Throughout Sicily there are various ceramic centers that developed over the centuries around natural sources of clay. Of course, the raw material is one thing, but more significant, however, are the artists and painters that produce and imagine the remarkable designs and/or playful scenes found on plates, bowls, pinecones, heads of men and women, vases,…
Tag: pottery
More Sicilian Ceramics In Burgio
Burgio, a remote mountain town in Agrigento province, is one of Sicily’s ceramic centers, where for centuries different family studios created distinct pottery. Different from Santo Stefano di Camastra, Caltagirone, and Sciacca, most of Burgio’s are most depicted on tan-colored and off-white beds. If looking for an off-the-beaten path stop, it’s a great place to…
A Landmark Staircase In Sicily
The Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte in Caltagirone, Sicily was built in 1609 to connect the old lower town to the new upper town. Since 1954, each of the risers of its 142 steps has been decorated with colorful, handcrafted majolica ceramic tiles. This UNESCO recognized baroque town is world renowned for its ceramic…
Custom for the Customer
This is my new soap dispenser, made for me by ceramic artist Angelo Varsallona, who is based in Caltagirone. In May, I went hunting along the famous stairs of the baroque town seeking two different dispensers for our new apartment. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, Angelo offered to make them for…
Ascending Into A Different Realm
Today, walking up and down Caltagirone’s Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte felt magical. There is something ethereal about connecting the “upper and lower” parts of town via this 1609 staircase–here with spring flowers decorating it! It’s as if you are ascending into a different realm using the 142 steps that have unique, colorful majolica…
A Serving of Sicilian Ceramics from Santo Stefano di Camastra
Ceramic plate photographed at Santo Stefano di Camastra
Burgio: A Souvenir And A Story
Bringing home a unique handcrafted piece of pottery for yourself or your loved ones is a fantastic souvenir. Sicily has many centers of ceramics, perhaps the most famous are Caltagirone, Santo Stefano di Camastra, and Sciacca. Burgio, where I photographed this image, is also well-known for its earthenware. For an off-the-beaten path stop, it’s a…
Burgio, Another of Sicily’s Ceramic Centers
Burgio is one of Sicily’s ceramic centers, where for centuries different family studios created distinct pottery. Different from Santo Stefano di Camastra, Caltagirone, and Sciacca, Burgio’s designs are depicted on a tan-colored bed versus white. During our Secret Sicily tour earlier this month, on our excursion led by Val di Kam, we visited Arcuri Ceramics,…
Voilà, It’s Majolica!
Santo Stefano di Camastra is one of Sicily’s ceramics centers. There is an entire street of the town lined with ceramics shops that are filled with majolica ceramics (maiolica in Italian). Majolica describes a technique of decorating earthenware (ceramics made with red clay, AKA bisque or biscuit) that has been fired at a relatively low…
One with the Tiles
Here I am, one with the tiles of Caltagirone’s Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, which was built in 1609 to connect the old lower town to the new upper town. Since 1954, each of its 142 steps was decorated with a unique design of colorful, handcrafted majolica ceramic tile, a craft for which the…