Jānis and Linda Priednieki manage areas of natural grassland in the “Abavas senleja” Nature Park in Kandava Municipality, with the aim of preserving and restoring the biodiversity of the meadows. They laugh that they’ve become somewhat obsessed with seeing what will grow in the meadow each season. Walking here regularly, it’s fascinating to watch how the meadow changes colour over a short period of time – here it blooms blue, there it turns yellow again.

Jānis’s partner, Linda, is a ceramicist with a keen interest in nature, a theme that is also reflected in her work. Art workshops and open-air painting sessions are also organised on the theme of nature. Linda creates black, smoked pottery. Her pieces are made without the use of mechanical tools or glazes. All pieces are hand-formed and subsequently fired in a wood-fired kiln. Visitors, by booking in advance, can view Linda’s kiln, learn about the differences between smoked ceramics and the ceramics we are used to, view and purchase her works – bowls, mugs, vases and souvenirs – as well as try their hand at pottery themselves.

Linda says that the countryside is crying out for creative, hard-working people. And Jānis adds: “It’s only boring for people who don’t want to do anything.”