Cerasarda: Mediterranean Excellence

Firmly rooted the Sardinian territory, Cerasarda was born in 1963 at the request of Prince Karim Aga Khan in a moment in time that would have later marked the exclusivity of the Italian style. Cerasarda is proud to be a reservoir of various craft techniques intertwining amongst each other, giving rise to a crossroads of creative geniuses able to create a unique ceramic language.

The various nuances from the white thin sand, the crystal clear light blue water and the sun rays bring unique patterns and motifs to Cerasarda's creations, capable of reinventing itself through a series of unique collections. From a "poor" material comes the tradition of ceramic workmanship, able to fascinate for its extraordinary aesthetic sensitivity.

Uncover the heritage behind the Emerald Coast's ceramics with an inside look at Cerasarda's origins, local artisanal production, and the inspiration behind their handmade creations.

​the interview

​Established in 1963, Cerasarda is committed to the production of handcrafted ceramics, carrying on a tradition of excellence and passion for craftsmanship. What are the core values of your brand?

Tradition and experience are unquestionably two fundamental pillars of our brand, the latter handed down from generation to generation by our master craftsmen. Another very important value is exclusivity, which distinguishes each and every product forged in our workshop and is guaranteed by a production carried out entirely by hand. 

Sardinian tradition is rich in century-old history, serving as a great source of inspiration for local artisanal production. What is your relationship with certain themes from the Sardinian tradition, such as the "pavoncella" or other more ancient motifs? What about fabrics, shawls, looms, and Mautone masks, just to name a few?

The "pavoncella", a proto-Sardinian symbol of peace, is an iconic feature of our land’s history and tradition as well as of our craftsmanship and business. A little tidbit: Cerasarda’s pavoncella is inspired by the traditional pattern of an ancient carving from a trunk found in the first workshop we purchased. 

The Mediterranean basin emerges in your ceramics with all its splendid colors, lines, and shapes. How do your pieces infuse interiors with a touch of the Mediterranean?

The Mediterranean basin is an area of immense naturalistic, artistic, and humanistic interest. It is the cradle of our civilization, of our traditions, and a constant source of inspiration for our atelier. Each Cerasarda creation evokes its colors, fragrance, and breathtaking views in one way or another…

Cerasarda’s signature quality is based in large part on the extraordinary refinement of the handmade decorations and chromatic nuances. How do these patterns come to life? How long does it take to choose specific enamel hues for a collection and how does the selection process take place?

Our Master artisans are not simply ceramicists but true artists. Each Cerasarda decorative pattern is first and foremost a product of their creativity. Their drawings are made on paper and later transferred onto the modeled clay; an engraving is subsequently used to trace the actual decoration, which is applied by hand with a brush. The whole process - excluding the creative component - can take up to an entire day just for a single piece.

​The Cerasarda catalog includes ceramic plates with different hand-engraved motifs, vases, table lamps, and more. How did you become interested in developing specific collections for tables? What production methods are yet to be explored?

The table, and all that it represents, has always been a fundamental element of both Sardinian and Italian traditions. We chat, discuss, eat, drink, all around a table. A table… brims with personality. This is precisely what prompted us to create collections capable of conveying life and that “special something” to any table through shapes and colors. A territory yet to be explored is certainly that of decorative pieces for outdoor areas, such as gardens and swimming pools. We believe that applying our experience and techniques to these types of decorative accessories could give life to incredible creations.

With its roots firmly set in tradition and distinctive contemporary appeal, how does your brand incorporate today’s advanced technologies into the production process, while also taking into consideration a more sustainable approach?

Atelier Cerasarda is, first and foremost, tradition and exclusivity. We are not worried about the passage of time, as we firmly believe that our products are not affected by dynamics dictated by fashion or ephemeral trends. Our production process has remained unaltered over the years and, in line with the intrinsic character of our brand, we have always refused to give in to production technologies that would have increased production volume at the expense of that unique quality only manual production can guarantee. 

​With the start of the New Year, what can we expect from Cerasarda in the future?

It may seem a bit cliché but, like for so many others during the pandemic, the past two years have been marked by moments when we have been forced to take a break, to shut down our workshops. Nevertheless, this has given us the opportunity to fall in love once more with the natural landscapes that define our beloved Sardinia. In the near future, our collections will most likely pay homage to the natural shapes of Mother Nature, like the cliffside rocks chiseled by the wind and the waves of the sea. On the other hand, this spring we will dedicate a collection to wonderful marine creatures that populate our sea, such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Expect never-before-seen shapes and colors in Cerasarda’s upcoming collections.

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