Gary's pottery

On the way to Mesagro, near the temple of Aphaia Athena is located the kiln of Gary, perhaps the last chapter of a ceramic tradition and especially of the Aeginian jug. The 60-year-old Nektarios Garis is the last craftsman of the famous jugs of Aegina, which were sought after until the middle of the 20th century for their special ability to cool water.

Because as many mistakenly think, it was not the glass or plastic that displaced the jugs, but the refrigerator. Neither glass nor plastic as materials have the ability to breathe and sweat, so that the evaporation of water cools the contents of the pitcher and jug.

Until the electric refrigerator is established Aeginian jugs traveled all over Greece until the current arrived - let’s not forget that electricity reached many parts of the province in the 1980s. But the years passed and this ancient art goes out, because jugs of Aegina they are no longer of useful value.

Nektarios Garis, the last traditional potter of the island - which used to count dozens of potters -, not only makes useful objects (jugs-pitchers-pitchers-flares-pots), but uses as raw material the soil it exports from the Aegean land and not ordering it from abroad.

Nektarios, philosophical and sociable, is at work all day. To collect the soil, to prepare the local clay, to watch the baking in the traditional wood stove and of course to work for hours on the wheel to shape his jugs.

"It takes time and patience. If you do not walk from morning till night, you do not do work. This is art. I learned the job from my father, he from his own and he goes on to say ".

Nektarios laments that young children do not want the arts, they do not like work. However, until success is found by a new craftsman, he will continue to produce and create. Besides, no visitor leaves the island unless he is provided with it peanuts of Aegina and a souvenir from Nectarios. And this gives him great joy, because his effort and work are recognized.

UPDATE: The Aeginian jugs that traveled all over Greece lost their last great carpenter. Nektarios Garis, a great craftsman of clay and a very philosophical man, left December 1 2017 from life at the age of 61 years.