Kargopol clay toys

• Kargopol clay toys

Speaking of Kargopol, not to mention one of its most recognizable brands and souvenirs of his face and the symbol - Kargopol clay toys.

With this art crafts we learned about in one unusual museum - home Shevelev family. Several generations of this dynasty have been making clay toys, do not give the ancient craft fade away and go down in history, as well as all kinds of assistance not only to preserve it, but also the promotion and development.

It all started with the ancient - villages Kargopol county lived many pottery masters. In his free time, garden and farm - October to March - master the whole family dishes produced from local clay.

There were the same, and the remains of clay - one for children fashioned toys. So, for the sake of fun and enjoyment. Who just gave birth to a rich peasant or a fantasy! Peoples, unusual characters from folklore and mythology, scenes of everyday life, celebrating and playing animals and birds.

In the 1930s, the production of pottery gradually died away, with him also almost completely ceased to manufacture toys. And if not for a few artists, including Shevelyova, Kargopol toy would have died.

above - House Shevelyova does not stand out among others on the streets of Kargopol. There are many. On the right, Hobbit, part of the living someone else's, on the left - is shevelovsky Museum.

In various trips I have met a lot of museums, but this, to live in it are the people, after which he set up, see more do not ever

Zaydom inside. The previous owners of the house - Dmitry V. and Claudia P. Shevelyova, masters of pottery, have done much to preserve and revive the traditions Kargopol toys.

What a cozy inside! It seems that the owners are just out for a minute, making it possible to photograph the interior. Stove, many old items that you can touch and hold in their hands - in one word: a live house got a living museum, the impressions of which are obtained clearly more than on premises with old things, but also signs "do not touch" and "unauthorized entry denied. "

The activities of the owners give a lot of photos and, of course, stands with various toys.

Small room, but everything can be considered for hours.

Shevelyova come from the kind of pottery located in the vicinity of the village Kargopol Tokarev. Craftsmen working with clay, and their parents were

Now let us take a closer look with the toy.

We make such creations almost every potter. Ancient copies of it have survived, because their children were playing and the "lifetime" of such toys can be even just a couple of hours.

As I said, in the 20th century, the production of pottery abruptly began to wane. Would die and the toy, if in 1930 the hereditary potter IV Druzhinin did not give fishing a "new life" by becoming painted toys do not for games, and as a fun souvenir.

Among the masters need to allocate more and "grandmother Ulyana" - Ulyana Ivanovna Babkin (1888-1977). With 15 years it has manufactured all kinds of clay toys, never interrupting his work. Even in those years when the other masters were forced for various reasons to move away from fishing, Babkin worked with clay.

She has also studied and representatives of modern dynasties, including Shevelyova. So Ulyana Babkina has become a kind of connecting thread between the pre-revolutionary artists from the past and present.

Toys remind representatives of the individual, of his little world, or our own planet, just living among us.

animals often allocate what some human qualities, professions or simply dressed in traditional peasant costumes of the past. This was done in order to play with the children felt in the images invented by visionary master, his own - the familiar and dear.

A fantasy from the masters of truth was rich!

What Kargopol, "cargo box" without the crows! Remember, yes, that one of the versions of the origin of the name of the town derives from the "cargo" - the ancient name of the local crows?

Sometimes even birds, crows in Kargopol toy betray human traits.

Among the toys found in both painted and not.

I prefer all the same color.

What is interesting, the characters paint the clothes is also not anyhow what colors and the gamut of traditional folk attire.

The details of the various peasant guessed charms - crosses, circles, ornaments - and objects connected with life and fertility - grain, fruit, flowers, sown field. Zdas even symbols of light and life - the sun and tree.

It turns out, in this ornament is encoded an entire philosophy of life and outlook of the peasant.

Figure of a woman met in the traditional toy more often than men. This is an echo of the deification of our Mother Earth ancestors who gave birth to the world and people.

The characters could depict everyday scenes or moments of relaxation and celebration - games, fun, fun. Often the "musicians" or "workers on the farm," performing the works of men, were animals.

This was done for fun, to have fun with this play it was. However, if the "dig" deeper - such toys send children to a world where man is master, in living in equality with animals and where there is harmony and goodness. That is, such toys were taught not to be selfish, conceited and does not take care of the nature and environment. In short, to be human.

