Closely linked to Zen culture, in which the beauty and harmony of simple things is exalted, the Raku technique was born in the 16th century as an art for the creation of bowls used during the traditional tea ceremony. It is characterized by a rapid production process and a particular process from which ceramics are obtained which differ in their characteristic cracking and coloring, giving life to unique pieces.
In the 16th century, a type of rapid clay firing, called Raku, was discovered in Japan. This Japanese term has the meaning of "relaxed, pleasant, joy of living" and is traced back to the suburb of Kyoto where clay was extracted at the time. The birth of the Raku technique for creating ceramic objects seems to be attributed to a Korean craftsman, Chojiro. This ceramist, who mainly made tiles, began to use the particular clay, rich in silica sand, to speed up the production process of bowls for the tea ceremony.
The origin of Raku ceramics, with an improvised appearance, full of defects, almost unfinished, is closely connected to Zen thought which is inspired by simplicity, poverty in forms. All those that may seem like "imperfections" in Raku objects are instead exalted and considered "beautiful" in Zen culture. This aspect is also evident in the Kintsugi technique, which involves the repair of a vase or other object through the use of a precious metal: this Japanese art valorises "flaws" and becomes a metaphor of resilience.
The four-day course will cover: modelling, creation of sheet shapes, brush and airbrush glazing techniques, firing with crackle and metal effects. The course also includes 2 or 3 firings which are one of the most fascinating things about the technique.
Throughout the workshop, participants will be housed in the remarkably well-preserved Umbrian hill town of Monte Castello di Vibio. Your workshop package is all-inclusive, providing welcome and departure services and airport transfer from the Rome Fiumicino, Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO). Aboard our comfortable private bus, single occupancy accommodations with shared bath (a wide range of upgrades with private bath are available), 3 meals per day Monday-Thursday, Prosecco brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday (no meals are served on Friday, our excursion day. Your workshop includes one excursion per week and many additional options are available on weekends for an additional fee. Of course, 24/7 access to facilities and 24/7 bi-lingual support are provided.
Arrival in ROME FCO on Sunday 13 July
We will be waiting for you at the Infopoint column in FCO Arrivals T3.
Departure for Monte Castello di Vibio, where the International Center for the Arts is located, is scheduled for midday. We therefore advise you to book flights with an arrival in Rome no later than 10.30am, in order to have the necessary time to carry out all the procedures relating to baggage collection and passport control.
To get to Monte Castello di Vibio it takes approximately 2 hours, traffic permitting, in which you will be able to glimpse the landscapes of the Lazio countryside first and then the Umbrian one.
Once you arrive in Monte Castello, our staff will be waiting for you to assign you accommodation. You will have time for accommodation and relaxation.
In the evening, a briefing over a glass of Italian Prosecco on our terrace overlooking the Middle Tiber Valley will allow you to get to know each other and become familiar with the places and times of the services.
The welcome dinner is scheduled for 8pm
Breakfast from 8am to 9am
- 9.30am departure for the laboratory
Class timetable:
- Morning 9.45am 12.45pm
- Lunch break from 12.45pm to 3pm
- Afternoon 3pm – 5.30pm
Return to Monte Castello di Vibio around 6pm
Time available for relaxation, in-depth study, knowledge of the places or for extra activities agreed in advance such as wine or oil tasting.
-Dinner at 8pm
Breakfast from 8am to 9am
- 9.30am departure for the laboratory
Class timetable:
- Morning 9.45am 12.45pm
- Lunch break from 12.45pm to 3pm
- Afternoon 3pm – 5.30pm
-Return to Monte Castello di Vibio around 6pm
Time available for relaxation, in-depth study, knowledge of the places or for extra activities agreed in advance such as wine or oil tasting.
-Dinner at 8pm
-Breakfast from 8am to 9am
- 9.30am departure for the laboratory
Class timetable:
- Morning 9.45am 12.45pm
- Lunch break from 12.45pm to 3pm
- Afternoon 3pm – 5.30pm
-Return to Monte Castello di Vibio around 6pm
Time available for relaxation, in-depth study, knowledge of the places or for extra activities agreed in advance such as wine or oil tasting.
-Dinner at 8pm
Breakfast from 8am to 9am
- 9.30am departure for the laboratory
Class timetable:
- Morning 9.45am 12.45pm
- Lunch break from 12.45pm to 3pm
- Afternoon 3pm – 5.30pm
-Return to Monte Castello di Vibio around 6pm
Time available for relaxation, in-depth study, knowledge of the places or for extra activities agreed in advance such as wine or oil tasting.
-Dinner at 8pm
Excursion
-Visit to the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Bagni in Casilina where you can admire an ancient place of worship dedicated to the Virgin, famous for the hand-painted majolica representing the votive offerings of the faithful.
-Visit to the Deruta Regional Ceramics Museum, (ticket included)the oldest Italian museum for ceramics. Its foundation dates back to 1898 thanks to the Deruta notary Francesco Briganti who had the idea of establishing an "artistic museum for majolica workers".
-Lunch (included)
-Visit to Rolando and Goffredo Nulli's artisan workshop, a family-run workshop where majolica is made entirely by hand.
Their qualified production keeps the tradition alive by recalling the classic decorations of the various Deruta periods.
Nulli Maioliche are established not only in Italy but also abroad, in particular in Europe, the United States and Japan.
To all those who want to try the experience of creating an object on the lathe, Rolando Nulli will give the opportunity to do so by providing valuable information and all the necessary assistance. With the collaboration of Rolando's wife it will then be possible to decorate the objects and witness this ancient art,
-Free time to visit the town and for shopping.
-Return in the evening.
-Dinner (included)
-All guests will be offered a visit to the Teatro della Concordia in Monte Castello di Vibio, the smallest Italian theater and one of the smallest historic theaters. It is defined as "the smallest in the world" as it is the faithful and successful miniature reproduction of the great Italian and European theatres, entirely made of wood, with perfect acoustics, frescoed by the painters Cesare and Luigi Agretti.
-11.30am - 12.30pm brunch
-2pm departure for Todi, visit to the town, one of the cities in contact with the Etruscan civilization that thrived on the right bank of the Tiber. In Roman times it was a colony and municipality. Thanks to its perched position and its solid defensive system it did not have to suffer the destruction of the barbarian invasions and was able to continue to live in relative tranquility even during the turbulence of the Early Middle Ages.
During the visit it will be possible to see the Temple of Consolation of Santa Maria, the Piazza del Popolo, the heart of the town, where the Palazzo del Popolo and Palazzo dei Priori stand, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Annunziata, the underground cisterns, the church of San Fortunato, the "O'Doherty" Painted House, where you can admire the combination of archaic, ancient and modern factors, and finally the park dedicated to Beberly Pepper, American sculptor and painter, represents the first monothematic park of contemporary sculpture in Umbria and the first by the American artist in the world.
-Return to Monte Castello di Vibio at 7pm
-Aperitif with prosecco and farewell dinner on the terrace.
-Departure for Rome FCO airport at 5.30am.
The bus arrives at FCO around 7.30am/8am, therefore we advise you to book a flight that leaves no earlier than 11am in order to have time to complete all the necessary procedures.
