Discovering Unexpected Beauty in Ukrainian Clay

The art of ceramicist Ivan Bobkov represents traditional Ukrainian ceramic styles in mesmerizing earthy shades of blue, green, and brown. Ceramics, made of terra cotta or Ukrainian clay, are created on a potter’s wheel and then engraved or hand-painted with glaze or engobe. Engobe is a specialty in Ukrainian pottery as the land holds deep deposits of high-quality red, red-brown, and light gray clays. 

Bobkov creates dishes, tableware, candlesticks, and sculptures adorned with traditional Ukrainian decorative elements. The most common motifs include dots, straight lines, waves, crosses, and geometric figures. In many of Ivan’s pieces, you can also find inspiration from the natural world; floral ornamentation and decorative interpretations of animals are depicted throughout. 

In addition to participating in many exhibitions and fairs, Ivan also teaches master classes on pottery and painting. Due to Ukraine’s current conscription rules, Ivan is unable to join us in person at this year’s Market. He is currently on the front lines of war but continues to send us updates and wishes everyone a successful Market.