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Ceramics with heart, soul, and its own story!
Kosiv Ceramics.
Three colors: yellow, green, brown. Three artists: Ihor, Khrystyna, and their daughter, Mariya-Tereza. Three individuals, all unique, yet united by a shared love – a bond that brought them together, firing them together like clay, resulting in an incredibly inspiring, lovingly crafted product: the ceramics by the Trots family.
This is ceramics with heart, soul, and its own story.
These aren’t just jugs, plates, pendants, or candle holders. They’re an artistic bridge from our ancestors to us today.
For over two decades, the Trots family – the couple Ihor and Khrystyna, along with their daughter, Mariya-Tereza – has been creating exceptional ceramics, showing the world that traditional Ukrainian crafts have not only a glorious past but also a promising future.
However, their creative trio is temporarily separated by the war. The pottery wheel in their family workshop, where Ihor has worked for nearly twenty years, now waits for its master. Meanwhile, he has been defending Ukraine for the third year.
“By early March 2022, Dad had completed all his orders and artistic projects, then packed his things and went to the enlistment office,” Mariya-Tereza shares. “Just a month later, he was in the combat zone… For more than two years, Ihor Trots has been serving with the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after General Khorunzhyi Marko Bezruchko, which defended Avdiivka, Ukraine. Now, together with his comrades, he’s carrying out combat missions in the Pokrovsk area, Ukraine.
Of course, we’ve joined in helping Dad’s brigade, and with many friends and acquaintances in the ranks of defenders, we also support them, offering our works to charitable foundations and volunteers for auctions and raffles.”
Stories Baked in Clay
Ihor Trots, a potter and the idea generator, is the mastermind behind the forms of every creation, responsible for most of the technical processes. Khrystyna, an artist, creates narrative drawings featuring people, animals, and intricate ornaments, bringing each piece to life with her painting.
Maria-Tereza, also an artist and potter’s daughter, is known for designing ornaments and experimenting with various patterns and forms.
“In our family, we joke that I’m a one-woman orchestra,” Maria-Tereza laughs. “I have many hobbies and interests — I want to try everything at once. My role in the workshop goes beyond just ceramics: it includes website design, online store management, content creation, storytelling, and posts.”
We had to ask if this talented family has a creative secret.
“The only secret is that we do what we love, what fascinates and inspires us — regardless of market trends or where things are headed,” says Maria-Tereza Trots. “There have been plenty of times when we, as they say, went against the current. We chose styles, forms, and products that people would say, “Oh, no one’s going to buy that.” But if we have ideas that ‘light us up,’ we go ahead with them without hesitation! And later, they turn out to be successful!”
We’ve tried different techniques, but we often work in the Kosiv ceramics style, experimenting with forms and designs. We aim to show how unique this art form is within our country.
“I sometimes hear extremely varied feedback on our work,” she laughs. “Some say, “Oh, that’s too modern; Bahmatiuk (a famous potter from Kosiv) didn’t paint like that.” Others say, “No, it’s too traditional; it won’t fit my interior.” So we choose not to follow trends but to stay true to ourselves in our art — authentic and genuine.”
“Ceramics, for us, isn’t just a lifestyle— it’s life itself! It’s about enjoying the process, the thrill of flow, and the magic of creating together”.
The family’s range of creations is diverse, extending beyond traditional forms. Not only do they make plates, dishes, and vases, but also ceramic stove tiles, tiles for fireplaces, and even decorative covers for electric boxes!
“All our creative “innovations” are tested on ourselves first,” Maria-Tereza shares. “We make the first samples for our own use, checking how each piece works in everyday life. If it’s a decoration, we first try it in our own home.”
