WOOD INLAYING 5 DAYS WORKSHOP

SANTI, ebony joiner

This course is spread on 5 days of 6 hours each. Here you’ll be able to learn all about marquetry: both theory and practice will be covered together, discovering the history of this trade, testing different methods and materials. You’ll learn the differences between different kinds of wood and how all the tools work. As a starter you’ll be given the book Tarsi that contains all the notes I’ve taken during my 40 years of activity and you’ll be able to take whatever you made during the course home! If you want to cover special techniques or make a specific piece you can ask for a custom course by sending me a message.

ANGHIARI, Ar

FROM WOOL TO FELT

Lucia, felt maker

During the experience, the artisan will explain the various stages of wool processing, starting with the production of sheep's wool by small local farmers in Valsugana. In particular, the processing of carded wool and the subsequent transformation into felt will be proposed. The artisan will explain the path of raw wool from washing to carding using a special tool. After a short break with an organic snack you will go on with the design and construction of a personalized felt hat or alternatively a felt seat / seat cover, suitable for all seasons and all uses. You can choose your favorite hat model and add decorations with various colors wools, that can also be used for the seat cover.

PERGINE VALSUGANA, Tn

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

CERAMIC RESTORATION

Cinzia, ceramist

The ancient or modern ceramic restoration work begins with the finding of all the fragments, the assembly with appropriate adhesives and the plaster or resin integration of the missing parts, and the reconstruction of some parts if necessary. The final stage is the pictorial reparation, which will adapt the new parts to the original color of the original piece.

SENIGALLIA, An

PRINTING AND ENGRAVING

Agnes, ceramist

I also love engravings along with printing techniques on nylon slabs, in my workshop I have a press roller that will allow us to print manually. All you have to bring with you - apart from comfortable clothes and a apron - is a nice photo or a drawing (if you do not have one we will provide one for you). In the first part of this workshop you will engrave what you wish on the nylon sheet with a cold engraving needle. Then we will have a brief rest in the atelier, have a chat and a small vegetarian lunch (glass of wine included). We will then start again and prepare the stencil to be printed: colored or not they will be put to soak. When the paper and your stencils are ready we will print a first copy to check the quality of the engravings: if you are not satisfied with some of the details you will have the opportunity to correct them. After that we will do the final print! You will be able to take home the various copies in a folder along with your stencil. If the copies are still too wet to bring home I will send them to you during the next few days (the sending price to Italy is included in the price of the workshop).

COMO, Co

FACCIAMO IL PAIO SHOES & DRINK

Olivia, shoe maker and designer

Tre serate esclusive all'insegna del romanticismo in cui potrete gustare un aperitivo in laboratorio a lume di candela mentre progettate le vostre scarpe di coppia. Possiamo incidere insieme i vostri nomi come all’interno delle fedi o progettare qualsiasi altra personalizzazione che racconti qualcosa di voi! ...un modo diverso per festeggiare non solo San Valentino, ma anche tutto il cammino che si fa a due. Le scarpe saranno poi realizzate da me e spedite direttamente a casa vostra!

PESARO, Pu

THE BESPOKE SHOES LAB

Olivia, shoe maker and designer

I would love to welcome you in my world, where vintage tools and modern machineries are connected by an endless passion for this work. I will tell you about the whole process through which an handcrafted shoe is made, starting from the one-to-one design method to the one-of-a-kind actual realization. The visit will last approximately one hour and an half.

PESARO, Pu

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

MAKE YOUR PAIR OF SHOES

Olivia, shoe maker and designer

The beauty of a bespoke pair of shoes lies in its construction. This course offers an alchemic journey from the raw material to the finished shoe, a journey through which you will appreciate and understand the hidden beauty of creation. Thanks to slow and repetitive motions, just like a mantra, you will forget about hectic life and delve into a very special mood. The model of shoes for this hands-on workshop is a traditional unlined lace-up with Norwegian structure, but different kind of personalization are more than welcome. The process will be split in two parts: a stage will be totally directed by me and the other one will be carried out in collaboration with other professionals. This second stage consists in a 25 hours program that can be organized upon your schedule. During the module that we will have together, we will also prepare the necessary tools to work, such as leather covers for the fingers and twine for the handmade binding. I suggest you this experience if you want to dedicate some days to creativity and manual work, and it will also be a perfect occasion to enjoy the beautiful Pesaro and Urbino. I’m more than available for any kind of tips for your accommodation and I’ll be glad to suggest you the most peculiar places around the city. Since we will share the whole week together, everyday I will offer you a very special break with the best tastes that Marche has to offer!

PESARO, Pu