The Artisans

Sara Forte is a Milan-based, self-taught artist renowned for the eclectic character of her art, drawing upon her research into various mediums, from graphite drawing and etching to oil painting. Balancing shapes, colors, tradition, and innovation, she has worked with Murano glassmakers and goldsmiths to create pieces decorated with her paintings. Currently, she uses Silicon discs as a canvas for her works. Used to create tech appliances, silicon is a symbolic embodiment of the evolution of communication and represents the synthesis of the complexity of postmodern life.

Inveloveritas - a play on words mixing Latin and Italian idioms meaning “truth in veil” - is a cutting-edge fashion brand that reinterprets traditional Sardinian patterns in a modern way. Based in Cagliari and collaborating with local artisans, designers Giuseppe Scalas and Maria Francesca Maniga craft textile collections drawing on his digital and freehand designs and her handpainted, stylized female silhouettes. Digital embroideries, silk-screen prints, and hand-painted subjects inspired by Sardinian culture blend tradition and innovation, the signature trait of the brand.

Born and raised in le Marche, artist Elisabetta Carli moved to Venice to pursue a career in restoration after receiving her degree from the Academy of Fine Arts. After a career pivot, Carli spent a decade as a visual designer in the fashion industry: her dual professional paths allowed her to synthesize seemingly distant artistic fields into a personal and poetic aesthetic. Her collections of hearts are deftly handcrafted using mineral clay, merging traditional references of devotional Ex-Voto sacred hearts with the more exotic “sagrados corazones” typical of Mexican culture.

In the late ‘90s, master glassblower Reno Schiavon transformed the ancient family business into a school where young Muranese artists could thrive and showcase their talents. Brothers Mattia and Silvio Toso are among his decorated pupils, the former working under the great master Pino Signoretto. The brothers’ fresh glassmaking approach employing cutting-edge techniques has led to collections that satisfy modern sensibilities while keeping the century-old tradition alive. The company is currently run by Reno’s daughter, Giorgia, who infused new energy into the brand.

With an artistic path originating in dance and theatre, Stella Battaglia went on to study sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. She delved into perspective and anamorphosis, focusing on optical distortions in sculpture (2D-3D). Her dynamic approach is reflected in the choice of materials and mediums in her collections, from traditional art to modern video installations. Her pieces have been showcased at museums the likes of the Museo Galileo, the Uffizi Gallery, at the Galerie BOA in Paris, and she collaborated with the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Florence.

Vaporetto is a project created in 2019 by Enrico Trabacchin, a Venetian entrepreneur with a deep passion for art, in collaboration with expert Murano glassmakers Ballarin brothers. Vaporetto creates limited-edition collections showcasing first-rate designs handcrafted in flame-worked borosilicate glass. Featuring decorative pieces, vases, and glasses, its collections celebrate century-old Venetian glassmaking without compromising on tradition or elegance.

Crafting superb candles while never compromising on quality is the secret master artisan owners from Cereria Graziani have been handing down from father to son for over seven generations. Since 1805, the factory in Livorno, Tuscany has been creating collections that will infuse heart-warming, flickering light into refined decors. Centuries of expertise, artisan dedication, and ceaseless research into cutting-edge technologies inform all collections, reflecting the splendor of the past in a sophisticated yet modern key.

I Cocci di Maria Giuliana Collu is an artistic ceramic workshop based in the city of Selargius in Sardinia founded by Giuliana Collu. Often collaborating with architects and interior designers, she creates handcrafted pieces of decor using only a dough sheeter and a hand-drawn template. Collu’s creations combine the passion for clay and for her homeland, describing the history and beauty through archaic symbols, the sea’s vibrant blue hues, and the fascinating textures of nature. Entirely molded by hand by using clays in different shades of colors and enamels.

Rome-born artist Silvia Garau creates magnificent clay sculptures that can be touched and even, at times, worn. Exclusively working with clay since 2018, Garau merges emotions with technique, art with design, to deliver a singular aesthetic and tactile experience rooted in movement and sensuality. Guided by her mentors and inspired by her many travels, every piece embodies her intuitive creative process, starting out as a shapeless piece of clay to becoming a timeless objet d’art.

A small workshop based in the heart of Florence, NIVA Design was founded in 2018 with the aim of understanding and reinterpreting interior design in an innovative, singular way. The studio is located in a house with a peculiar structure that inspires the collections of door handles, knobs, wallpapers, mirrors, and other products that capture the timeless synthesis of sculpture, fantasy, and the natural world.

