Yaroslav Honchar

Yaroslav Honchar lives on the outskirts of the village of Yaresky on a high hill on the bank of the river Psel. Yaroslav was originally born here and learned his life experience from his grandfather. Now, together with his children and wife, he is building a family nest with his own hands. They use natural materials for its construction: wood, clay, reeds, and straw. One of the special features of the estate is a number of kilns for different purposes. There are two furnaces in the house, one in the pottery and carpentry workshops, one outdoors for drying vegetables and fruits and baking pizza, another in the bathhouse, and, of course, a ceramic firing kiln.

One of the family’s passions is grape growing, and the family looks after 160 bushes. Of course, the family also grows a garden and a wide variety of berries and fruits. Everything grows well, because the land receives a large amount of organic fertilizer from a cow, ox, and horse.

Not far from Yaroslav’s ancestral home is Honcharivska Krucha, a cliff with pottery clay layers. Historical records confirm that there was a pottery craft in this place in ancient times.

 “I find pleasure in living authentically, using the blessings of nature that surround me. I made all the tools and equipment for pottery with my own hands, which allowed me to fully immerse myself in all the intricacies of this craft. Every element-from the potter’s wheel to the kilns-is a testament to my commitment to a natural, hands-on approach. The glaze, which consists of local low-melting clay mixed with wood ash, reflects the combination of tradition and the area,” says Yaroslav.