Pottery & ceramics holiday in Lesvos
| country: | Greece |
| location: | Lesvos |
| departures: | 2008: 18 Sep, 25 Sep |
| price: | From £715 (7 days) excluding flights, based on group of 6-8 people and twin share. Price includes airport transfers & transportation, 7 nights full-board accommodation, museum fees, tuition, materials and equipment. There is no single supplement charge |
the amazing things you'll be doing
About Lesvos: Since the antiquity, art expressed in many forms has been an occupation of the people in the Greek island of Lesvos. Excavation findings at different times show that, at the beginning of the 14th century B.C.
Mycenaean clay vessels of the Mycenaean and Cretan type had been imported to the island and used as models by the local people. This way the Art of Ceramics was developed over the centuries in the island.
The black vessels of Lesvos were much sought after abroad and brought considerable profits to the island’s potters.
Pottery: The art of pottery today, after 3,000 years finds its admirable morphological and decorative expression at the town of Agiasos, where it has continued to be practiced without interruption up to the present day. In fact the history of the art of ceramics in Agiasos is as old as the history of the town itself. The arrival of the icon of Madonna - Our Lady and the other holy relics to the Agiasos and the foundation of the monastery transformed the town into a place of pilgrimage, which attracted thousands of believers, especially during the Turkish Domination. Thus a production of clay ware such as water pitchers, plates etc was necessary in order to meet the demands of the Christians pilgrims. Nowadays, a new series of clay-ware products has been introduced; functional and ornamental, which follow the long standing tradition.
Tutor: Your tutor is Antonia, a fairly new but very accomplished potter/ceramist at Agiasos; she will conduct the classes at her workshop near Keramia. She studied decorative design in 1982 in Nuremberg. She learned the art of ceramics in Mytilini from the most experienced ceramists for a long time. She is a professional ceramist since 1991. She continues the popular pottery tradition characteristics of Agiasos and generally Lesvos. However you can notice her personal expression in her works, which makes them unique and collectable. Her works are both functional and decorative and her personal customers span the globe. She exhibits her works at her shop in Agiasos. Additionally she has exhibited her works at group exhibitions in Athens Mytilini, Mandamados, Xanthi, and Cyprus.
Accommodation: You will be staying at a family owned and managed hotel, the Madonna Family Hotel in Vatera; it lies in a scenic location with well-kept gardens and only 120 m from the beach. It has a spacious terrace where you can enjoy a relaxing evening drink and a bar. All apartments are comfortably furnished with en suite facilities, radio, TV, air-conditioning and balconies with sea or mountain views. Meals will be taken at local tavernas which feature a selection of traditional home-cooked dishes, using local products.
Itinerary: The week’s programme includes morning tutorials over five days for hands on experience, over the whole gamut of activities relating to ceramics, at Antonia’s workshop. This will include:
The week will be completed by afternoon visits to other potteries and their exhibitions (e.g. Agiasos, Agios Stefanos, Mandamados).
A day will be taken to visit the Archaeological Museum in Mytilini where you can see examples of pottery from the antiquity and to visit the Lesvo shop where you will be able to buy ceramics as well as other Lesvos products.
Mycenaean clay vessels of the Mycenaean and Cretan type had been imported to the island and used as models by the local people. This way the Art of Ceramics was developed over the centuries in the island.
The black vessels of Lesvos were much sought after abroad and brought considerable profits to the island’s potters.
Pottery: The art of pottery today, after 3,000 years finds its admirable morphological and decorative expression at the town of Agiasos, where it has continued to be practiced without interruption up to the present day. In fact the history of the art of ceramics in Agiasos is as old as the history of the town itself. The arrival of the icon of Madonna - Our Lady and the other holy relics to the Agiasos and the foundation of the monastery transformed the town into a place of pilgrimage, which attracted thousands of believers, especially during the Turkish Domination. Thus a production of clay ware such as water pitchers, plates etc was necessary in order to meet the demands of the Christians pilgrims. Nowadays, a new series of clay-ware products has been introduced; functional and ornamental, which follow the long standing tradition.
Tutor: Your tutor is Antonia, a fairly new but very accomplished potter/ceramist at Agiasos; she will conduct the classes at her workshop near Keramia. She studied decorative design in 1982 in Nuremberg. She learned the art of ceramics in Mytilini from the most experienced ceramists for a long time. She is a professional ceramist since 1991. She continues the popular pottery tradition characteristics of Agiasos and generally Lesvos. However you can notice her personal expression in her works, which makes them unique and collectable. Her works are both functional and decorative and her personal customers span the globe. She exhibits her works at her shop in Agiasos. Additionally she has exhibited her works at group exhibitions in Athens Mytilini, Mandamados, Xanthi, and Cyprus.
Accommodation: You will be staying at a family owned and managed hotel, the Madonna Family Hotel in Vatera; it lies in a scenic location with well-kept gardens and only 120 m from the beach. It has a spacious terrace where you can enjoy a relaxing evening drink and a bar. All apartments are comfortably furnished with en suite facilities, radio, TV, air-conditioning and balconies with sea or mountain views. Meals will be taken at local tavernas which feature a selection of traditional home-cooked dishes, using local products.
Itinerary: The week’s programme includes morning tutorials over five days for hands on experience, over the whole gamut of activities relating to ceramics, at Antonia’s workshop. This will include:
- Learn the various techniques needed to build the clay forms such as slabbing, coiling & pinching
- Create objects of your choice be it pots, plates, cups or even small statues
- Biscuit fire your created objects, ‘The First Firing’
- Learn to prepare and mix the glazes, chose colours and decorate.
The week will be completed by afternoon visits to other potteries and their exhibitions (e.g. Agiasos, Agios Stefanos, Mandamados).
A day will be taken to visit the Archaeological Museum in Mytilini where you can see examples of pottery from the antiquity and to visit the Lesvo shop where you will be able to buy ceramics as well as other Lesvos products.
how this holiday makes a difference
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While 40 years ago there were 10 pottery workshops in Agiasos, only three are operating today. The same percentages of decline apply to the other villages in Lesvos, traditionally producers of pottery. The once flourishing art of ceramics in Agiasos is threatened by imports that are aping the traditional product and by the slowly diminishing old way of life, as a consequence of the new needs society and introduction of new, more resistant materials in the market.
This course is a great way to have an incredible vacation and pat yourself on the back for supporting the artisan industry of ceramics and the local communities. If you want to help preserve Lesvos’s disappearing artisan industry, cultural heritage and natural beauty – her sprawling olive groves, hillsides and beaches, supporting local business in the process that are working toward this goal, this is the way to do it.  We work directly with local people who are committed to preserving traditional trades and promoting sustainable development and organic agriculture. Together we strive to protect Lesvos's natural beauty and resources to share with generations to come. The hotel of our choice operates its own environmental policy by using environmentally friendly cleaning products. It encourages guests to use energy efficiently and keep water consumption to a minimum. Lights in communal areas operate on sensors and the water is heated via solar panels (for about 9 months yearly) thus further reducing energy consumption. Vegetable and garden matter is composted and bottles from the bar are returned to the original supplier. |
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