The potter's wheel turns and turns...
Jugs, pots, plates, cups, vases and bells - everything that is so often seen in museum expositions devoted to the life of Belarusians of the early twentieth century, is offered to buyers by the Smorgon ceramist Yuri Khrishchanovich. And during the trademark holiday Krevo Ceramics dozens of tourists watch the hands of the master as really interesting things are born out of shapeless pieces of clay.
More than 30,000 years ago people started making dishes out of clay. At that time it was used to store food. And later, about 10,000 years ago, the idea of creating clay vessels for cooking came about. Delicious stewed potatoes with meat and babka are extremely delicious in clay pots.
Ceramics, painting, mosaics
The path to a career as a ceramist turned out to be winding for Yuri Khrishchanovich. The boy loved drawing since childhood. Nevertheless, he entered the art studio only in the tenth grade. In 2006 he graduated from the secondary school № 6, went to study computer design courses. At the same time he attended the preparatory courses at the Minsk State College named after A. K. Glebov. He decided to enter the Minsk State College of Crafts and Design named after M. A. Kedyshko as a draftsman. There he was offered to study pottery. The young man agreed. ‘ Nothing random in this life does not happen,’ thinks my interlocutor. - I tried working with clay - I liked it. In addition, I continued to draw. Soon I realized that I want to enter the art academy. Meanwhile, during my college studies I attended preparatory courses at the academy.
When I came to apply to the Faculty of Design and Applied Arts I hesitated for a long time about what to choose. It turned out that future designers study painting for two years, and the faculty of arts and crafts takes four years. And my passion for drawing took over: I went to the ceramists. Luckily, I’ve already known the basic techniques of pottery art (making clay, molding on a wheel, covering products with glaze)’.
While studying at the academy, Yuri became interested in making mosaics from smalt (colored glass). He mastered this technique and now he is proud of performing a mosaic over the entrance to the Slutsk Belt Museum in the All-Saints Church in Minsk. He also took part in the creation of a mosaic in the Independence Palace, which is located in the universal hall. It is one of the most unusual in shape and large in area where press conferences and other major events with direct television broadcasts are held. ‘ There is a large mosaic - 56 square meters, in the center - the coat of arms of Belarus, on the sides - ornament. I made and installed a belt, which is to the right if you look at the podium, said Yuri. For this work I earned my first serious money. Our work - subtle and painstaking - required a lot of effort. ‘
Clay comes to life in the hands of a ceramist
Yuri could stay in the capital but he was not attracted to the big noisy city. As you know, muses do not tolerate fuss. In 2014 he returned to Smorgon. In the village of Khatseni where his parents used to live he began to make a workshop for himself. He decided to open his own business, turned to the employment center. There he received a state subsidy. Thanks to this help a large electric furnace appeared in the potter's farm.
Since that time he started to be actively engaged in pottery. He is a regular participant of the festival Krevo Ceramics, traditional folk festivals in Vyazynka – the Hooting of Spring , Kupalle, Bagacha, district festivals in Smorgon and other towns. Souvenir products (whistles, children's toys, whispering amulets, bells) of our ceramist are in great demand among tourists.
Yuri admits that people are not very actively interested in ceramic dishes on holidays, so he often makes jugs, plates and cups (often personalized) to order. As for unusual orders the master recalled hookah bowls which he made by casting from faience with the appropriate dimensions. I had to remember what I studied in my student years, call for help from the Internet in order to calculate correctly the shrinkage, cast, make plaster molds, cut them out on a plaster model machine. Everything worked out, the customer was satisfied.
We asked the potter to share his dreams and Yuri did not hide them: ‘A workshop for a ceramist is an important part of his work. However, I would like to have a place not only for work but also for cultural recreation. That's why I decided to use our sauna as a place for creative meetings. I would like people to come to us, I would tell them about clay, hold master classes, and people would have the opportunity to make something out of clay themselves.... To drink tea and talk about creativity in a cozy atmosphere.’
In our hectic, extremely fast-paced times, one often wants to find a quiet harbor where he can rest the body and quench the spiritual thirst. It is the dream that our hero wants to realize not only for himself but also for people.
Galina ANTONOVA.
Author's photo.
Yuri Khrishchanovich at the Krevo Ceramics festival.
Master's hands at work.
The hall of the Palace of Independence where the mosaic is located in the manufacture of which the Smorgon master took part.
