Jenny Lewis on mon 1 may 06
Buon giorno, Clayartland
A few years ago I first read about La Meridiana on Clayart, and really reall=
y=20
wanted to go. Couldn't manage for various reasons until now - I just got=20
back from a wonderful holiday, including a week of playing with clay. If an=
yone=20
has been thinking about going to La Meridiana to do a pottery course - GO!!!=
=A0=20
Do not hesitate, book now, you will not regret your decision!
I did the raku week, and there were only 4 of us on the course - which was a=
=20
bit of a luxury I suppose.=A0 Pietro Maddalena is a charming, amusing, very=20
friendly and welcoming host. As for the food that everyone has raved about=20=
-=20
well, the raves are deserved.=A0 In fact, probably a bit understated.=A0 Luc=
ia the=20
Chef is a genius, and we really enjoyed our 3 course lunches, with a drop or=
two=20
of Chianti of course.=A0 The setting is stunning.=A0 All those pictures of T=
uscany=20
landscapes that look almost unreal, suddenly come to life.=A0 Really real, a=
nd=20
very beautiful.=A0 There was also time to do some sightseeing - I went with=
one=20
of the people on the course to Volterra and San Gimignano, the medieval hill=
=20
towns.=A0 Absolutely beautiful, and I was sorry not to be able to spend more=
=20
time there, but that's ok, I'm planning my next trip!
Charlie and Si Si are the studio dogs, and seem to have lots to do - Charlie=
=20
is in charge of carrying a stick around, Si Si is in charge of sleeping.=A0=20=
Not=20
all the time, sometimes she sits on your foot and leans.=A0 But mostly sleep=
s.=A0=20
Also 3 cats, one very friendly and chatty.
Before the course I spent 5 days in Florence, and managed to see lots of=20
museums, galleries and churches, and do lots of walking around the narrow st=
reets,=20
every corner a photo opportunity.=A0 The city is just one big art gallery, b=
oth=20
indoors and out.=A0 I had pre-booked the Uffizi and the Accademia (essential=
,=20
as the queues are extremely long from first thing in the morning), and they=20
were both as amazing as I remembered.=A0 The Bargello museum has a superb=20
collection of maiolica from very early, on to some 20th century as well as l=
ots of=20
glazed earthenware panels by the Della Robbia family, who were obviously muc=
h in=20
demand in Florence as their work appears everywhere. I went there thinking=20=
I=20
would do a bit of a Della Robbia hunt - turned out to be not very difficult!
The first time I ever went to Florence (nearly 40 years ago) it was out of=20
tourist season, everywhere was quiet, didn't need to queue to see the=20
Botticellis, didn't need to queue for David...=A0 but now I think tourist se=
ason is=20
permanent.=A0 Probably slightly worse in the heat of summer, but I was amaze=
d at how=20
many people were around.
After the course, 4 days in Pisa.=A0 Did the main sights, and also spent a d=
ay=20
at Lucca, intending to pay my respects to Puccini.=A0 His house/museum was=20
closed for refurbishment!=A0 That was a shame, but no problem - another thin=
g I have=20
to go back for.
The leaning tower is just part of a stunning collection of architecture. Th=
e=20
Campo dei Miracoli - the Field of Miracles - contains the cathedral,=20
baptistery, tower and camposanto (ancient cemetery), gleaming white marble s=
et on a=20
large expanse of green grass, breathtakingly beautiful. You do, however, ha=
ve=20
to turn your back on the millions of tourists and hundreds of yukky souvenir=
=20
stalls, and try to pretend they are not there!
Something new I've learned about - sinopie.=A0 The preparatory drawings for=20
frescoes were done in a red chalk (from a place called Sinope in Turkey) and=
=20
after the floods in Florence in 1966 they discovered some at Santa Croce chu=
rch=20
that nobody realised existed.=A0 They are now in the little museum attached=20=
to the=20
church.=A0 These are interesting because they were not subsequently painted=20
over.=A0 They are very lively and personal, fascinating to see.=A0 In Pisa t=
here is a=20
whole museum of sinopie that were discovered after WW2 when a lot of damage=20
was done to the Camposanto, ancient cemetery, that had been covered in fresc=
oes=20
but now very little remains.=A0 However, the sketches exist.=A0 I really wan=
ted=20
to see those but the museum is closed for several months - another thing I h=
ave=20
to go back for!