All "evil" of the scene, the same battle in the game were not common. Even if the characters were "seen in something bad" in myths and legends. Kargopol clay toy represents life, but life is idealized, without darkness.

Even Polkan and Kitovras (similar centaurs), heroes of Russian folklore in various works of projecting the aggressive, belligerent and wearing swords in Kargopol toy presents calm and not warlike.

World Kargopol toy is closely associated with the patriarchal way of life and rural life.

However, the variety of images and actions clay characters still increases with each new idea each master.

I can not tear myself away from shevelovskogo meeting, I want to take every toy in his hands. The first thing they reminded me - Mouse Circus Mr. Bobinski from the movie "Coraline"))

And still there is not only a toy. It seems you were inside a magical chest with antiquities.

In another room - the gallery. One Shevelyova (go even a few members of this family, I am sorry, I forgot) - artist, depicting in his works types of Kargopol and the surrounding area in different seasons.

But back to the toys.

Meet Valentin D. Shevelev, son Dmitry V. and Claudia Petrovna - one of the brightest and the best masters Kargopol toys nowadays.

Valentin Dmitrievich himself said he made friends with a toy, not only through the work and the example of their elders, but also through its direct appointment. Master 86 years old and he played as a child-like clay toys. This greatly influenced his artistic formation.

Since the 1960s, after the end of art-graphic faculty of the Kostroma Pedagogical Institute, Valentin D. working with clay toy. It all started with a cup in a secondary school, and then in the school of arts. Then there was a constant work in Arkhangelsk for traditional Kargopol toys and pottery master.

Valentin Dmitrievich showed us how to make toys. Local clay, which goes to the production, he jokingly and affectionately calls "Kargopol chocolate."

First, we watched as the crow master molds. Toy made from one large piece of clay variant "attach beak tail" does not pass.

Modeling Shevelyova continues the tradition of the patriarchs of toys - Babkina and Druzhinin, he is honor the tradition, preserving in the toy images of dancers, peasants, harmonica, riders.

Shevelev deals with the future of the product as a living character. In the course of his actions commented: "Here, our birds beak and went out. And here is the feathers, we are now their comb and decorate. "

"But the eyes and voronushke do. PPase, ddva. Doom so! "

Valentin Dmitrievich - a very nice man, very favorable to dialogue. Sitting at his master class, or just chat and get bored after half a day.

A voice! I only later regretted not shooting video and doing photo only. What's Shevelyova voice! Kind, gentle and soft. In an interview with the master forget all the problems of his society as if envelops warm blanket. Opt out is not desirable.

Already bird guessed. The image of the characters Kargopol toy is always generalized, there is no need to precisely copy reality. Bit parts and often sketchy. The eyes and mouth are indicated on the damp clay wand.

Let's look closer. Another interesting detail - the toy was made mainly for the front view. Before you would sign right now and continues to sign more detail, and sometimes the back of the figures and is not decorated and not drawn.

This konyashki.

Even personazhiki, horses and more complex (even a group of people or animals) is made, it is still in one piece of clay. Otherwise, due to microcracks between the different elements in firing figurine may collapse.

"Do you know how to check authorship, because a brand can deliver anyone?" - asks Valentin Dmitrievich. "It's very simple!". "Put your finger between the elements of character, say - between the legs of the horse. And if not the same form of toys with the shape and size of your finger, it means somebody else did, and signed by you. "

To be signed by the master, "BC" - "Valentin Shevelev." Further, the toy should stand up, and then fired her. How could a pity that we could not stay at Shevelyova a couple of days longer to watch the process of toys birth poobzhigat, poraspisyvat Eeh ... (

In memory of Valentin Dmitrievich gave us booklets about Kargopol toy and I asked him to sign.

But on such a sweet note, we'll say goodbye to Kargopol.

Urban ancient temples with their beautiful detail, museum exhibits related to Russian Alaska and "Columbus", a fun warm clay toys, master magician Valentin Dmitrievich Shevelev and his deep eyes still give me a lot of nice in the shower and violent emotions.

But the local "sugar tips" a couple of days saved from starvation in the wilderness))

I hope I will still come back to this town! Our own path lies further in Oshevensk.