(Un)conventional courses

The blacksmith course at the ÚĽUV School of crafts in Bratislava Courses of wedding head band making, Easter eggs soft rush decorating, blacksmith trade and buckle making were opened in the first half of 2011 to expand the range of courses organised by the ÚĽUV School of crafts in Bratislava and Banská Bystrica and to add (un)conventional courses and techniques to its portfolio. All above courses have been opened for the first time.

The blacksmith course was hard to organise because extensive equipment such as a hearth and tools were necessary to supply. Art blacksmith Jozef Tomčala was a lecturer of the course. That the course attracted the attention of many is clear from the fact that registrations for the course double-exceeded the capacity.

Head-bands represented purity and virginity in traditional folk culture. Young girls were decorating their heads with them. More decorations than usual were used on wedding head-bands. Now, head-bands are available for buying in the ÚĽUV for which Monika Zapletalová makes them. The purpose of the course has been to teach participants how to make a head-band by themselves.

Popular from the late 19th century, Easter eggs soft rush decorating is one of the newest techniques of Easter eggs decorating. Inside of soft pulp (Juncus effusus) from the lowlands of the western Slovakia was used for decorating.

The buckle making course has been organised by the ÚĽUV School of crafts in Banská Bystrica. Participants of the course have learnt how to make a brass buckle. Tibor Amrich of the village of Valaská who has made clips, fasteners for men´s shirts, buckles for leather belts and bags for three decades was the lecturer of this course.

Further articles magazine Craft, Art, Design 03/2011:

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