Pizzi di Burano – Linens and Lace Burano Venice

It takes time to create beautiful things. Sometimes it takes decades or centuries of experience passed on from generation to generation. It is a way to see the world. A machine can attempt to copy a work of art but somehow, no matter how perfect the copy, it is still a copy. The final product lacks soul. For many this is not important. All that matters is the look but for those who are looking for meaning in life the human touch makes a difference. The embroidered linens and laces from Burano capture the soul of the artisan. Their designs and workmanship are part of a local culture dating back to the XV century.

A local story tells of a young fisherman cleaning his nets. He finds an intricate weave of dried seaweed entangled in the web. It strikes him so that he is convinced that a mermaid has woven the beautiful design. The young fisherman is soon to be wed and gives his precious find to his bride to be to show his intent. The young girl jealously cares for the gift while her fiancé is out to sea. Day after day she longs for her love. Her only comfort the gift he left.

She realizes that seaweed is a living plant and could easily wither and die thus she decides to recreate this sign of her love with thread and needle. As time passes, the miracle is realized and the Laces of Burano are born.

The laces and embroidered linens of Burano have been part of the ceremonies for the coronation of kings and queens since Luigi XIV when Maria di Tudor and Caterina de’ Medici wore Burano Lace Nets to hold their hair. There are other beautiful laces created in Venice and surrounding area but the Laces of Burano are unique. The knot tied, called the Burano knot, is tied mid air. No, I am not able to show how it is done but it is a wondrous thing to see.

Burano is famous throughout Europe for its excellent craftsmanship. The little island, located in the Laguna of Venice, is also famous for its eclectic colors. Houses of bright reds, blues, oranges and yellow intermingle without any specific order or design evidencing the artist nature part of everyday life. This is a happy town, a marvelous place to visit, and the locals are open and inviting. The foods are those of Venice and the wines marvels of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. There are local museums and the artisans will allow you to visit their laboratories if scheduled in advance. Your hotel will be able to give you the best contacts and arrange travel.

Tags: Lace Venice Italian Museums Art and Culture Renaissance Travel Italy

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Ceramics from Caltagirone – Artisan work’s of Art and Passion

There is a heated debate progressing in the wine world. The question in discussion is that large mega producers want to use varieties of grapes from different geographical areas and still label their wines as if they were grown and produced in the specific region. They argue that their production processes are such that the consumer would never know the difference. In this way even when the weather of a certain area does not cooperate they can produce the same mediocre wine every year. The opponents say that by maintaining labeling restrictions smaller quality producers will be able to continue to produce even in years when they lose money. The real question is quality over quantity. Do we want the McDonald’s franchise concept of wine or can we accept a wine with character and flavors that are not always perfect resulting in some marvelous works of art and some just ok vintages.

To the masses, it really does not matter. The passion of good food and wine is something that comes over time. Understanding balance and moderation is an acquired talent for most people. The side you will take depends on whether or not you want to be like everyone else, deprived of personal tastes, or if you are a unique individual. You know what you like and it does not matter what Robert Parker says you should like. But what does this have to do with Ceramics from Caltagirone, a city on the island of Sicily over 6,000 miles away?

In today’s world of outsourcing and productivity through the assimilation of the masses you can find ceramic materials produced in China that look incredible from far away. The “Wow” factor is obtained. The same designs will be in every third house depending on the latest trend and you will be cool, just like everyone else. The only problem you have to worry about is how to pay as little as possible for whatever theme of the moment you are looking for. In a few years when something else is trendy you can simply throw the junk away or sell it to some unsuspecting soul at the local garage sale.

If this is the case the ceramics of Caltagirone are not for you. Each piece is a work of art. Families will jealously guard these keepsakes and pass them on from generation to generation just as the Artisans who make these pieces learned their profession from their fathers, and their fathers learned from their fathers. The tradition continues, since the times of the Roman Empire. No two pieces are exactly alike even from the same artisan. As his mood changes during the day the colors may be more or less intense, the lines sharper or blurred, and simplicity may turn into an elaborate web of color and images.

This is not to say that the industrial revolution has not improved the process, simply that the tools of productivity are just that, tools. They serve the master artisan to help him express his creativity but they could never replace him. Like the glass blowers of Merano the artisans of Caltagirone mold and shape inert materials and give them life, making them things of beauty that can inspire, calm or excite. They are no less than the tenor singing the Traviata, or the painter combining oils and pigments to capture the intrinsic emotion of a farmer and his wife working the land.

The clay is worked by hand, molded and shaped in the same way as their ancestors did. Each piece is hand painted and while some basic designs are reproduced over and over again no two pieces are exactly alike. There is the hand of the gods in the work of the Artisan. Just as no two snowflakes are ever the same, each ceramic piece is unique. It can never be replaced. Yet each piece made by the Artisan can be identified. The way he molds the clay, the brush stroke and the amount of color define the soul of the Artist as much his DNA defines his biologic form.

Are you the right person to have the ceramics of Caltagirone in your home or office? This is not a question that I can answer. It depends on your passion. It would be a sin to offer a Sori Tildin to someone who “just loves” Yellow Tail. You have to ask yourself, “does this piece say something to me or does it just to fill the space?”