Master glassmaker Paolo Zornetta established Specchi Veneziani in Mira, near Venice, where he crafts superb pieces using ancient glass-making techniques handed down generations. The artisan workshop is specialized in prized mirror designs, enchanting in their assortment of shapes and colors for the crystal and the etched detailing and finishes, celebrating authentic Venetian tradition. From designs in impeccable classic style to pieces with a fresh modern personality, each object crafted by Paolo Zornetta captures glass-making artistry and history.

Driven by passion and a rich family tradition, Cristina Busnelli is a skilled weaver and textile designer. Weaving entirely by hand on a loom, she creates singular fabrics, clothing, tapestries, and furniture items that have been exhibited and awarded both in Italy and abroad. Busnelli is known for experimenting with different techniques and materials to create mesmerizing three-dimensional optical and tactile canvases, allowing people to have a multi-sensorial experience of her art. She received a degree in Industrial Design from the Polytechnic Design School of Milan.

Established in the ‘60s in Samugheo and taken over by Marcella and Daniela Sanna in 2004, Tessile Medusa boasts a rich production of rugs, curtains, tablecloths, and upholstery fabrics. The development of mechanical weaving techniques alongside traditional, manual ones allowed the brand to improve production while remaining faithful to the local traditions kept alive by the master weavers. The designs - inspired by blooming gardens, emerald waters, and tones of an authentic, rural Sardinia - reinterpret ancient patterns with a refined modern sensibility.

Established in the 18th century, the Manifattura Ceramica Fratelli Stingo in Naples is one of the only historic ceramic production houses still active today. Run by Imma and Simona Stingo, each terracotta vase and tile is handcrafted following ancient techniques handed down generations, concretely synthesizing contemporary tastes and traditions. Known for crafting majolica tiles for Villa Rosebery - the residence of the Italian President - and the Miami Four Seasons Hotel, the house has won several awards for its artistic and cultural contribution over the centuries.

Italian painter and ceramist Mirkò is renowned for his novel interpretation of Cubism marked by modernist and classic influences. Particularly inspired by Dutch artist Frans Brugman, Mirkò uses ceramic and paint to develop historical, mythological, religious, and natural subjects, specifically that of the Amalfi Coast where he lives and works. Protagonist of various international exhibitions, his singular style makes him one of the foremost exponents of Italian contemporary art.

Bringing a piece of Positano and Amalfi Coast into refined homes is the mission of Ceramiche Casola, a family-run brand based in Campania that has been producing one-of-a-kind pottery pieces since 1925. Minutely fashioned and painted by hand, the collections include ceramic plates, pitchers, vases, cups and also precious tables with lava stone tops adorned with vibrant ceramic inserts. Each piece is a testament to the artistry of the master craftsmen who create and design them with utmost dedication and diligence.

Rome-based designer Federica Massimi crafts singular ceramic objects “to eat”, captivating in their whimsical food-inspired designs that are as realistic as they are artistic. After time abroad to develop her artistic passions, in 2019 Massimi became captured by clay and its limitless artistic potential - blending sculpture, painting, and interior decoration. Her collections feature entirely handmade pieces using a local white clay mixed with kaolin clay and calcium and magnesium carbonate - distilling positive feels while serving a functional role.

A multi-purpose designer, Giovanni Agliottone graduated in Industrial and Environmental Design at the Faculty of Architecture in his native Camerino. He trained in several creative fields, from fashion to yacht and furniture design, between the Marche Region, Rome, and Milan. In 2010, he co-founded SMAG design, a graphics and design studio and, in 2020, began producing interior design pieces and furnishings with local artisans. Together with architect Francesco Bonifazi and CGI artist Andrea Avaltroni, in 2021 he founded Gioaio, a graphic design studio in Fossombrone.

Italian-Colombian ceramic artist Martha Pachón Rodríguez began her career as a professor of Art Education and Sculpture & Design at the “Surcolombiana” University in Colombia. After graduating from the Art Institute for Ceramics in Faenza, she embarked on several creative projects, from sculptural pieces juxtaposing sleek porcelain with sharp repeated shapes and jarring colors, to complex architectural installations and fine porcelain jewelry. Recipient of several prestigious awards, she is currently Art Director of FACC Faenza Art Ceramic Center, and leads the MPR STUDIO.

Founded in Bergamo in 2020, Rampinelli Edizioni is a furniture brand that combines the creativity of Sovrappensiero Design Studio and the know-how and technical expertise of Rampinelli S.p.A., a leader in metalworking manufacturing since 1913. Engineer Gabriele Rampinelli is at the helm of this new brand, whose first collection of steel furniture is inspired by geometric solids, archetypal forms that showcase an impressive functional architecture, captivating aesthetic, and a palette that recalls the colors of industrial machinery.