Clay Dreams in Thanh Ha Pottery Village, Hoi An – Original Oil Painting

Clay Dreams in Thanh Ha Pottery Village, Hoi An – Original Oil Painting
A young woman in a conical hat leans over the potter’s wheel, her hands wet with clay, her smile hidden in the shadow of nón lá(conical hat). Behind her, quiet rows of jars disappear into warm, golden light – as if time itself has been fired in the kilns of an ancient village.
Also known as: “Playing with Clay”.

About this painting
Nestled along the Thu Bồn River, just a few kilometres from Hoi An’s ancient town, Thanh Ha Pottery Village has been shaping clay for more than five centuries. Generations of artisans have turned the earth into jars, tiles and everyday vessels, using traditional hand techniques and the old spinning wheel.
I visited this village long ago and watched a beautiful visitor sit down at the wheel.
She was not a craftswoman, only a traveller – yet the way she touched the clay was gentle and playful, like a child learning a game. The sun slid across her shoulders, the wheel spun, and for a brief moment she seemed to belong to the village just as much as the old kilns and jars.
In “Clay Dreams in Thanh Ha Pottery Village, Hoi An”, I wanted to keep that fleeting moment:
the softness of her bare arms, the tilt of the nón lá (conical hat) hiding her face, the rhythm of her hands coaxing a simple pot into being. Around her, the earth-coloured background and quiet pots hold the memory of hundreds of years of work, stories and lives shaped from the same river clay.
This painting is a small prayer to craft, to travel, and to the joy of creating something with your own hands – even if only for one afternoon.


For collectors & display
This work is painted with professional oil colours on quality canvas, with warm earth tones – gold, terracotta, deep browns and soft greens.
It brings a feeling of:
warmth and handmade craft,
quiet focus and concentration,
the timeless beauty of Vietnamese traditional villages.
Perfect for:
living rooms and reading corners,
studios and creative spaces,
cafés or homestays that celebrate Vietnamese culture and Hoi An.

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