Clay is therapeutic. Pottery therapy which is a form of art therapy is one of the relaxing activities you can do while being creative and making your hands work. Typically generous pottery zhops would offer free workshops where you can write your names or quotes on the clay mugs or pots you bought from them. During our visit to a pottery factory, they taught us the traditional way of making pots. They even showed us the clays they’ll be working on to make a new collection of potteries. This post is an old ztory from our outdated private blog. We republished it for those who research where to find places they can do pottery therapy.
Visiting artisans has been one of the activities I’ve been looking forward to whenever on travel because it gives me an idea of how things are made manually during the old times. Hence, when I was able to visit Ilocos, the jar-making factories in Pagburnayan district has been one of the activities I’m thinking about. The word ‘pagburnayan’ actually came from the Ilocano word ‘burnay’ which means hand-crafted jars or earthenware pots. Since clay potteries and jars were in demand before, this district has been known to produce it. However, since these pots are manually made by the hands, require skills to be able to do it, plus the demand for the use of pottery has decreased, pottery making has slowly become a dying art and almost being forgotten. Ergo, I felt I was fortunate to visit Pagburnayan district where the art of pottery-making still exists. I was happy to see it before this art gets extinct.
Upon seeing the unimposing entrance of the jar factory, you would instantly know that they’re selling pottery. It displays different styles of terracotta pots and jars in its front yard. Here, you’d see simple designs, but as you go inside, you’ll find an array of pots, jars, and vases in different styles, shapes, and sizes. By exploring the small factory, you’ll easily find their workshop area even if it has no signage. Visitors can sit here to watch or try jar making.
A potter will show you how pots and jars are made from clay. They would do a short demo on how to form it before allowing you to try it. The pottery maker will initially ask you to sit while he’s putting a glob of clay on a platform with a manually pedaled rotating disk. Then, he will spin the base with his foot and will ask you to form the jar with your hands. He will guide you on how you should place your hand and how much pressure you should put into it. However, in the process of doing it, you must expect that mudstains may cling to your clothes and fingernails. Once the jar is formed, it is then left to dry a bit, but be reminded that you will not be able to take your own formed jar because it has to be placed inside massive kilns to be cooked and this takes a bit of time. Due to time constraint, I was not able to see how these jars were cooked on a hot and smoky kiln.
For some reason, I was mesmerized by just watching how others shaped the clay pots with their hand while being guided by the potters. I wasn’t able to try it since other visitors also like to do it. I just contained myself in observing. It looks easy but once you’ve seen how delicate the jars and pots being formed can be, you would understand that jar and pottery making requires skill and artistry to make well-formed pottery.
During the time I went there the pottery workshop is for free. They did not charge us anything. However, you can buy their products to show gratitude or appreciation for their art. The jars and pots here are good mementos to remind yourself about your pottery-making experience. Meanwhile, if you’re not buying, we can still show your appreciation by giving a tip for their effort and any amount would be much appreciated. As the adage goes, ‘Though donations are not compulsory, they are of course appreciated.’
This dying art may be something you don’t appreciate yet but upon seeing pottery making first-hand, you might develop an interest in it. Despite that it is a short visit, and I have just observed how jars are being formed, it has provided me with something to take home. That leveled up my appreciation for this art.
There are different Jar factories in the Pagburnayan district, however, the one that I visited is RG Jar Factory. These jar factories are located at Gomez St. Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
✍ Republished August 15, 2023
Oily Corner
While crafting pottery, you hands can be marked by the clay or by the pottery maker’s rotating disk. Having bruise or a burns can also happen when you cook to harden the pottery on the kiln. Make sure you have a fresh and newly produced remedy. OTC’s Faithfully Care with Vitamin E is always fresh and new when you order it because we create it the moment we receive your order.
Oil Therapy 