The workshop of the artisan potter of Vlora, Ali Gega, is visited not only by the businesses of the city that seek special products from clay but also young people who want to learn this craft.
Ali was also visited by Euronews Albania, while he was creating some flower vases and he was the one who showed of how he started this craft and what are the market demands today.
"I started in the time of monism with my father, then I continued it, the time came when we privatized the workshop and we started working together with the father who returned from retirement, we both worked with new things. After a long time I quit because there was no domands; while my boy son came from emigration and told me to reopen the job, he was the initiator we resumed. The boy has also learned the craft and is doing very well, he has more goals than me. There is a lot of demand, even for old objects like the olive and cheese jar, the jugs are in high demand, the flower vases are yes and yes, but also new things. Bars and restaurants have the most demands, even for outdoor flower vases, old relics but also for use "earthen" pans and vorba as the tradition has been. The craft of a potter is very beautiful, I am the only potter in Vlora, the craft becomes more beautiful when there is attraction, there are young people who had the course. Are generally girls, I do not know why boys are not interested. To lose such a craft is a pity, but my return and the interest of young people starting from my son, I am confident that he will not lose, "said Ali Gega.
Although on the verge of extinction, for Ali, this craft has no limit.
"I have the mud casserole here. We dry the clay and knead it and then we start the processing, we turn it from liquid and throw it in some bags so that the clay comes out as clean as possible. This work is endless...there are cases when I work at night for something special, while the series production is simple,” he said while also explaining that prices vary by type of work.