Just a few photos on Flickr, of La Meridiana's views =20
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29413658@N00/
If you are wondering where to go for your next workshop with food and=20
scenery, I really recommend Tuscany.
Ciao
Jenny
Marcia Selsor on mon 1 may 06
Dear Jenny,
Glad you had a great time in Tuscany. For 2007 the workshop line up
includes Tony Clennell, Malcom Davis, Sylvie Granetelli
and myself, Marcia Selsor.
With the uncertainty of the Euro and fuel, start saving early. I have
info on my architectural Ceramics workshop on my website. It is
linked to La Meridiana. We'll also meet in Pisa and stay at the
charming Royal Victoria Hotel. I have 6 signed up already.
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com
On May 1, 2006, at 6:46 AM, Jenny Lewis wrote:
> Buon giorno, Clayartland
>
> A few years ago I first read about La Meridiana on Clayart, and
> really really
> wanted to go. Couldn't manage for various reasons until now - I
> just got
> back from a wonderful holiday, including a week of playing with
> clay. If anyone
> has been thinking about going to La Meridiana to do a pottery
> course - GO!!!
> Do not hesitate, book now, you will not regret your decision!
>
> I did the raku week, and there were only 4 of us on the course -
> which was a
> bit of a luxury I suppose. Pietro Maddalena is a charming,
> amusing, very
> friendly and welcoming host. As for the food that everyone has
> raved about -
> well, the raves are deserved. In fact, probably a bit
> understated. Lucia the
> Chef is a genius, and we really enjoyed our 3 course lunches, with
> a drop or two
> of Chianti of course. The setting is stunning. All those pictures
> of Tuscany
> landscapes that look almost unreal, suddenly come to life. Really
> real, and
> very beautiful. There was also time to do some sightseeing - I
> went with one
> of the people on the course to Volterra and San Gimignano, the
> medieval hill
> towns. Absolutely beautiful, and I was sorry not to be able to
> spend more
> time there, but that's ok, I'm planning my next trip!
>
> Charlie and Si Si are the studio dogs, and seem to have lots to do
> - Charlie
> is in charge of carrying a stick around, Si Si is in charge of
> sleeping. Not
> all the time, sometimes she sits on your foot and leans. But
> mostly sleeps.
> Also 3 cats, one very friendly and chatty.
>
> Before the course I spent 5 days in Florence, and managed to see
> lots of
> museums, galleries and churches, and do lots of walking around the
> narrow streets,
> every corner a photo opportunity. The city is just one big art
> gallery, both
> indoors and out. I had pre-booked the Uffizi and the Accademia
> (essential,
> as the queues are extremely long from first thing in the morning),
> and they
> were both as amazing as I remembered. The Bargello museum has a
> superb
> collection of maiolica from very early, on to some 20th century as
> well as lots of
> glazed earthenware panels by the Della Robbia family, who were
> obviously much in
> demand in Florence as their work appears everywhere. I went there
> thinking I
> would do a bit of a Della Robbia hunt - turned out to be not very
> difficult!
>
> The first time I ever went to Florence (nearly 40 years ago) it was
> out of
> tourist season, everywhere was quiet, didn't need to queue to see the
> Botticellis, didn't need to queue for David... but now I think
> tourist season is
> permanent. Probably slightly worse in the heat of summer, but I
> was amazed at how
> many people were around.
>
> After the course, 4 days in Pisa. Did the main sights, and also
> spent a day
> at Lucca, intending to pay my respects to Puccini. His house/
> museum was
> closed for refurbishment! That was a shame, but no problem -
> another thing I have
> to go back for.
>
> The leaning tower is just part of a stunning collection of
> architecture. The
> Campo dei Miracoli - the Field of Miracles - contains the cathedral,
> baptistery, tower and camposanto (ancient cemetery), gleaming white
> marble set on a
> large expanse of green grass, breathtakingly beautiful. You do,
> however, have
> to turn your back on the millions of tourists and hundreds of yukky
> souvenir
> stalls, and try to pretend they are not there!
>
> Something new I've learned about - sinopie. The preparatory
> drawings for
> frescoes were done in a red chalk (from a place called Sinope in
> Turkey) and
> after the floods in Florence in 1966 they discovered some at Santa
> Croce church
> that nobody realised existed. They are now in the little museum
> attached to the
> church. These are interesting because they were not subsequently
> painted
> over. They are very lively and personal, fascinating to see. In
> Pisa there is a
> whole museum of sinopie that were discovered after WW2 when a lot
> of damage
> was done to the Camposanto, ancient cemetery, that had been covered
> in frescoes
> but now very little remains. However, the sketches exist. I
> really wanted
> to see those but the museum is closed for several months - another
> thing I have
> to go back for!
