Today, Orthodox Christmas Day (January 7) as I write this, I met a man who really deserves to become a Georgian sensation through his handiwork. His name is Tariel Zakalashvili.
I was visiting my wife’s mother’s sister with the ladies on this day, in Gurjaani, Kakheti (eastern Georgia), famous for its brand of creamy ice cream of the same name. After a nice festive meal and some good catching up, we said our goodbyes and got up to leave.
My wife’s cousin had just returned from his daily bread-baking job, which we had calculated sees him produce about 90,000 loaves of Shoti bread on the vertical surface of a traditional tone (cylindrical clay oven). He told us as we were leaving, “You have to meet my neighbor and see his woodwork!” So we went over with him to meet the fellow.
The first thing we saw was a couple of little “glamping” cabins, all of wood inside and out, the large of which has a solar panel outside for power. Beautiful curves, and a cute interior.
The second cabin was a bit smaller, but it’s of a special kind, meant for what is called “apitherapy”, a thing which I had heard of recently. The idea is that the client shares air with several hives of bees (hence the “api”). It’s supposed to be quite a good kind of health holiday, up and coming.
Then he showed us the back of his house, which is full of large, good-quality woodworking machines, in part bought through small business grants. My father, in his heyday a good carpenter, would have been quite impressed. Tariel even has a lathe, which we never did. Another, larger cabin came next, which will house a jacuzzi and sports equipment. He has no shortage of designs of his own.
Then inside… to see a whole set of intricately assembled decorative cutting boards in contrasting shades and colors of wood. Beautiful geometric designs played tricks with the eye, turning two dimensions into three and back again. This kind of thing I have seen plenty of in Facebook posts… but always in English, until today.
A puzzle box; hot-plate holders; a set of folding chairs and table with the latter making a carry-case for the former. Other pieces involving wood cross-sections set together in clear epoxy. Lathe-turned bowls and lamp-bases, either from a single piece of wood or may sections precisely glued together. All perfectly made by this self-confessed fanatic, who can’t but do what he does. He clearly knows and loves his stuff.
Tariel has his own Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/tarieliz1, and his phone number is 577962875, in Georgian. I’m thinking of sending him some new geometric design ideas, just in case he needs more inspiration from elsewhere; maybe including my own infinite sets of fractal tiles for the square and equilateral triangle, in 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 colors. I would love to see him become successful and famous for the fine form and care of his work, in scales from sub-millimeter to several meters, but all exact, and all beautiful. I’m also thinking of a commission for myself, something unique and special. I have the ideas; he has the means (which I do not) to bring them into reality, whether they are purely decorative or functional as well. I would love to see him busy with more commissions; he also has students or apprentices, another good and praiseworthy sign in my eyes. Tariel, here’s to you and future success, on the birthday of the most famous carpenter in history!
Blog by Tony Hanmer
Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with over 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/
He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti
