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

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

THE SECRETS OF GOLDSMITHING

Tommaso, goldsmith

The visit will take place inside my studio - atelier and it will start with a brief history of our family which has been in the business of precious metals in Florence since 1908 . In a second moment you will discover the secrets behind the realization of a precious object. In the "mysterious" rooms in which all of our creations are conceived and shaped, we will tell you about the cornerstone of our work, so the ancient goldsmith techniques handed down from father to son.

FIRENZE, Fi

STUCCO WILL BRING YOU LUCK!

PATRIZIA, artisan of gypsum

Are you ready for a journey among beauty? I'm going to take you in the fascinating world of stucco, a history as ancient as man. Imprints in mud can be considered as primordial molds. It all begins from the gypsum's dust that capable hands transform into artworks. With this you will prepare the mixture to be poured into molds that are made in the atelier. All the creative-productive process, in fact, is the result of research, experience and know-how accumulated over many years. Now have fun: wear Renaissance fashion aprons, use brushes, colors, soils, glues, shine with brass, silver, and gold leaves, paint with ancient lacquers, rub the beeswax, sign your work to make it unique! Believe it or not, it's suggestive and fascinating to create an object that brings good luck and wellness within our homes. During this workshop I will initially present to you my activity. After an introduction to the ancient art of stucco, we will go through the preparation of the dough base. Once we have done this, we will proceed with the pouring in the horn of plenty and pomegranates' molds. We'll then get ready for the leaf gilding. At this point we'll move to the leaf lightening of the relieves, before passing to the pictorial decoration and to the brush writing. Once we are done with these stages, we'll be ready for the painting, the coating and the final lacquering. At the end of the workshop I'll provide you with the object that you created, the booklet, the Diploma of Participation and the “weirdo license” of Gubbio. This envisages a really particular procedure to be carried out, exactly in front of my atelier!

GUBBIO, Pg

BUCCHERO, THE BLACK TERRACOTTA

Gaetano, artisan of bucchero

The day will begin with a brief presentation of our atelier and an introduction to the main working techniques of pottery. In particular we'll focus on the Bucchero. At this point we'll be ready to put into practice that described, but first we'll have to familiarize with the tools. We'll then wear an apron and we'll clean the object with sandpaper and steel wool until we removed all the scratches of turning. Once we completed these operations, we'll polish the surface rubbing it with boxwood sticks. After that we'll engrave it by choosing a decorative technique between freehand drawing and pouncing. To complete the product we just have to fill the etchings with gold and platinum by using small brushes. We'll eat local products without cutlery, just with our hands. You'll then try the "crescia" which is a particular non-rised bread with the round shape that is cooked on carbon. It can be combined with cheeses, cured meats, cooked vegetables or sausages. After having signed the piece, we'll have to wait it to be dried out, and only then we can fire it. This will be done at a later stage in the open countryside. It is so since the process requires the use of coal with the resulting formation of black powder, moreover it has to be done when you have many pieces to be put within the furnace. Finished the firing, that consists in reaching about 900° C. in ten hours, and the consecutive cooling in 48 hours, we'll send the object to you at no extra costs everywhere in Italy. The day will end in the most beautiful square of Gubbio, in front of the “Palazzo dei Consoli”. We will get there by means of a neighboring elevator to the meeting place and we'll talk, sipping an aperitif, of medieval architecture, of the size and shape of the Palace resulting from the application of symbolic relationships related to esoteric numerology.

GUBBIO, Pg

BBQ AND LEATHER IN TUSCANY

Tommaso, leather craftsman

We are very happy to invite you to this special event. Here are the ingredients: an artisanal lab that works with leather in a very unique way, using parts of grapes; Tuscany and its amazing hills; a barbeque, live music and great cocktails. Do we need anything else? We don't think so, then you just have to save the date! Between 21 and 22 of August, we will welcome you in our lab located in the Tuscan countryside and we will have an hands-on workshop during which you'll be introduced to our special working method before trying it yourself. You will then relax before the evening: a barbeque party, some live music and cocktails are waiting for you to spend a convivial night with us. On the day after you will have breakfast before having some chilling time on the porch. You will also have the chance to take another tour in our labs if you want to discover more about our activity. We are waiting for you for this special event, availability is limited so grab your chance to enjoy this weekend!

PESCIA, Pt

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

THE WOOL PRODUCTION CHAIN

Lucia, felt maker

This full working day will be a complete focus on the wool production chain. I will tell and show you how raw wool is carded, colored and wired. We will try two different technique to card the wool and then you'll be introduced to the coloration stage, starting with the extraction of the color itself from seasonal natural materials (such as onion's peel and walnut's husk) and ending with the dyeing of the fleece. We will then have a lunch break in the lab before going on testing the wool spinning.

PERGINE VALSUGANA, Tn

CREATE YOUR RAKU JEWELRY

Cinzia, ceramist

The participants will learn to create in full autonomy small shapes of clay or gres, that after the drying time will be baked and sent by post (free in Italy). We will also have some pearls in various shapes for you to decorate that will be put in the oven right away and processed with the Raku pottery procedure, these you will be allowed to take home at the end of the day and will be ready to be made in to necklaces, earrings, broaches or anything you want. The Raku technique origins in Japan and it allows the glaze to dry in a shorter amount of time, creating a very particular pattern and iridescent colors. The pieces you create will be of great impact and most of all.....completely unique! The seminary starts at 10:00 and finishes at 18:00 and breaks briefly for lunch (which is included).

SENIGALLIA, An