>
> Just a few photos on Flickr, of La Meridiana's views
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/29413658@N00/
> If you are wondering where to go for your next workshop with food and
> scenery, I really recommend Tuscany.
>
> Ciao
>
> Jenny
>
Marcia Selsor
http://marciaselsor.com
May Luk on mon 1 may 06
Hello Jenny;
I'm glad you had a good time. I was talking about
Pietro the other day. it turned out he went out with
my friend, whom I'm working with on some maiolica-ish
earthenware glaze! I was told he learnt stoneware and
pottery in England and he brought stoneware over to
Italy.
Did you do Raku Dolce? I always wonder what it is. Che
cosa Raku Dolce? e come si fa?
Regards
May
W9 3NY
Marta Matray on mon 1 may 06
may,
you asked about 'raku dolce'.
raku dolce is giovanni cimatti's special raku.
see his work at:
http://www.adhikara.com/giovanni-cimatti/index.html
when i was at la meridiana for a josh deweese workshop,
cimatti came over for a day and demonstrated his raku
dolce (sweet raku, yes, its sweet!) and we all fired a
piece using his method and his terra sigilatas.
his raku dolce is very different from a japanese raku,
just as american raku is very different from both of
these two.
thank you jenny for putting up some pictures of
beautiful tuscany!
ciao, marta
=====
marta matray
rochester,mn
http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/marta/
http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts/Marta.htm
http://www.silverhawk.com/crafts/gloviczki/welcome.html
Jenny Lewis on tue 2 may 06
Hi all
Marcia and May and Marta (3 Ms!) - thanks for your replies. I've added a few
more photos, it's taking me a while to do the editing and organising. I got
a bit carried away with, so even before editing have had to delete a fair
amount. Strict quality control going on here!
Marcia - I'm guessing the arches etc decorating the areas outside the studio
could have been the result of your workshops. They provide very elegant
places for chatty catty to drape him(her?)self in a picturesque manner. I saw an
exhibition in Florence, at the Museo delle Porcellane - nearly-vertical climb
up the Boboli gardens behind the Pitti Palace - of work by Paolo Staccioli. He
also uses horses for decoration and I was actually thinking of your work when
I was looking around there. Not exactly the same, but sorta reminded me, I
think the horses did it. Some of his pots are really funny, with people
climbing in windows or over the rim, ladders going up the side of a vase, all very
enjoyable. They made an interesting contrast with the decorative historic
Sevres, Meissen, etc that is on display at the museum. I only took a few photos,
but I think they give an idea of his work.
May - Pietro is quite a character, very friendly and amusing. He told us
about his time in England - can't remember now who he worked with, but he seems
to have been here for some time. Parla Italiano? Parlo un po - un piccolo po!
Raku Dolce - non lo so! but I saw some at La Meridiana - molta bella, e mi
piace, phew, this multilingual business is tricky when my entire vocabulary is
just about enough to ask for the nearest food, drink and toilets... anyway,
the pots have smooth, very yummy surfaces, I didn't immediately think raku
when I saw them. The Raku Dolce course is in June.
Marta - I've added a some more pictures. By the way, there are a couple of
photos of Josh De Weese's workshop on Pietro's website - are you in there
somewhere?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29413658@N00/
Ciao,
J
May Luk on wed 3 may 06
Hello Jenny;
Re: Raku Dolce
Thanks. Also thanks to Marta for the link. Giovanni
Cimatti's work is very beautiful and his CV
impressive. I still don't get the method even I
'babelfished' the technical page on his web site. I
get it this much, and I'm probably way off, that It
has to do with a certain engobe and a certain clay
(without grog) for a possible lower temperature and
the smoke goes certain ways. It's hard to read
translated technical & foreign language when I can
only do broken Italian. Maybe the problem was I didn't
put the babelfish INSIDE my ear!
The best way probably is to take the course with
Giovanni, haha. But I'm cheap. I'm going to Sicily in
June to slave for a local potter in exchange for some
maiolica knowledge. I'm on an earthenware kick right
now.
I went to the La Meridiana web site and the place is
beautiful. You are so lucky. Now I can only think of
fried zucchini (corgette) flowers and salted lard on
toast. Yummy Yum Yum.
Nice chatting with you
May
LondON, UK
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