Ceramiche

I’m hooked!

Going back over our posts from this year I’ve realized that something was missing. Considering this has occupied a good amount of my time, I can’t believe I’ve forgotten to write about: my ceramics!

Chiara and Enrico hard at work

When my sister Amanda was here, we spent 5 days in Certaldo on a ‘pot throwing marathon’; after this I was hooked. An Italian friend called one afternoon and asked if I’d like to join her and her daughter Chiara, who were attending a ceramics class in Montelupo. Montelupo is the home of Majolica ceramics in Tuscany, production began here as early as 1350. Convinced by my Italian friends, I signed up not only for the wheel class but the Majolica painting class as well. For the next 6 weeks, 3 nights a week I attended two 2 hour classes all in Italian, there was also the 1 hour drive to and from Lucca with Chiara which was also all in Italian! Who needs language classes with all that!

Here’s a few I ‘threw’ myself!

So with all that Italian going in and out of my head I have only one word that comes to mind …………..

"Bellino! Che bellino!"

Which was said approximately 100 times a night in regards to the designs, our work and encouragement from fellow class mates. Bellino translates to ‘pretty’ which does not really do the word (or our work) justice – ‘gorgeous, that’s gorgeous’ is more like it. I therefore have nothing further to say of my work.

Oh bellino!!

Che bellino!

Bellino!!!

 
Whilst it was exhausting at times, I loved every minute of it. Some have even said I have quite a talent for it. But I’ll let you be the judge of that.