I’ve been wanting to check out the Scuola di Ceramica in Montelupo for ages, so last weekend I jumped at the opportunity to take part in their two-day intensive workshop, ‘Introduction to Pottery Wheel and Decoration.’ What an experience! It was a true dive into the world of ceramics in a town famous for its centuries-old traditions – truly one of Tuscany’s hot spots when it comes to the art of pottery making.
The workshop took place over two days, and a total of 16 hours, filled with discoveries, wonders and admiration for our teachers, those skilled artisans that keep this tradition going. Here’s what I learned, and what I created…. with my own hands!
School of Ceramics Montelupo and its Workshops
For anyone who loves ceramic, Montelupo is the place to be. And, with over forty years of experience, the Scuola di Ceramica is one of the town’s best known institutions. It aims at keeping alive the skills and know-how of an artisanal tradition that is very much part of this territory, offering a series of professional courses and workshops.
The small town of Montelupo Fiorentino, located halfway between Florence and Pisa, is a reference point for those who want to learn the art of pottery, either as a hobby or for use in a professional context. So it’s no surprise that students come from all over Italy, and the world, to attend these courses. The teachers are professional craftspeople with decades of experience in the processes of ceramic production, and are carefully selected on the basis of their knowledge.
The School of Ceramics offers a wide variety of courses. Many are given in Italian, but there is a choice of ceramic workshops in English that can be structured according to students’ tastes and needs. You can write to the school directly to learn more about personalised courses.
My Experience at the School of Ceramic in Montelupo
Having no previous experience, I arrive at the school full of curiosity. I walk along the corridor, whose walls are dotted with fabulously decorated plates that fill me with artistic inspiration. And then I reach the rooms where the magic happens.
Me, and seven other eager students, are welcomed by Antonio, a master of the potter’s wheel. In the morning our experience begins at the tornio (potter’s wheel), and I discover that it requires a good deal of strength and skill. You need steady hands and focus to centre your piece of clay on the turning wheel. Once the clay is perfectly centred, you learn how to feel the material which is alive under your fingers, and how to ‘direct it’. I confess I’m not very good at it, but have lots of fun trying to communicate with my clay! in the end I manage to create a few small bowls with the help of the teacher.
Watching Antonio at the potter’s wheel is humbling. We watch as he creates bowls, beautifully shaped vases and even a perfect globe with apparent effortlessness. A little movement here, a touch there, some very slight adjustments and the clay obediently takes shapes, as if by some kind of magic.
It’s not witchcraft, he says. “I started to work at fifteen, which means I’ve been a potter for… fifty years! My first job consisted in learning to finish the pieces (rifinitura in Italian), which is an art in itself”.
“You need to put in hours of practice to get good. The world of craftsmanship isn’t an easy one, especially today. But with passion and the will to learn and experiment, it can be extremely rewarding. I’ve always loved my job”.
I feel very privileged to be taught by such a talented artisan, who is also fun, inspiring and extremely patient. He takes care of each one of us, even those of us who are less quick to learn the tricks (like me!). Four hours fly by, and after our lunch break, we’re ready to meet Francesca, the decorator who is going to introduce us to the art of pottery decoration.
“We’ll be practising with the traditional designs from Montelupo“, says our teacher showing us the plates we’ll decorate. First a flowery decoration based on the colour blue, then we’ll learn to do the palmette motif. “These types of decorations took their inspiration from Persian rugs, and were very popular during the renaissance”.
The room is lined by beautiful objects made by students. There are plates, little animals, and a variety of gorgeous vases of all shapes and sizes, many decorated and some with a modern twist. Surrounded by all this beauty, we start work on our plates.
Decorating ceramic is a delicate affair, that involves coloured powders that need just the right amount of water to be used properly. And once again, the centering of the piece atop the wheel is crucial. We first learn to do the ‘filetti’, which are the circular lines that decorate the plate.
“You need to be firm with your hand as you hold the brush, so that as you turn the wheel you can design a few lines on the plates to divide the space and prepare for the rest of the design”, says Francesca helping us to take confidence in our work.
I’m quite emotional, it’s almost like touching something sacred. To think that we’re experimenting with designs that are real pieces of history, filled with memories and significance.
There’s a whole world to discover here, and we’ve had a taste of it. We’ve awed at the skills and ability of our teachers, and had an exciting hands-on experience with ceramics. And we are all feeling very proud to have come out with a few bowls and decorated plates (made by us!) ready to be fired in the oven. It’s incredible to be part of this ancient tradition that is part of the fabric of Tuscany.
In a world that keeps going faster, it’s good to be part of something that that’s all patience, skills, and about creating with your hands.
What will stick with me is also the passion that our teachers show. It’s the passion that keeps the artisanal world alive, that same passion that moves artists to create lovely objects and give shape to beauty. And if it’s true that ‘Beauty will save the world’, people at the scuola in Montelupo are on the right track.
Many thanks to Antonio, Francesca, and the school for giving me this wonderful opportunity!
When you visit Montelupo, don’t miss the Museum of Ceramics, which is close to the school. It hosts a collection of locally produced ceramics, from the late 13th century to the 18th century.
Author: Sabrina Nesi, founder of Lovefromtuscany.com, passionate about sharing the beauty of Tuscany and Italy with the world.
