Straw violin and more: the story of a craftswoman from Rossony
28.04.2022
Not by straw alone: every summer, the Rossony craftswoman Olga Smorgunova takes a sickle and goes to the grain field
The cups are made of Russian porcelain, and the coasters for them are made of Belarusian straw. Such a creative symbiosis will soon conquer the London connoisseurs of beauty. Gold may be easily told! This is how, together, painstakingly and bit by bit, craftspeople and industrialists of the two countries contribute to the foundation of international relations.
The unique craftswoman Olga Smorgunova lives and works in Rossony, so let’s get acquainted here then. Among her masterpieces are: intricate headdresses, mysterious dolls, peculiar bags, bouquets of outlandish flowers, an unusual windmill and a formidable owl with wide eyes. It’s hard to believe that all these things are made of straw!
“Yes, they are made of straw. This is a universal material for this kind of crafts. Warm, elegant, plastic, very light and beautiful. The main thing is to properly prepare it, so to feel it in your hands…” says Olga Leonidovna with a smile.
The current director of the House of Crafts of the Rossony Regional Centre for Culture and Folk Art took up straw weaving about 20 years ago. She thoroughly studied the folklore heritage, and she did her part. Today, amateur art groups decorate costumes with its products, they are widely used during the Kupalle, Maslenitsa and other holidays. But the fame of the Belarusian straw has long gone beyond the borders of the country. So Olga Smorgunova is a regular participant in various fairs, competitions and exhibitions.
“Not all of my works are here. Many have been in the museum in Sebezh, Pskov Region, for two years already,” the craftswoman shows a solid exposition in the House of Crafts.
However, the work of Olga Smorgunova was appreciated in many countries of the world. She is a permanent participant of International Festival of Arts ‘Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk’, her products are taken away by hundreds of participants and guests of the art festival. She also fulfils exclusive requests — recently Minsk residents asked for a violin as a gift for their business partners in Austria. “I’ve just received order from representatives of a company from London. They co-operate with the Saint Petersburg Porcelain Factory. So we decided to combine Belarusian straw and Russian porcelain in one. We were asked to make original coasters for cups. This is exactly what I do. It does not matter to me whether my authorship will be indicated. I represent Belarus, I am glad that through my work my country will be known in the world even more and better,” Olga Leonidovna tells the details of the main intrigue.
...An exciting job, an interesting hobby — what else is needed in order to feel happy and accomplished? Olga is a trained lawyer. She became keen on straw weaving in her student years — she made applications for herself and friends. And 17 years ago, when the House of Crafts opened in Rossony, she was offered to take the place of director. So it happened...
Every summer Olga Smorgunova takes a sickle and goes to the grain field. Fortunately, the heads of agricultural enterprises co-operate with her — they allow Olga to choose the most suitable areas for harvesting straw. The preparation of raw materials is a painstaking task. It is necessary to follow all the rules, and maintain all the technology. Therefore, the craftswoman personally controls the entire process.
“Last season I prepared 14 thick sheaves in the girth of human hands. How much is left? Only one. It is necessary to somehow make it to the new season...” estimates the interlocutor.
The craftswoman has a lot of ideas in her plans. Hands seem to ask to implement these plans as soon as possible, and the soul — searches for a new beauty from the warm glossy Belarusian straw. Let this beauty from our well-groomed fields continue to conquer international expanses. It should be noted that recently Olga Smorgunova was awarded the gratitude of the Belarusian Culture Minister, and following the results of last year, she was awarded the title of ‘Woman of the Year of Vitebsk Region’.
sb.by
The cups are made of Russian porcelain, and the coasters for them are made of Belarusian straw. Such a creative symbiosis will soon conquer the London connoisseurs of beauty. Gold may be easily told! This is how, together, painstakingly and bit by bit, craftspeople and industrialists of the two countries contribute to the foundation of international relations.
The unique craftswoman Olga Smorgunova lives and works in Rossony, so let’s get acquainted here then. Among her masterpieces are: intricate headdresses, mysterious dolls, peculiar bags, bouquets of outlandish flowers, an unusual windmill and a formidable owl with wide eyes. It’s hard to believe that all these things are made of straw!
“Yes, they are made of straw. This is a universal material for this kind of crafts. Warm, elegant, plastic, very light and beautiful. The main thing is to properly prepare it, so to feel it in your hands…” says Olga Leonidovna with a smile.
The current director of the House of Crafts of the Rossony Regional Centre for Culture and Folk Art took up straw weaving about 20 years ago. She thoroughly studied the folklore heritage, and she did her part. Today, amateur art groups decorate costumes with its products, they are widely used during the Kupalle, Maslenitsa and other holidays. But the fame of the Belarusian straw has long gone beyond the borders of the country. So Olga Smorgunova is a regular participant in various fairs, competitions and exhibitions.
“Not all of my works are here. Many have been in the museum in Sebezh, Pskov Region, for two years already,” the craftswoman shows a solid exposition in the House of Crafts.
However, the work of Olga Smorgunova was appreciated in many countries of the world. She is a permanent participant of International Festival of Arts ‘Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk’, her products are taken away by hundreds of participants and guests of the art festival. She also fulfils exclusive requests — recently Minsk residents asked for a violin as a gift for their business partners in Austria. “I’ve just received order from representatives of a company from London. They co-operate with the Saint Petersburg Porcelain Factory. So we decided to combine Belarusian straw and Russian porcelain in one. We were asked to make original coasters for cups. This is exactly what I do. It does not matter to me whether my authorship will be indicated. I represent Belarus, I am glad that through my work my country will be known in the world even more and better,” Olga Leonidovna tells the details of the main intrigue.
...An exciting job, an interesting hobby — what else is needed in order to feel happy and accomplished? Olga is a trained lawyer. She became keen on straw weaving in her student years — she made applications for herself and friends. And 17 years ago, when the House of Crafts opened in Rossony, she was offered to take the place of director. So it happened...
Every summer Olga Smorgunova takes a sickle and goes to the grain field. Fortunately, the heads of agricultural enterprises co-operate with her — they allow Olga to choose the most suitable areas for harvesting straw. The preparation of raw materials is a painstaking task. It is necessary to follow all the rules, and maintain all the technology. Therefore, the craftswoman personally controls the entire process.
“Last season I prepared 14 thick sheaves in the girth of human hands. How much is left? Only one. It is necessary to somehow make it to the new season...” estimates the interlocutor.
The craftswoman has a lot of ideas in her plans. Hands seem to ask to implement these plans as soon as possible, and the soul — searches for a new beauty from the warm glossy Belarusian straw. Let this beauty from our well-groomed fields continue to conquer international expanses. It should be noted that recently Olga Smorgunova was awarded the gratitude of the Belarusian Culture Minister, and following the results of last year, she was awarded the title of ‘Woman of the Year of Vitebsk Region’.
sb.by
