Preserving the soul of Bat Trang pottery.

At 10 am on Sunday, the pottery garden of young owner Nguyen Phuong Thao (29 years old, Hanoi ) opened its doors to welcome the first Japanese guests to experience the "Creative Puzzle Pieces" workshop.

Nguyen Phuong Thao is passionate about Bat Trang ceramics and mosaic art - Photo: H. THANH

A little later, a large family from Thanh Xuan (Hanoi) also arrived. The colorful Bat Trang pottery garden was filled with young visitors running and jumping around, carefully selecting pottery pieces and meticulously arranging them into creative shapes. Nearby, young volunteers were ready to assist and guide visitors through the pottery-assembling process whenever needed.

Put down your phone, touch the ceramic.

The "Creative Puzzle" workshop is usually held on weekends. During the week, guests can also experience pottery assembling if they book an appointment in advance. The special feature is that children get to touch Bat Trang pottery with their own hands and experience the art of mosaic pottery (also known as pottery assembling or ceramic inlay).

The young woman said that customers can use pieces of pottery of various shapes to assemble into works of art.

Each piece of pottery is meticulously softened to remove sharp edges, ensuring safety for young customers. Older customers can also experience the "pottery pressing" method and create their own artwork.

A mosaic ceramic frame requires four steps: sketching the idea, selecting the pieces and arranging the composition, fixing the ceramic pieces, grouting, and finishing. Thao said that the mosaic art experience is not new, but here you will experience it with Bat Trang ceramics. "Only by coming to Bat Trang pottery village will you have such a wonderful experience," Thao asserted.

In the pottery garden, Tún and Na couldn't take their eyes off the ceramic artwork in front of them. Fascinated by the oddly shaped pieces of pottery, the two children meticulously selected each piece, patiently sitting before the frame to complete their artwork.

Ms. Hoang Anh (33 years old, mother of two children) shared that although the trip was quite far, the whole family felt very comfortable and relaxed, with plenty of space to move around and have fun.

"The workshop helps my children stay away from electronic devices and provides them with a spacious environment to connect with nature. The children patiently completed their artwork, enjoying the process of creating something with their own hands, which also stimulates their self-confidence and instills good character traits," Ms. Hoang Anh expressed.

I consider the inheritance and continuation of traditional crafts as the mission of a village craft's descendants. The efforts of our ancestors and forefathers have created these crafts, and subsequent generations have a duty to preserve, continue, and transform them into passion and enthusiasm.

Spreading the art of mosaic pottery

Upon arriving at the pottery garden, what many visitors sense is the energy of the young people. They are the children of Bat Trang, eager to preserve the soul of pottery and spread the values ​​of the traditional craft village.

After experiencing the art of ceramic mosaic firsthand, the guests took many photos and videos of their experience and said they would introduce this creative idea to many others.

Phuong Thao said that what they hope for is to spread mosaic art to more people, especially to help young people understand more about mosaic, giving them the opportunity to choose a promising career and develop in the future. Although she was passionate about drawing, Thao changed direction and chose to dedicate herself to pottery after... being persuaded.

Thảo recalls the time when the Ceramic Road project in Hanoi was launched, and many artists from all over the country gathered in Bat Trang to participate in the creative work. Thảo's family also opened their doors to welcome artists to live and work on their ceramics at their family workshop.

"My first encounter with renowned artists opened the door for me to explore the world of ceramic art," Thao recounted.

Following that opportunity, Thảo decided to major in painting at the University of Industrial Fine Arts, and then continued her studies to earn a master's degree. After seven years of studying, Thảo returned to continue her father's legacy as a ceramic artist, Nguyễn Quý Sơn. The witty young woman sometimes felt a lot of pressure because her father was skilled in diplomacy and expanding his network, while she, being introverted, preferred a peaceful life.

But the "bloodline of Bat Trang pottery" is always present in every person from Bat Trang, keeping them passionate about preserving the craft and spreading the traditional values ​​of their homeland.

For Thao, each mosaic artwork, though just a few small pieces, is like an "artistic messenger" telling the story of the efforts of the succeeding generation to preserve the achievements of their ancestors.

Joining the group, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (28 years old) said that each workshop aims to create an environment for children to learn about mosaic ceramic art and express their creativity and personality through each piece of pottery.

"Like sowers of seeds, we help young children learn about the 'touchpoints' of art," Phuong Thao said.

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