Casa Olarului "Vasile Gonciari"
Pottery workshop at Hoginești, with the craft shown from clay to finished object
The presentation of the craft from clay extraction to finished object, with pottery to buy straight from the workshop
Worth it for the pottery itself and for the presentation of the craft. Before booking a hands-on session, though, read the three reviews that report misogynistic remarks during it.
Pottery workshop at Hoginești, about 58 km from Chișinău, open daily from 8:00 to 18:00. The visit includes, per reviews, a presentation of the craft from the extraction of the clay to the finished object, with emphasis on non-toxic materials, and a hands-on session at the wheel. One visitor recounts that their family has used the pottery from here for years and buys more each time, and another describes a two-thousand-litre ceramic pot, modelled inside the workshop own furnace, which they call the largest in Europe. There is, however, a serious complaint that appears in three separate reviews, two of one star and one of two: all describe the hands-on session as marked by misogynistic and sexually suggestive remarks from the master potter, which left the women in the group uncomfortable. One of them says the explanations about the craft were good, but that the speech ruined the experience.
- The presentation of the craft, from clay extraction to the finished object
- An emphasis on non-toxic materials, noted by one visitor
- The quality of the pottery, which one family has used for years
- A two-thousand-litre ceramic pot, modelled in the workshop furnace, called by one visitor the largest in Europe
- A hands-on session, suited to all levels per one review
- The potter wheel at work
- The clay vessels in the workshop
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“Good tour of the place with nice explanations, but all leading up to a pottery class filled with misogyny and sexism. Would not recommend. Bad experience.”
“I agree with the previous review. The talented craftmanship and the pottery-making experience is ruined by the speech of the man presenting the masterclass. He talked a lot about himself, acted misogynist, and sexualised the process, which made the women of our group not at ease at all”
“I want to start with one of the most important fact: this was one of the most amazing experience I had. Vasilii Gonciari explained everything in details, starting fith extraction of kaolin and finishing with the use of final product. He is tacking in consideration the quality and safety which I am very thankful. No toxic material used. I got the chance to purchase a lot of st…”
- Three separate reviews, two of one star and one of two, describe the hands-on session as marked by misogynistic and sexually suggestive remarks from the master potter
- The same reviews say the women in the group were left uncomfortable
- One of them notes that the explanations about the craft were good, but that the speech ruined the experience
- About 58 km from Chișinău, so you need a car