FOURTH STOP: Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Garden, Tiaong

Traveling from Lucena back to Manila, we go through the town of Tiaong. Here, we make a detour to one of Quezon’s best kept secrets. It’s not a place that calls attention to itself with directional signs and well-placed advertisements. To my embarrassment as a Quezonian, I only heard about it from my professor who is from Manila.

Searching for Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Garden is like going on a treasure hunt. Without a map, it remains hidden and its richness unexplored. The trail is a tiny dirt road running through humble homes. Wending our way along this rural village, we cannot imagine what lies ahead. After a while, we reach the compound where a brick building we were told to look for stands. Looking at this unusual structure felt like finding the treasure chest – there must be something more to this. And there was!

We round the building, follow a path lined with decorative tiles and flowering vines and find the treasure within. The garden behind with its rustic huts and pottery accents embraces us with serenity. This is Ugu Bigyan’s sanctuary – his residence, studio, showroom, shop and restaurant.

Ugu is a well-known ceramic artist whose works are sought by the elite and by upscale establishments like Aman Pulo. The showroom is a treasure trove of finely-crafted pottery mostly with motif inspired by nature. We drool over some of the pieces hoping they will grace our homes but the items are quite pricey. We vow to come back next time they have a sale.

His craft has infected the younger members of his family. A small boutique on the side of the main showroom displays his niece’s fashion accessories that incorporate small pieces of pottery.
Ugu’s artistry extends beyond pottery. For a minimum of 10 guests with advanced reservation, he will personally whip up delectable Asian Fusion dishes. His aspiration is to revive old Quezon recipes like the Kulawo, a sauce made from coconut meat burnt over charcoal and drizzled on puso ng saging (banana heart). Patrons rave about the food as well as the dinnerware sets they are served on. His sister, Heidi, relates that after the meal, the plates are bought as well.

The garden invites us to explore its nooks and crannies with ceramic chimes and accent pieces. It seduces us to sit awhile within the coolness of the picturesque huts. Everything here has Ugu’s artistic touch, even the rest room with its bamboo faucet and the sink he crafted.

We leave with the hope of rounding up a group of ten so we can come back again to taste his famed cuisine and once again be caressed by peace in this secret place.

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