One of An's storyteller dolls.

One of An’s storyteller dolls.

One of the things I’m most eagerly looking forward to at our Maker Holiday is the two pottery sessions!  Having had slab pottery lessons with Mia Casal at the workshop last year, I realized how much joy there is in working with clay.  As we got to know the area of San Pablo a little better through the stories shared by An and Boots, we realised how rich the history of the area is, and how beautifully it is kept and shared by its modern-day culture bearers–the cooks (the culinary tour of Casa San Pablo is huge fun), the writers and poets (did you know that Rofel Brion is from San Pablo?), the potters and artisans.

An's pottery studio at Casa San Pablo.

An’s pottery studio at Casa San Pablo.

Apart from the creativity and skill they impart, it’s the stories they share through their craft that give a peek into the soul of the City and the lives of its people through the years.  An Alcantara’s journey with storyteller dolls began with her fascination with working with clay, and as a writer, she discovered that giving a voice to these figures she was shaping was a calling to create.  Her session will be on the Saturday of our Maker Holiday.  Everyone gets to make storyteller dolls of their own during this weekend.  🙂  If you’d like to take a peek at one of An’s other storyteller doll pottery sessions, do check out her blog post on Casa San Pablo here.

At Ugu Bigyan's Pottery Garden.

At Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Garden.

In the nearby area of Tiaong, Quezon, Ugu Bigyan’s mastery of wheel throwing is unrivalled.  Pair that with delectable local food, and you’ve got an experience for senses.  Our visit to Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Garden happens on the last day of the Maker Holiday, and won’t just be a wheel throwing pottery session and sumptuous lunch for each and every one, but a culmination of the entire weekend, as we’ll be handing over our  storyteller dolls to be fired.  Tick off wheel throwing pottery from your bucket list!  We found a video that offers snippets of Ugu and his craft.



Excited to know more about our Maker Holiday?  Check out the details here.