Avanos street art as seen from the bus one morning..

Cavusin Seramik

Kapadokya, and particularly Avanos is famous for its pottery.  You can tell we visited this workshop at the end of a long day because the moon was up as we were leaving. 

Hittite type wine vessel  and a “master potter” demonstrating how it was made using a traditional kick wheel that he turns with his feet. 

This man became a master because as a boy he “hung around” an older master indicating he wanted to learn.  So he was taken on as an apprentice.  His son maybe will learn. 

Some of the pottery of Avanos is made from red clay and some from white.  “Here, they produce two types of ceramics; the white clay ceramics which contains silica and the red clay ceramics which is high in iron. The river is the source of the red clay, while the white clay is drawn from the white volcanic soil.” http://olivejourney.blogspot.com/2011/11/avanos-ceramics-at-its-best-avanos.html

Pottery shop owner showing a finished piece.

This actually isn’t how they are really made.  The circular central part is made first and then the spout and base and handle but each piece must dry before they are attached or they will break.

Showing how it is hollow to hold the wine.

Why the design of the circular vessel…to make pouring the wine easier.

Now it’s Katie’s turn!

Not bad for a very first attempt!

The artists decorating the wine vessels in more modern designs.

Paints and brushes

These were in the room of less expensive pieces.

As were theses.

The room of the most expensive pieces where I just peeked in so not to destroy anything with my backpack.

Explaining the patterns.

Between Mary and me we remember that the number of rows and the designs had something to do with the family of the potter…or something along those lines….or maybe the family it was created for? 

Pattern book of traditional designs.

Earthquake balls

My souvenir, a 5 TL handmade  little bowl!

This is not a bowl, this is a nomad hat with attached scarf which I bought the second day we were in Kapadokya.    It was my other souvenir and when I wore it lots of locals gave me a “thumbs up.”  You’ll see photos of me wearing it in later emails