Acquaintance with the Traditional Culture of the Belarusian People

Earlier this week, foreign and Belarusian students living in dormitory No. 3 attended a pottery class at the Center of Crafts and Traditional Culture in Novopolotsk.

At the class Pottery with your own hands the students got acquainted with Ekaterina Usovich, a master of folk crafts in pottery. In Ekaterina's workshop, they became participants in a clay modeling class. The master told the students about the varieties of clay with which she works, showed how products are created using a potter's wheel. The guys were able to see how patterns are applied to clay products.

There are a lot of techniques for modeling clay and working with it. At the first class, Ekaterina suggested to make a decorative plate of white clay with her own hands, step by step demonstrated the process of creating a product, told about the little tricks used in the process of work. The students did not expect that this creative process is so interesting and fascinating. Each participant coped with his task perfectly.

Choosing an ornament for your plate and setting a stamp turned out to be an interesting task. However, the students will be able to get the final result of their work only in a few days. Now the decorative plates are left in the workshop, where they will pass the stage of drying and firing in the oven. The first firing in the oven takes place at a temperature of 900 degrees. Next, the product must be coated with glaze and put back into the oven. Each firing lasts about 16-18 hours. The glaze gives the product strength, transforms its appearance and makes it waterproof.

All participants are looking forward to the result and will definitely come to Ekaterina's class again.

Anastasia Zaiats, student of the faculty of Civil Engineering: 'I came with friends to a pottery class with great interest. I got acquainted with pottery, as well as with a craftsman who creates clay products with her own hands. It was a pleasure to participate in the process of making a decorative plate. I expanded my idea of decorative art and had a great time with friends. We are looking forward to the final result of our work. Thank you very much! I really liked the class'

Artem Ivanov, student of the faculty of Civil Engineering: 'I'm grateful to Ekaterina for an interesting master class. It was an activity where you can try to prove yourself, gain knowledge and skills, enjoy the process and just have a great time'

Jun Gu, student of the Faculty of Humanities: 'Clay modeling is an interesting creative activity. I got a lot of positive emotions. I had fun with my friends. I will take home a Belarusian souvenir made with my own hands'