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

WOOD RESTORATION AND ASSEMBLY

Luigi, woodcarver-designer

This full day in the workshop will let you restore a wooden artifact in order to realize a piece of art or a piece of furniture. The experience will start with a tour in the showroom where you might find some kind of inspiration (hopefully!). We will talk about a theme to choose and we will understand, through some sketches, how to translate it in an artifact. We will then discuss about different techniques you can adopt to realize your object. The assembly work can be realized through different techniques too, such as inlay work, intaglio carving, mosaic, texture and juncture of pieces. We will have a lunch break during which you will taste some traditional food and, for those who are willing to, it will be possible to have a tour of Calitri. If you want to restore and give new life to an object, bring it with you, we will find a way to let it live again! Obviously every participant will bring home his own artifact as special souvenir of the apprentice for a day experience.

CALITRI, Av

FAMILY TOUR AT THE GOLDBEATER

Marino, goldbeater

This 40 minutes guided tour is perfect for a family since it is available for maximum 5 people. In the workshop of the venetian Battiloro, the only one in Italy and in Europe that turns gold bars into thin leaves following a method of the 18C, you will understand and observe how they actually transform this precious material. We will show this noble craft in all its stages inside the palace of the famous painter Titian. We will explain the different applications of those thin gold leaves. In the historic workshop, that is still intact since 1926, gold, silver and other precious metals are transformed into thin leaves, suitable for applications in many fields. The added value of our family-run business is the artisanal production and the passion that drives us: in fact, the whole working process is carried out with the old wisdom and the wealth of human labor. A unique experience that will make you touch gold with your hands!

VENEZIA, Ve

ARTISAN FOR AN HOUR

Gianpaolo, screen printer

A tour inside the discovery of screen-silk printing, a technique that allows you to experiment with colors and make a reproducible work of art while maintaining its uniqueness. The hands-on workshop takes place in the historic silkscreen laboratory of Cannaregio, in a unique and authentic Venice where art and tradition come together and come to life in the ancient crafts of the artisan workshops. Immersed in an archive consisting of more than a thousand works of art printed from 1968 to present, you will learn the secrets of the silkscreen and you will experience the printing of a one-color graphic on a support you choose among cardboard, t-shirt or canvas bag, which you'll take home as a souvenir of a creative and unusual adventure.

VENEZIA, Ve

SCAGLIOLA, BETWEEN ILLUSION AND REALITY

Elisabetta & Alessandro, scagliola

We will tell you about the history and the state of art of this ancient, and somehow "lost" craft, showing you some secrets and some stylistic and technical aspects. Starting from a "simple mineral dust", with a practical exhibition we will took you back in time, when the ability and skills of the craftsman began with the preparation of the tools, the sketches and the color pigments. The realized artwork remains yours. Finally we will discuss together about the most important existing collection, with the practical support of some antique pieces, dating from the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, collected with great passion by our family.

PONTASSIEVE, Fi

RAKU FOR EVERYONE!

Cinzia, ceramist

An appreciation day for Raku pottery and nude Raku. The participants will be asked to decorate and glaze three artifacts made and prepared just for them. The objects will then be baked in a special gas fueled oven and completed within the end of the day with the Raku and nude Raku techniques. This is an old Japanese process that creates stunning objects: covered in marked cracks or strong iridescent metallic colors that aren't reproducible. An important part of the course will be a careful analysis of the coats you can use, as to allow every student to learn how to decorate in full autonomy. During the course of the day there will also be the opportunity to observe the workshop, see the process that goes in to making pottery and lastly to see the various finished products. The seminary starts at 10:00 and finishes at 18:00 and breaks briefly for lunch (which is included). The pieces will be left to the students at the end of the day.

SENIGALLIA, An

A DAY AT THE ATELIER

Mara, engraver

An entire day to explore the wonderful world of Japanese printing. We will spend the entire day together: from 10 am until 6 pm (with a break of one hour for lunch) and you will have the opportunity to see all the steps that go into creating your own print. After the initial phase where you will learn about the techniques and see some original prints, you will be allowed cut out your first drawing (or you can take inspiration from one of the various books we have in our studio) and create your own 3 colour print on Japanese paper. This workshop is perfect for people who want to create their own cards or presents. This experience is for beginners and people wishing to improve their techniques: in case you have former experience please contact me in advance so I can prepare myself to accommodate your needs.

AVIGLIANA, To

CREATE YOUR OWN STAMP

Anita, engraver

The creation of your own stamp begins with the definition of a logo. After that we'll etch on a linoleum board (cm10x10, will be provided by the artisan) the chosen drawing. In the first part of the workshop we'll define the drawing and we'll start the etching.we'll conclude the definition of the stamp. Later we'll do some printing trials on different types of papers, handmade papers, card-boards, fabrics and plastic materials. Each participant will bring home his own stamp to be used on his own letterhead, on letters and envelopes!

VENEZIA, Ve

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