In January, the students who visited the ceramic workshop of Attila László and László Emese in the Oradea Castle were familiarized with the craft of pottery in the project called Digitization of crafts from Valea Ierului.
We excitedly entered the small workshop. The shelves were filled with more and more beautiful mugs, plates and true masterpieces. Attila László and Emese László’s warm welcome immediately warmed our hearts on the cold January morning. The students sat around a table and immediately got down to business. They were given clay and instructions for use, and young hands skillfully and creatively shaped the clay between their fingers: the lid of their little bowl was made.
At the potter’s wheel, Attila László greeted the youngsters one by one, who were given mantles around their waists, and the potter’s wheel was already spinning. Attila explained with the greatest skill how clay becomes real value. He was someone who was not deterred even by a broken hand, his mug was also finished. Attila László said that drying for several days is followed by ten hours of burning. The first firing is done at 950 degrees Celsius, but the firing also depends on the clay. The second firing takes place above 120 degrees Celsius, so our mug will withstand the microwave and dishwasher without cracking. We went home satisfied and with another craft “in our pocket”.
The purpose of the digitization of Valea Ierului crafts is to engage and familiarize local students with the traditional crafts of the region. The project, supported by the European Solidarity Corps, organized by Ér Hangja Egyesület, in partnership with Sándor Petőfi Theoretical High School and Székelyhíd City Hall, presents twelve crafts to the students. The works created during the year-long program, which began last August, will be available for viewing in an exhibition.
