During your lovely stay in Crete don't miss to visit a great house and studio in order to explore the magic world of ceramic art.

Manousos Chalkiadakis welcomes you to his lovely house and studio, offering you the opportunity to experience the Cretan culture and to explain to you all about his unique ceramics.

Have this unique experience to watch him transform clay into beautiful vases, boats, fruits, spinning tops, and balloons.

Manousos mainly uses two techniques: The “classical technique”, where the object is fired for the first time without glaze at 1000C and for the second time at 1200C, after having been enameled.  With this technique, by using oxides of different metals (iron, cobalt, copper), Manousos creates the colors that characterize his work.

Paidochori is a small village in Chania - Crete, situated at the foot of "Lefka Ori" (White Mountains). In these beautiful surroundings stands the house and studio of Manousos Chalkiadakis, both attract great interest for the lovers of traditional architecture.  

The artist’s studio was built in keeping with the traditional style of the main house. This studio, where Manousos Chalkiadakis creates his unique ceramics, has over the last few years become, a learning workshop for people interested in ceramic art. Manousos Chalkiadakis welcomes you to his house and studio, offering you the opportunity to experience the Cretan culture and to explore your own artistic talent.

Spend the day: Paidohori lies between Hania and Rethimnon and is approximately 30 minutes from each city. Arrive at 10:00 for coffee and breakfast, learn about the history of ceramic art, view Manousos’ work, and watch him transform clay into beautiful vases, boats, fruits, spinning tops, and balloons. Take a break and try some local delicacies and then continue creating your own ceramic work of art, with the artist’s expert guidance.  Your creation will need a few days to dry and then to be fired. You can either collect your work or they can have it delivered to you.

Master the Ceramic Art: Manousos Chalkiadakis gives private lessons, individually or in small groups, throughout the year.

Manousos Chalkiadakis was born in Hania Crete in 1948.  His studies of Economics at Aristoteleio University of Thessaloniki and later, his accounting pursuits, in Athens, inevitably conflicted with his artistic spirit and he decided to make a new beginning.  Among the different forms of art he experimented with, (jewelry, photography, painting), pottery won him over and became his focal point.

In 1987 he decided to return to Hania.  He settled in Paidohori, Apokoronas, a small village at the foot of "Lefka Ori" (White Mountains). He renovated an 18th-century Venetian ruin, created his studio and one of the most amazing houses of the Cretan countryside.

Contact Details 

Manousos Chalkiadakis
Ceramics - Seminars
Paidochori Village - Chania - Crete
Tel: +30 28250 71181 & +30 6945 935225
Email:  [email protected]
Website : www.greekceramics.gr