The Art of Molding Clay into a Pottery Product

Molding the clay using a potter's wheel.

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur - After visiting the Hidden Garden, our next destination was a Pagburnayan which was another highlight of our day trip in the city. It was a factory for making "burnays" (also called jars) and other pottery products.

The entrance had a lot of displays of the finished pottery products which were of various sizes, and shapes. When we got inside the place, there was a demonstration on how to make something out from the clay. The craftsman did her job well. So we got impressed by his art of molding the clay to form a clay vase . (He made a clay vase during that time.)

Entrance of the Pagburnayan.

Pagburnayan - a factory where jars, and other pottery products are being made.

Finished products

STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE CLAY VASE

Step 1: Get some amount of clay.

Step 2: Mold it according to the shape you wanted to be

Step 3: Check your clay vase if it has deformities.

(Your molded clay vase will be cooked in an extremely high temperature so it would become very hard.)

Click the video below.

After the demonstration, we got the chance to make our own pottery. Two of my friends tried this thing. If you wanted to try this, prepare you hands to get dirty. Don't worry because they had faucet outside adjacent to the factory for you to wash your messy hands after molding your own small jar.

The potter will guide you as you mold the clay.

Here's how it looks after the work you've done.

It was a beautiful small jar with a heart-shaped opening

Carol is showing her finished product and her efforts were paid off. Good job!

Next was Alcui, she also did her best to mold a thing.

Alcui with her first pottery. The opening was like a flower.

My friends made two products, and to make have it totally finished, it will be heated in an extremely hot temperature inside an oven (locally known as "pugon") to make it hard.