Today we are keeping up to talk about a wide variety of different Ukrainian souvenirs. Surely you would surf the Internet to find out the most appropriate wooden craft to gift after our yesterday review. And now after wood its turn to the next popular crafting in Ukraine. Next comes a review of ceramic souvenirs and it is well worth looking at.
On the issue of Ukrainian ceramics, it is necessary to mention original Kosiv ceramics. A small town of Kosiv is situated in Ivano-Frankivsk region, near the Carpathian Mountains. The area surrounding Kosiv is rich in clay; that is why the craft of pottery is common among this region. Decorated and unfinished dishes as mugs, pots, bowls, trays made by local craftsmen have been needful things all over the country. However, Kosil has long been noted not only for ceramic dishes, but for the great tile stoves. The examples of oldest local made tiles are stored in European museums of Vienna and Bucharest; such names of Kosiv craftsmen as Petro Gavryshiv, Ivan Baranyuk, Petro Koshak were popular abroad.
Kosiv ceramics is decorated with various motives, among them geometrical, floral and herbal ones. The dishes and sculptures, candlesticks and mugs are decorated with stylized images of animals, flowers, ancient national symbols, the Sun, the Moon, human occupations as the Hussars\ Cossacks, musicians (kobzars and bandurists), hunters, blacksmiths, beggars, farmers, shopkeepers and many others. Artisans often depicted the Christian saints like St. Nicholas, the scenes of the Gospel or local scenes of everyday life in rural areas.
Our country is proud of the high level of crafting. So, what can you buy while visiting? Various decorated ceramic vases or tableware could be a perfect choice. Ether your relatives or Ukrainian ladies you visit here, would greatly enjoy such presents. You can also choose different pots for baking, mugs in national style, penny whistles, ceramic bells or magnets, decorative sculptures and pottery toys. All ceramics is made of natural, ecologically pure materials, making it possible to retain properties of food as for ceramic dishes. It should be mentioned that every region has its own colors, patterns and preferences in ceramic decoration. Ceramics of Kosiv is distinguished by its colors – the local craftsmen use yellow, brown and green colors on the light white bachground; these colors symbolize the Sun, the earth and the flora. The ceramics of Oposhnya is famous for natural warm brown and red colors.