Hands shaping a stoneware vessel on the potter's wheel in the Záboří studio

Záboří near České Budějovice — South Bohemia

Making is joy

We are a small pottery studio in Záboří in the south of the Czech Republic. Three women work here – each different, each in her own way, yet brought together by the joy of making and a love of clay.

Browse the ceramics Discover our story

100% handmade
Stoneware body
Our own glazes

Where craft meets

The touch of earth, the warmth of fire and time together

Our studio is housed in a historic farmstead, where the steady rhythm of the seasons gives rise to unique forms. We work in harmony with the material – we never rush it, we let the clay dry, mature and pass through the purifying heat of the kiln.

Shelves full of hand-thrown stoneware in the Záboří studio

What we love about our ceramics is exactly this blend – of craft, experience, experiment and the joy of making things together. Every piece passes through our hands, and every one carries a little of us.
— Ludmila, Olga and Věra

Generations and visions meet

Three women, one studio

From honest wheel throwing, through playful glaze recipes, to an artist's painted touch.

Ludmila Švarcová finishing a mug on the wheel in the studio

50+ years of practice

Founder & master of the craft

Ludmila Švarcová

The studio was founded by Ludmila Švarcová, a trained ceramicist with more than fifty years of experience. She was my first teacher and the person who brought me to pottery. It was in her studio that I began to discover everything clay can do, and gradually fell under the spell of working with it. Ludmila still makes her own ceramics to this day, and her experience and outlook on the craft are an important part of everything created in the studio.

Traditional wheel throwing, form and proportion

Portrait of a smiling Olga in the Záboří studio

Heart of the studio

Heart of the studio & seeker of new paths

Olga

I'm Olga – a self-taught potter and a great enthusiast. What I love about clay is that it keeps teaching me something. Patience, focus, slowing down… and also – the lesson that resonates with me most – that everything can change. I love trying new techniques, playing with glazes and colours, and discovering what comes out of it.

Mixing mineral glazes, original tableware

Věra Dytrychová painting a motif on a ceramic bowl

An artist's vision

Artist with an eye for beauty

Věra Dytrychová

And then there is Věra Dytrychová – my neighbour, my friend and an artist with an exceptional aesthetic sense. Věra adds her own artistic vision to my ceramics, and together we create truly unique, playful pieces.

Original drawing, sgraffito and decoration

Fresh from our kiln

Ceramics made with heart and hands

Functional and decorative stoneware fired at high temperature. Every mug, bowl or vase has its own one-of-a-kind character.

Green Effect

Stoneware with a deep green glaze that flows into lighter tones along the edges of the form.

Breakfast and serving sets

Jellyfish

A turquoise glaze that runs across the surface during firing like the tentacles of a jellyfish.

Teapots, cups and bowls

World

A hand-painted motif of birds and plants – Věra's tribute to faraway landscapes, on clay from Záboří.

Price on request – it depends on how intricate the motif is.

Original painting

Stone Grey

A calm, cool glaze for everyday dining – it handles the dishwasher and frequent use well.

Everyday stoneware

Quality you can trust, from honest clay

We use only certified Czech clays and food-safe glazes. Our ceramics can handle everyday life – and the dishwasher.

Request a commission

Open doors

“And if one of them finds its way into your home, it will make us very happy.”

Záboří is a picturesque village on the edge of the Blanský Forest. We welcome everyone to our studio who would like to handle the ceramics, take a peek into the kilns, or enjoy a coffee with us and choose a piece that speaks to their heart.

Visiting Záboří

Farmstead no. 42, 373 84 Záboří. We'll gladly open our doors during regular opening hours or any time by prior arrangement.

Custom orders

We make wedding gifts, sets for cafés and bistros, and personalised bowls with a dedication.

Write to our studio

Asking about the availability of a particular piece, planning a visit, or looking for a gift voucher?