The practice of releasing the nouveau wine in November – a huge marketing event – is commonly associated with France, where the third Thursday of the month the Beaujolais Nouveau is first sold.

However, if you google “nouveau wine” you’ll find out that the development of “primeur” wines is a tradition in many other wine producing countries. 

In Italy St. Martin’s Day marks the beginning of the new wine tasting. Many festivals are held that celebrate the maturation of the year’s wine, under the spell of the old saying “A San Martino ogni mosto e’ vino”. It roughly means “At St Martin’s Day the must turns to wine”: the rhyme is lost in the translation, alas.

Continue reading ‘Artist Wine Jugs for Nouveau Wine’

June 26 – July 12, 2009
Sept 12 – 20, 2009
Deruta – Italy

The second edition of Deruta Ceramic Festival is about to start. The program is attractive, not only for Italian pottery lovers, but for anyone who enjoys live shows and art in general.

The events will take place on Fridays through Sundays. Here is a selection:

ON GOING EVENTS: every Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Anyone willing to create his own ceramic masterpiece can join Deruta potters at the Open Ceramic Lab. From wheel throwing to free hand painting, visitors will experience the making of pottery and bring home their own solid ceramic pieces. The Lab is downtown in Piazza dei Consoli and is open from 11 am to 8 pm

Stands displaying Deruta artists’ works will be open all day in the main street of the old district

Exhibition of the 36 Italian Ceramic Towns Association (AICC) at Grazia’s Old Factory

Continue reading ‘Deruta - The Magic of Ceramic Art 2009′

June 20-28, 2009
Montelupo – Italy

Hard to believe… the 2009 edition of the International Ceramic Festival seems even more interesting than the 2008 one, when the Regional Museum of Ceramics had just been re-opened and the city blew the candles on the 25th birthday of its School of Ceramics.

This year the focus will be on modern ceramic art with the grand opening of the first department of the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art and Nanni Valentini’s retrospective exhibition – separate articles will soon be published on these key events.

Together with Nanni Valentini, other established artists will be honored with solo or collective exhibitions. As an encouragement to the younger generations and their experimental vision of ceramic art, the municipality has sponsored the production of many installations made by young artists and placed all over the town.

Continue reading ‘2009 International Ceramic Festival in Montelupo - Tuscany’

February 7-17, 2009
Perugia - Italy

Each year the Lungarotti Foundation harnesses the creative forces of important Italian artists to offer a new, creative vision of the oil lamp and its flickering light that accompanied the life of people for many centuries. Oil lamps have been used in Italy until the end of World War 1. They were usually made of clay and burned olive oil, that neither smells nor smokes.

This year the project was assigned to Stelio Zaganelli e Cristina Frezzini, two young designers from Umbria, assisted in the making of their works by the School of Ceramic Art Romano Ranieri in  Deruta.
In a brilliantly creative association of ideas, they have jumped from the magic of the olive tree and oil – almost sacred in Italy - to the magic of the Circus.

Inspired by the atmosphere of poetry surrounding the 19th century Circus, so close to human virtues and vices, their large ceramic oil lamps/sculptures represent the key characters of the Lucerna Circus:

Sissi, the slender and elegant dancer, always in the limelight, desperate for a loving soul to share her destiny with;

Filo, the slim funambulist, continuously challenging his records but depending on drugs to keep his pace steady;

Continue reading ‘Lucerna Circus – A Ceramic Oil Lamp Exhibition’

We started this blog driven by our passion for Italian ceramics, a feeling we LOVE to share with other people (passion without sharing is such a waste, don’t you think so?).

Everything about this subject rouses our interest and stimulates us to research and learn and …share. We’re never tired: there is so much to say about Italian ceramics beyond technicalities and detailed descriptions.

Each piece, without exception, is the result of our history, culture, art and tradition. Nothing is more rewarding than meeting people who share our enthusiasm!

Can you imagine the surprise and excitement when we read a comment posted here by Walter Del Pellegrino? Walter and Karen Del Pellegrino are the authors of the first and most informative guides to the identification of Italian pottery written in English. Their handbooks are a MUST for collectors, antiques dealers and pottery lovers. They also maintain a dedicated Italian pottery forum where they assist people who wish to learn more about their Italian ceramics.

Continue reading ‘Sharing the same passion for Italian Ceramics’

February 15 – April 19, 2008
Firenze – Italy

A solo exhibition will feature Tonina Cecchetti’s most recent works: large and small sculptures made of terracotta and coated in different materials.
The mother and child theme runs through each and every work with poetical intensity. Their “clothes” protect them but at the same time imprison them in an ambiguity or dilemma which is typical of Cecchetti’s art philosophy.
Iron, leather, wool and other recycled materials are matched to painted and glazed terracotta.
Tonina Cecchetti lives in Sigillo, not far from Gubbio in Umbria, where the tradition of pottery making is deeply rooted. Gubbio ceramics are very famous thanks to Mastro Giorgio’s lustres which are among the masterpieces of Italian Renaissance art heritage.

Galleria Varart
Via dell’Oriuolo, 47-49r, Firenze
Tel. +39 055 284265
varart@tin.it

February 16 – March 13, 2008
Mondolfo – Italy

In Luca Caimmi’s hands, traditional structures are re-invented. The subtle beauty of his works can be found in the balance of volume and shape. A shape inspired by a vase is not meant to contain something but to delimit the void.

His ceramics are white with silver details: the organic, earthly origin of the clay is thus hidden and forgotten. Time is frozen into eternity.

Galleria Pu-Ri’
Via XX Settembre 13
Tue/Sun: 10.00/18.00 – Thu: 10:00/22:00
Tel. +39 0721 957201
puricomunicazione@gmail.com

February 5 – May 11, 2008
St Petersburg - Russia

The awesome Italian majolicas from Castelli belonging to the Hermitage Fund have just returned to St Petersburg after a very successful tour in Italy.
The State Hermitage Museum will feature them in the Blue Bedroom of the Winter Palace until May 11th, 2008.

The Hermitage collection includes 77 works which were purchased in Italy by Russian art merchants on behalf of the Russian Tsars and other wealthy families between the 16th and the 17th century.
They had an excellent taste: they bought pieces painted by the most talented masters in Castelli, such as Carmine Gentile, Carlo Antonio Grue, Pompeo de Bernamonte, Orazio Pompei, Francesco Antonio Grue, Nicola Cappelletti.

Continue reading ‘Italian Ceramics from Castelli - State Hermitage Museum Collection’

Before you close the deal of your life and pay an incredibly low price for what looks like a stunning piece of Deruta pottery, STOP and read these simple guidelines.

Stores are full of rubbish, believe me.
Lots of nice looking ceramic pieces which are machine stamped and sold as original hand made Italian Ceramics. Possibly from reputable regions, like Deruta.

Spotting a fake is possible and quite easy. Follow these simple steps.

Continue reading ‘Hand Made Italian Ceramics: how to spot a fake’

You have just purchased a nice set of Italian ceramic dinner plates and made an extra effort to buy a pasta bowl and a serving platter.

Your first thought when you see them nicely displayed on your table is “Oh my Gosh! Aren’t they gorgeous?

Your second thought is “How can I make this treasurable dinnerware set last forever? Well, at least as long as I’m here to admire it”.

Don’t worry.

A little extra care is all you need to keep enjoying your beautiful Italian ceramic dinnerware for a lifetime hopefully yours and your children’s and your grandchildren’s.

Continue reading ‘Simple ways to make Italian ceramics last forever’