CLAY AND NATURE IN POSITANO

Elisabetta, sculptress

Immersed in the luxuriant and wild nature that this territory still offers in abundance. Along the hills cordillera of the Peninsula, going down towards the breath-taking coasts. There where at sunrise and sunset you can spot dolphins jumping through the waves. Among so much beauty, we'll find the inspiration, in its harmonious geometries and in the perfume of its colors. We'll create objects by using clay gathered exactly in these places. We'll immerse ourselves in moments where the nature will create with us, filling ourselves with its most luxuriant expression. We'll shape our precious artworks in an upland in front of a 360° view. We'll decorate by observing the geometry of a leaf or using the streaked surface of a shell found on the cliffs. Listening the symphony of the breeze among the branches in a little clearing. In the evening we'll fire our objects relaxing ourselves around the fire. This creative path will occur at the “Rifugio La Selva” in Positano. It's an evocative place with the slopes of Montepertuso behind his back. The perfect location for this workshop that will accompany us for a full day.

POSITANO, Sa

YOUR WOODEN INLAYED FLOWER

Renato, inlayer

During this 4-hour workshop I will show you the various wooden inlay techniques: fretwork, "buio", "toppo", the perspective inlay and the boulle technique. In particular, the fretwork technique will be studied in depth with demonstrations of the various processing phases, up to the final polishing. Afterwards, we'll try an easy workshop, where you'll learn the use of the fretworked arch, and I'll show you how to create three small inlays with floral motifs which will also be sandblasted. Three wooden flowers made by your hands, that you'll bring home as a perfect souvenir of this experience and that can be used as a bookmark.

FIRENZE, Fi

IN THE SIGN OF

Maria Josè, restorer

Do you want to learn the techniques of the XVI century knowledge? We'll show you and tell you our manual skills in restoration, in faithful reproduction of vintage furniture, in cabinetmaking, in painting and gilding. We'll re-experience emotions, the study, the passion in doing the faithful reproduction of the “Studiolo del Duca di Montefeltro”, of which the original is located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. We'll have lunch together in a typical restaurant of Gubbio. Later we'll go together to see the replica of the “Studiolo del Duca di Montefeltro”. We created it and now it is possible to see it in its original location, at the Doge's Palace in Gubbio. In this important context, you'll have the chance to admire other fine artifacts that we restored.

GUBBIO, Pg

THE WEAVING ART IN PERUGIA

Marta, weaver

Welcome to my atelier in the heart of Perugia! It will be a pleasure to host you in my atelier, the former Church of San Francesco delle Donne, a deconsecrated building that in 1200AD was the first Franciscan church in Perugia. Since 1996, the hand-weaving workshop of Giuditta Brozzetti—my great-grandmother and founder of the atelier—has been based in these magnificent premises, and today it is one of the last places in Italy to practice hand-weaving. I will tell you the history of the workshop, started in 1921 with the intuition of Giuditta who recovered traditional motifs and designs from the Umbrian territory and founded the workshop-school for the production of high quality artistic fabrics for home furnishings. Millennial techniques and ancient production phases are still used today to create incredibly contemporary fabrics of historical inspiration. I will show you our artistic production that has been hand-woven in linen, cotton, silk, cashmere blend and gold and silver laminate on antique eighteenth-century pedal looms and nineteenth-century Jacquard looms. You will understand the functioning of our imposing Jacquard looms and of my beloved original loom of the 1700s, with which I still make copies of the fabrics found in the frescoes by Pinturicchio, Giotto, and Luca Signorelli, but also the initial phase of the work process: the preparation of the warp and weft, set up with a machine that was modified by Leonardo da Vinci, according to a system that is more than 500 years old! After discovering the secrets of production, you will test yourself under my guide, creating a decorative tassel made with the yarns I use for my production, which you can take home with you as a souvenir of the experience!

PERUGIA, Pg

FIRST STEPS TOWARD MINIATURE

Anna, miniature and typography

In the wake of ancient amanuensis, the gestures of calligraphers and miniaturists are living again. In the XIII century they gave life to flourishing and eminent “Scriptorum” in Gubbio. It stands out the figure of Oderisi, narrated by Dante in The Divine Comedy, XI Canto of Purgatory: “non se tu Oderisi, l'onor d'Agobbio e l'onor di quell'arte ch'alluminar chiamata è in Parisi?”. A fascinating art, made of pigments and gold leaves, goose feathers and nibs, inks and a lot of patience and knowledge. The final result though, is unique, and what you bring back home with you is such a precious and original object.

GUBBIO, Pg

LAMPWORKING HANDS-ON WORKSHOP

Patrizia & Evelina, glass bead

Become a "perlera" for a day! In two hours Patrizia makes you experience the magic of Murano's glass lampworking, she tells you the story of Venetian beads and shows you some techniques. You will be then able to make your first bead that will be sent to your home very soon.

VENEZIA, Ve

YOUR FIRST JAPANESE PRINT

Mara, engraver

Become a carver and printer for a day and create your first Japanese woodblock print. An afternoon to be introduced to the wonders of this ancient printing technique that does not require the use of solvents or acids. After a brief introduction where you will have the chance to admire some original vintage woodblocks and some original Ukiyo-e prints; I will explain you the steps to create your first print. At this point you can work at your own design, or you can let yourself inspire by the many books in the studio. Carve and print your first simple printing with two wooden matrices and then print more copies of them on Japanese paper.

AVIGLIANA, To

YOUR UNIQUE JEWEL

Negar, goldsmith

Gerd Rothmann is a master goldsmith and his contribution in making the theme of unique jewel internationally recognized has been huge. The unique jewel is the one made with your fingerprint, or with that of a person we love. In this hands-on workshop we will re-elaborate this concept and you’ll be able to make your own brass jewel, under my guidance. Once in my studio, you’ll be fingerprinted and we will decide together if you are going to create a pendant or a ring. Then we will proceed with some sketches and the design before the actual realization of the jewel in wax. The experience will end with the creation of the wax jewel, after which I will send it to a specialized lab in order to brass molding it with the lost wax casting. I will then pick it up and polish it before sending it to you within 10 days after our meeting.

FIRENZE, Fi

THE PILGRIM’S NOTEBOOK

Lucia e Hans, bookbinder

The experience involves the creation of a notebook made of paper, leather, and string (of about 8x13cm in size). You may choose your favorite colored leather from the many in the bookbinding workshop. With Hans and Lucia’s guidance, you will be able to follow the different workshop phases, which include a medieval technique in the preparation of the paper sheets, which are sewn and bound directly onto the leather cover. This way, book cover and stitching make a single piece and the notebook will be ready in just a few steps. You may also personalize it with graphic or floral motifs, or with your initials, directly embossing the chosen decoration on the surface. Finally, a leather string around the notebook will help tie it shut.

VITERBO, Vt