GAIA – EARTH
Gaia (/ˈɡeɪə, ˈɡaɪə/; from Ancient Greek Γαῖα, a poetical form of Γῆ Gē, “land” or “earth”)
From the ancient times to date, Gaia means the country, the land, the ground, the homeland, the earth we walk on.. the one gives birth and produces.
THE ART AND THE VILLAGE
Cretan ceramic art occupies an important place among ancient arts. One of the 4 main pottery centres in Crete was the one in Nochia, at the western top of Crete, a village with great tradition in this art. Almost every family used to own a pottery workshop, with treadmills and stone hearths, as ceramic raw material has always be abundant in this area. Nochia was known for a specific pot called “laina”, a jug that was used for collecting water from the well and then be stored in it as it kept it cold. Its shape was not very different from a traditional jug, with a small but major difference. A laina is being built through 4 different stages thus having a uniqe bottom which gives it the ability to turn itself sideways in the water so it can be filled. It was a traditional jug, used in the everyday life of people in that era. Nowadays laina is extinct not only because of the technological advance which makes it no longer needed, but as only a handful of people know the technique, one of whom is Tzinevrakis Panagiotis, the only potter still producing it.
THE ARTIST AND HIS FAMILY
Tzinevrakis Panagiotis was born in Nochia Kissamou. Growing up he found himself many times not playing, but watching the old potters practicing the art, something that even a grown up person would find amusing. Of course as a kid his main activity was playing soccer and actively dealt with it, playing on a local team in the 70’s. In the same period he met his wife Evangelia, with whom he has 3 kids. His creative occupations were painting and drawing while he professionally worked as a wood sculpter until the 90’s, where he decided to follow his ancestors paths. Tzinevrakis family goes back generations when it comes to pottery. As we know from narratives, the first Tzinevrakis to be mentioned practicing the art of pottery was in the 19th century. Specifically, Tzinevrakis Markos 1840-1880, Tzinevrakis Manolis (son of Markos) 1880-1920 and Tzinevrakis Antonis (son of Manolis) 1935-1970. Meanwhile with Antonis, his brother Tzinevrakis NIkolas was roaming around the county with his cart, selling lainas and other pots of that era. So Panagiotis (son of Nikolas), at first only with the memories he had as a kid watching the old potters, tried and learned the art on his own. After his first steps in the field he teached for some years in a local pottery school in Kolymvari. Now he has his own workshop in Nochia with his wife and sons and with total respect in the art, produces all the traditional pots just like his ancestors and creates unique handmade products that bear 30 years of expertise in the field.
