Local Artisans Exhibit Handcrafted Tiles and Drachles, Created Using Kites as Material
Unleashed Creativity in the Uecker-Randow Region
Once again, the Uecker-Randow region bustled with artistic energy as artists opened their studios and workshops for Kunst:Offen. Among them was Annette Herrmann from the Küsselhof near Boock, participating for the second time and the only artist in Pasewalk, Strasburg, Penkun, and Löcknitz to join in over the Whitsun weekend.
Ceramics with a Rough Edge
Annette Herrmann's ceramics studio was a popular stopover for visitors over the long weekend. She shared her creative process, explaining the unique patterns and structures found in her tiles, which are often rough and time-consuming compared to their smoother counterparts. Commissioned projects for bathrooms and kitchens with her tiles were also on display.
Newly fired ceramics were pulled from the kiln and displayed, showcasing her handcrafted items such as bowls, cups, oddwall hooks resembling fingers, and other ceramic vessel wonders. The former Berliner, who typically works in cultural and arts management, finds the peace and time to indulge in her passion on the Küsselhof.
Five years ago, she and her husband Tobias Siebert purchased the property and have been gradually renovating it since. Now offering three holiday apartments, a farm café open every fourth Sunday of the month serving scrumptious cakes and pancakes, and even hosting a spring festival, they've made significant progress each year.
Woodworking Magic in the Barn
Elsewhere in the region, around Ueckermünde, Eggesin, and Torgelow, other artists participated in this Whitsun event. Woodturner Karina Ihlenburg, who has been attending Kunst:Offen for years, welcomed visitors to her barn in Hintersee. Her distinctive wool pots adorned with lids, designed to prevent wool from rolling around, were on display, as were cheese bells crafted from cherry or oak wood, weighing scales with cutting boards, and jewelry creations using materials like lilac and jasmine. A variety of woodturned items captivated visitors throughout the weekend.
A Timeless Treasure Unearthed
In this year's showcase, Karina Ihlenburg unveiled a remarkable attic find – a cast-iron mangle board dating back between 1865 and 1900, though it could be even older. Such examples are few and far between, as discovered through online research. She demonstrated the functionality of the cold mangle to curious visitors, illustrating how laundry wrapped in a protective cloth would be wound around a wooden roller before being smoothed by a chest weighted with fieldstones.
The Uecker-Randow region, part of the wider Mecklenburg-Vorpommern area, is renowned for its natural beauty and cultural richness. Artistic endeavors like ceramics and woodturning contribute significantly to the local economy and cultural character, offering unique items that reflect the region's distinct identity.
In the Uecker-Randow region, Annette Herrmann's home-and-garden, specifically her ceramics studio at the Küsselhof, became a lifestyle hub during Kunst:Offen, where visitors admired her handcrafted ceramics arrayed from rough-edged tiles to unique vessels.
Meanwhile, woodturner Karina Ihlenburg displayed her enchanting creations, such as wool pots and wood turned items, at her home in Hintersee, showcasing the local home-and-garden talents alongside the region's timeless treasures, like the cast-iron mangle board she discovered in her attic.
