOMENTUM

The ceramic production in our country is reviving, commented the master potter Nikolay Yovkov - a former teacher at the National Art High School for Applied Arts in Troyan.

After the drastic decline in the 1990s, the craft is gaining momentum. Many private workshops have been opened with a dozen workers each, who ship products daily. There is competition in the industry and everyone strives to make their products more beautiful, said Yovkov. Mostly items used in the household are made, the most common being the production of pots and pans.

The return to clay is largely provoked by the movement of the real estate market and the growing interest in rural houses, added the ceramic artist Stefania Kesarova. According to her, when buying houses, people find in them old things and objects that they want to preserve and modernize. All of Europe is turning to its historical roots, to everyday life and useful things, said the artist.

Ceramics are earth products. There are no worms in the clay, even the water of the clay is drunk. Clay is a natural raw material, so it is recommended to eat in clay pots. Especially when it is less glazed, because it is hygroscopic, it absorbs the smell and gives a specific taste to the food," Kesarova said. According to her, blown glass and clay are the most harmless and environmentally friendly raw materials for the production of dishes. Working with clay, in addition to bringing pleasure, heals the skin, says the artist.

Each pottery has its own artistry, its type is determined by the life of the ethnic group, say the masters. Bulgarian ceramics have warm colors. As the costumes are different, so the dishes have characteristic features in every part of Bulgaria, but in general earthy, pastel tones predominate, said Kesarova.

Romanian ceramics are a little browner, sometimes there are blue colors that are not found in our country, said Yovkov. According to Kuman Zhekov, chairman of the Northwestern Association of Old Craftsmen, many Serbian potters studied in the Tran village of Busintsi and brought the style to school. That is why Serbian craftsmen are now creating vessels close to the beads, Zhekov said. He is the last officially produced master of the Bead school and, according to him, the only master of ancient ceramics in our country. At the suggestion of the European Association of Museums, all objects made in his workshop are certified. Many antiques, complete collections in Europe and other continents, bear the stamp of the Bulgarian master.

"Pottery is based on centrifugal force. Clay is applied, hands must always be wet. We know the parable of St. Spyridon: He made a pot, but it didn't work. He cried, tears flowed and the pot worked. That's why potters always have a bowl. with water. The first manipulation is to center the clay, the second - to expand and shape the bottom and make a proper cylinder. From there are made pitchers, pots, etc.," reveals the secrets of the craft Zhekov.

Garden ceramics are also in great demand. It was brought from Western Europe and the Catholic world with the return of many Bulgarians from there. "Emigrants, in addition to funds, also brought Western culture. Along with construction, people began to decorate their yards. Their gardens are decorated with vases, jars, bunnies, storks, deer and other animals, which is typical of Catholicism," Kesarova added.

Bulgarian ceramics is well received abroad, Yovkov assured. According to him, some producers export more than 50 percent of their production. After the low tide at the end of the last century, there is already interest in learning the craft. There are more and more candidates for pottery, which is why the exams are more complicated, the old masters trust. They are convinced that their craft will prosper because it is attractive, affordable and environmentally friendly.