Multi colored hand painted pottery

These hand painted dishes, platters, trays, vases and mugs are all individually hand painted in our studio, and fired in our kilns. It is a continuing family tradition tradition since 1922. All the motifs are traditional designs - birds, peacocks, gazelles, fish and various floral patterns.

We use vivid, strong colors to paint our wares. Each piece is hand painted with a hand made brush. First, the black is painted on to give the design its outline, and then the colors are fiiled in. After the wares are colored, they are hand dipped in a clear glaze and fired in our kilns. The clear glaze gives the wares a glossy finish after they are fired.

What is Armenian pottery?

Armenian pottery is related to the religious, political, and art history of Jerusalem. In 1919, the British mandate which governed Jerusalem at the time, decided to renovate the exterior ceramic tiles of the Dome of the Rock, which badly needed repair. There were no master ceramic craftsmen in Jerusalem at the time, so it was decided to invite a group of Armenian craftsmen from Turkey to work on this project and replace the tiles.

This group of ceramic artists comprised of seven or eight individuals, including my grandfather, the painter Megerditch Karakashian. These artists were Armenians, and were happy to leave Turkey in those troubled times. They settled in Jerusalem and established the art of Armenian pottery in the Holy Land. In 1922 the first Armenian pottery workshop was opened and began producing all kinds of multi-colored hand painted pottery and ceramic tiles, which continues to this day.

If you visit Jerusalem today, you will find that the souvenir shops and bazaars are inundated with cheap, mass produced imitations of Armenian pottery. These are made in huge factories in Hebron, and are copies of the original art form. Besides the difference in quality and look, you can tell the originals from the imitations by looking at the bottom of the wares. The originals are hand signed. For more information on Armenian pottery, please see the New York Times article, and About Us.

How is Armenian pottery painted? read and watch video about the process.