Ugu Bigyan Part Two: Senses

Photodumping! I know I should leave things for others to find out for themselves, but hey, it was hard to pick the nicest ones! Lol. Ugu Bigyan's Pottery Garden is lined with a number of nipa huts where you can just rest and chill for the day. This is perfect when you're not in a rush to get anywhere. It's a surprise that such a place is hidden in Quezon.

Well it was a feast for the Senses. On the previous post, it was about the sense of sight & touch. Of feeling the pots in your hands, of seeing the marvel of the hands can create,,

And now more of just seeing...

What I especially love about the place is the attention to details. Small things like fishes in the pathway, Or bird sculptures scattered around the huts. I get surprised a couple of times that I didn't notice certain pieces before!

The whole ambiance is relaxing. The bed is inviting me in. It was also a blessing for us that it rained a little because you could really feel the summer this time of the year.

And then there was food! I've never tasted food like this before. (I don't know how to describe it) Ugu has put his personal touch in the food he prepared for us. It was also nice that we ate from handmade dinnerware. Before the food was prepared, I was feeling the plates and tumblers in my hand, trying to figure out what life it must have had: from a lump of clay to a staple in this dining area!

Ok let the pictures do the talking.

Soup with malunggay

The best ribs I've ever tasted! Smokey goodness

Paco Salad

And first ever taste of Kulawo! Tastes excellent! This is banana heart with a smoky flavor to it. Quite deceiving too :)

Some tahong

Shrimp

Sweet and Sour Fish with Salad

Calamares

Some dessert and a satisfied tummy! And this is why life is awesome. Thank You for good food! I took home the leftovers and had my relatives taste it and they said it was the best tasting banana heart they have eaten :) Great experience this was. Thanks to Mia and Ugu Bigyan!

End

Ugu Bigyan Part One: Pottery

by Iori Espiritu

No comments yet

A much-delayed blog post of what happened this Summer. Last May, me and the other students at Clay Ave Pottery Studio were invited by teacher Mia Casal on a pottery fieldtrip in Tiaong, Quezon. We visited Ugu Bigyan, renowned for his pottery, garden and awesome cooking! I've always wanted to go to his Pottery Garden ever since I've read about it in Viaje del Sol and read reviews about it in numerous blogs some years ago.

Note: Because I find this place awesome, I'm dividing it in two parts:

Part One: Pottery

This place is truly a pottery haven, the first time I set my feet on its grounds, I knew I'm gonna love it.

A section of the property is a showroom where most of the works are for sale.

There are a wide assortment to choose from! From Bowls to mugs, plates, vases etc.

Meanwhile, in another part of the studio, Kuya Raffy is making bowls. Kuya Raffy has been doing pottery for 20+ years, I believe. He makes these uniform bowls in a breeze! Amazing!

More stuff at the gallery. Notice how they intentionally deform the pieces?

Tea set! And birds all over the place. My simple joys

There's also a wood-fired kiln at the back of the studio. I don't think they're still using it.

But it's pretty amazing to think about firing: It takes hours and hours to fire pots and we take the 'paso' for granted!

After some rest, it was time for Ugu Bigyan to do a demo.

He uses an electric wheel for his works. His (wheel) is very rugged and also comes in just one speed. We can change speed with the one at the studio and it's a challenge to control, what more for this!

Ugu Bigyan in Action!