What Clay Can Tell Us
“Creating a new piece,” Maria-Tereza shares with a smile, “is an extremely meticulous and lengthy process. First, you have to knead the clay — really, really well — because if you don’t work out all the air bubbles, the finished piece will dry unevenly and crack. Once you ‘agree’ with the clay on what you’ll be shaping today… (She laughs.) I joke, but there are honestly moments when I sit down and have no idea what I’ll make. It’s like the clay decides for me. But shaping the piece is only half the work. Then there’s drying, painting, the first firing, glazing, and a second firing…
Firing ceramics is an art in itself! There are countless technical subtleties, like cooking — every craftsperson has their own secrets. If you don’t follow the right process, the ceramic can crack, or the color may not turn out as planned. Even the smallest detail can ruin the whole piece. But when everything comes together — it’s such a joy!
“Our largest piece by size is a floor vase standing 82 centimeters tall — it’s quite substantial. What makes it special is that my father crafted it on a potter’s wheel, and making something this big on a wheel rather than by other methods is incredibly challenging.”
“In Ukraine, very few artisans can accomplish something like this. Among my tiniest, most intricate creations are my clay miniatures — beaded necklaces, pendants, and earrings.”
“I first held clay in my hands when I was very young. Growing up in a family of ceramicists, this was natural… When I was three, I made little clay cats sitting on a bench — they’re still around to this day. I grew up in a community of artisans, going to fairs with my parents, inspired by the incredible creative atmosphere and eager to create something myself!
By grade school, I was already molding and painting with clay, even earning my first money. When I was 14 or 15, my pieces were exhibited, and by 16, I knew for certain that ceramics was my calling. And so, our family partnership has continued all these years.”
Everyone’s Potting!
“A real pottery workshop, as we like to joke, is far from the beautiful, ‘Instagram-worthy’ interiors with white walls. A true, ‘living’ potter’s studio is a space splattered with clay, where the walls tell you exactly which type of clay the potter is working with,” Maria-Tereza laughs. “We joke about it, but there’s truth in that!
Our workshop is located in Kosiv, Ukraine, right next to our home, but it’s gotten so crowded that we had to dedicate an extra room in the house just for pottery. In the past, my mom and I would paint in one room, while Dad worked in the other, since the wheel is the messiest part — clay splatters everywhere. Now, I’ll admit, stepping into the workshop without Dad there, knowing he’s at the frontlines, it’s incredibly tough…
These days, I handle some of the forms for our pieces myself. While our pace and selection are a bit limited, we continue to work, wanting to create more than just ceramics — our goal is to craft things that bring joy and inspiration.”
“The demand for all things Ukrainian has risen, which is so heartwarming”.
The Trots family’s ceramics have traveled far and wide — our work has found homes across most European countries, even in the USA and Canada.
“Many people buy pieces here in Ukraine and send them to friends or family abroad,” Maria-Tereza shares. “Our customers include both Ukrainian diaspora and people from around the world, drawn to our work for its uniqueness, its character, and its cultural significance. And many want to support Ukrainian artisans. At the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, this support was especially strong.”
“There was one story that left a lasting impact on us, encouraging us to continue. In early 2022, just before February, a woman ordered a dinner set for her family. We finished the set literally the day before the full-scale war began. After February 24, I reached out to her, letting her know that her order was complete but that we’d understand if it wasn’t the right time… She replied, ‘I’ll take it — with hope for victory and the day when our whole family will gather at the table to use it.’
For me, it was a reminder of resilience and how much we, as Ukrainians, value and support our own heritage. I’m thrilled to see such genuine interest in traditional Ukrainian crafts and our authenticity!”
“People want to buy and gift Ukrainian art — not to mention that food just tastes different from these painted ceramic plates: brighter, richer, more complete… It’s incredible energy!
Some say, ‘My grandmother had pieces like this, I remember them from childhood. Now I look at your work and see it in a new light.’ Our Ukrainian heritage isn’t outdated; it’s modern, stylish, and profound.
One of the most meaningful compliments I receive is when someone says, “I want to buy your pieces — not just to use them, but so my children and grandchildren can keep them as part of our family tradition. So they’ll remember them from a young age and pass them down. Because these aren’t just mugs and plates. They’re pieces that carry our family’s memory, reminding future generations of who we are and where we come from.”
That’s a new level of value in what we do. That’s the reason to create.”
