'Gzhel is the name of the oldest and most famous Russian ceramic center.   It  is situated about 50 km south-east of Moscow.  Gzhel is also the name of a village in this area and which gives its name to the beautiful artistic porcelain which is made there.

The Gzhel Association is a modern enterprise having 6 production facilities with personnel of 1200 producing artistic porcelain and earthenware items such as souvenirs, table ware, vases, miniatures, figurines, folk toys, articles for interior: fireplaces, chandeliers, and some others with the use of local famous “gzhel” clays and being in a steady demand in the Russian market and overseas.

Gzhel offers mix of both fine and folk art in the renowned cobalt blue and snowy white style. In its activity, Gzhel as a Folk Craft follows old Russian traditions in the folk art. The master artisans of Gzhel paint each piece entirely by hand. The process requires hours of hand work to mold, finish, glaze, and fire each individual piece.

The Association has now high-skilled and gifted artists, sculptors and technology experts. A unified personnel education has been set up. Education begins from the kindergarten, followed by the secondary school, and is completed by a Gzhel art college and post-graduate courses in Moscow.  Gzhel has its own image - a composition of cobalt blue flowers and ornaments on white background.' (http://www.gzhel.ru/main.htm)