I'm a potter in the fifth generation and I've been making these little whistles since I was little, since I can remember myself. Every bird turns out differently so I can surely say that each bird has its own song.

When I was little I saw a film about Latgalian ceramics and still remember the scene with a little boy playing a svilpaunieks. 20 years later and now a potter, I saw the film again and recognised my teacher – the little boy with the whistle. Let the svilpaunieks also bring you pleasant surprises!

I spent my childhood next to a lake in Kurzeme - a place rich in blue clay. My sister and I moulded everything we wanted from it. Then, we dried our creations, painted them with watercolours and coated them with glue for a glossy finish. To this day, I create little birds with love to make their songs more beautiful!

Svilpaunieks is made of Latgalian red clay which is told to be one of the best in the world. It gives the bird its copper colour. By linking the sky with the earth and the air with the water, svilpaunieks' song comes to life with three different tones. Just place it to your lips and let the song enchant you.