Tags: Sicily Caltagirone Ceramics Art Culture Italian Vacations Italian Artisans Travel Italy

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Caltagirone Sicily – The Pearls of Sicily

In most Americans mind Sicily evokes thought of The Godfather and Mafia but Sicily is an antique culture. Its geographical position has made it the object of numerous military campaigns including the US invasion of the Italian peninsula in WWII. Just about every dominant world Empire has conquered and occupied Sicily, modifying and enriching the culture of this sun burnt island located right in the middle of the shipping routes in the Mediterranean Sea.

Italy beguiles all who visit. The famous reschedule flights to stay and have another cup of espresso at a town bar, the busy businessmen take time for a good meal and the luxury of an antique hotel, and the fashion conscious will take valued vacation time to visit the shows of Milan. It is hard for most to understand why the food tastes better, the furniture puts us at ease, and we spend hours at the dinner table or sitting on the hotel balcony pondering life as we look at the turquoise colored sea. It is the passion for life, family and the land. Many times I have heard my American visitors indicate how they could make Italy so much more efficient, “oh, change this or that,” yet they long to come and visit. Their stays are longer than those to other companies.

Even for most Italians, Sicily is considered a passionate location. Deep in tradition, in the fight to survive over centuries of occupation, the Sicilians have held tight to the things that make them who they are. Caltagirone is a city toward the center of Sicily about 68 km from Catania and a 100 km from Palermo. The modern city is defined by the earthquake of 1693. While most cities in Sicily lost their medieval architecture, the antique city of Caltagirone preserved its traditions. The history of Caltagirone is not limited to the times of written tales. The city boasts a prehistoric archaeological find from the Neolithic period. In fact the area was inhabited through the arrival of the Greeks. Close by are also remains of the Bronze era with rich tombs entirely intact.

Caltagirone takes its name from the Arab word "Qal‘at Ghīrān" or Rock of Caves. In fact most of the prehistoric dwellings were located in the numerous caves. Over the years Caltagirone has risen and declined in power. It has been inhabited by prehistoric man, Greeks, Arabs, Romans, Spanish, French and various post Roman, city-states. It maintains an aura of mystery, as if its long history attempts to make itself known. The city is an open-air museum. Every corner, every building, statue or stone seems to reveal a secret piece to the puzzle of who we are.

The city is well known for its artisans who create the luxurious ceramic works of art. The tradition dates back to the V century BC. The city is host to the Museum of Ceramics and the timeless pieces can be found in every building.

The view of the city opens to the visitor like a stadium as seen from the field. The city’s disposition is that of a living production. The scenes of Caltagirone’s rooftops in Terracotta, churches adorned in beautifully painted tiles, expose the soul of this antique settlement. Along with the Museum, other places to visit include Duomo di San Giuliano, Chiesa di Santa Maria di Gesù, Chiesa di Santa Maria del Monte (and the stairs), Chiesa di Santa Chiara, Chiesa di San Giorgio, Chiesa del Gesù, Chiesa dei Cappuccini, and Basilica di San Giacomo.

A visit to the city during the period of the winter fog creates an impression of the supernatural as the clouds settle around the inner walls and the city becomes part of the mountain on which it sits or appears to be a city of the Gods, floating in the air.

The foods of Caltagirone are as intriguing as the artisan ceramics and the architecture. Traditional dishes represent the influences the numerous cultures that are the genetic base of Caltagirone creating a unique culinary experience. Famous dishes include pasta reali, i cuddureddi ri Natali, (puff pastry filled with vin cotto, honey and almonds), panareddi ri Pasqua (a traditional form of Easter Pan Dolce), cassateddi (pasta filled with Ricotta), Totò, cannoli, gelati e the granite (shaved ices).

The traditional dishes represent the comfort foods prepared by the farmers. They include the citrus fruits, olives, cereals and the vegetables available to all. Just about any local Taverna will be offer a selection of pasta cu maccu, pasta chi mirangiani (with Eggplant and Ricotta), piruna (folded pizza with spinach and other vegetables), pani ri casa cunzatu, scacciati, cuccia (cooked wheat), ngucciata (a type of hard wheat polenta), pasta ri casa (cream of wheat), and muffuredde (hard wheat bread with fennel seeds).

The splendid Scala di Santa Maria del Monte, is a unique staircase worldwide, totally covered in painted ceramic tiles. This breathtaking staircase with 142 steps, that connects the high part of the city to the low part, is the center of many cultural events in Caltagirone. A trip to Caltagirone in the springtime will offer an unforgettable experience. In the months of May and June, the town celebrates its Scala Infiorita festival. Scala di Santa Maria del Monte is completely covered with flowers, which create a beautiful series of vivid geometric patterns climbing up the staircase.

The saint of Caltagirone is San Giacomo. The city celebrates with a festival called the Luminaria. The Luminaria is celebrated on the nights of July 24th and 25th. Thousands of lanterns are used to decorate the staircase, creating a spectacular atmosphere.

Tags: Caltagirone Sicily Italian Tradition Ceramics art Italian Vacations Travel Italy

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