Deruta history: The Grazia factory in Deruta

Class and prestige at the Grazia
factory in Deruta. 

My dream home for ceramics in Deruta is the Grazia factory. I love their building and their ceramics style. I wish they liked the idea of hosting Cama. I would make them part of the wonderful world of the Friends of Cama!

The Grazia factory is the oldest workshop in Deruta that made it from the 1500s. Indeed the Grazia factory is listed among the most ancient family run operations worldwide. 

In 2009 Electa Editor published the book "Museo della fabbrica di maioliche Grazia di Deruta" (tr. Museum of the Grazia ceramics factory in Deruta" ISBN-13: 978-8837063450), where the authors write for the first time about the date of birth of the workshop: 1527 A.D. Marco di Paolo Grazia was the name of the founder. He started the art of his family by renting a furnace in the borough of Deruta with the following description "ad artem vasorum fictilium" (English translation "The art of earthenware vessels").   

I would be grateful to the Grazia factory for dedicating part of their factory to my mother as the "heir of Grazia", what she is known for when in the 1980s the Grazia factory opened their laboratories to contemporary artists creating modern designs, while my mother Elena Niccacci was energetically restyling the traditional Deruta patterns for Cama. 

To me the work of my mother and the style of Grazia have the same "transferware" look, funny enough nowadays an appreciation to a handpainted ceramics piece that is very well done is that it looks like "decal".

A full of grace expression from
a Renaissance lovers' cup. 

Indeed a ceramics piece from Deruta can reach the perfection and can be flawless. The process to reach such a high challenge is much longer and takes more care and attention than any other process. This is one of the reasons for the higher prices of the ceramics pieces.

The work of my mother Elena Niccacci and her team goes beyond the perfect look. Her work is graceful and an expression of love and passion. Graceful literally translates in Italian "Pieno di GRAZIA".

If you google "grazia factory Deruta" the photo of the hands of my mother come up and lots of photos from my blog. This might be a sign of the destiny!

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Latest news as of September 18th, 2011 - Victim of the recession in Deruta, Italy is this time the famous Grazia factory. In the paper these days, the factory has sent their 18 employees home for two months for lack of orders. The Italian government will be supporting the artists according to the temporary redundancy program. 

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- Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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The 15th Station of the Cross: Resurrection

Elena Niccacci receiving Pope John Paul II's blessing
at the year 2000 Jubilee celebrations.

Until recent times the Stations of the Cross in a Catholic church were a total of 14. You may check that in any Italian church upon your visits to our beautiful country.

It was Pope John Paul II who added the 15th Station of the Cross during his papacy (1978-2005). He decided that the 15th station of the cross was Jesus Christ's Resurrection.

Regarding Pope Paul II my memory goes back to the year 2000 when my mother Elena Niccacci received the Pope's blessing along with my family and the Cama artists.

Modern ceramic stations of the cross 

by artist and friend Professor

Claudio Monotti. 

My brother Andrea Niccacci deliverying the Cama plate to Pope
John Paul II in the year 2000. 

For this occasion my mother painted a large plate in the Cama traditional patterns that she offered to the Pope. On the back of the plate all the workers' and our family members' names.    

Cama's last visit to the Vatican with the workers had been upon the Sistine Chapel's restoration in 1994. In that year we rented a bus and visited the Vatican Museums with all the Cama assistants to introduce them to Michelangelo's and Raffaello's frescoes. These artists inspired the ceramic art in Deruta highly. It was important for us that they were aware of our art heritage by admiring these artists' works in person.

Ceramic artists in Deruta still use the same art techniques that were in use in the Renaissance period. Drawings were first made on cardboards and then transferred to the walls by using tracing papers. Close up photos of the Sistine Chapel's restored works of art showed us the tracing papers dots underlying the drawings' outlines. Such large dots. Seeing them was very impressive as artists used nails because of the frescoes' dimensions. In Deruta we are used to needles!


                                                  

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- Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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Deruta symbols

 

Raphael -
Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Herewith follows a list of symbols that I selected for you as symbols of Deruta:

The most important symbol of Deruta is the wheel. It is the symbol of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, who was tortured on a wheel. The wheel is the most important tool for creating everything that is round shaped in ceramics from the lump of clay.

Saint Catherine is the Saint protector of ceramicists and the Saint patron Day is November 25th. All workshops and shops in Deruta are closed on this day.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria was a very popular saint in the Renaissance period.

The plant of the rue in the Deruta
coat of arms (detail)

Another symbol of Deruta is the plant of the rue ("Ruta" in Italian) as per the coat of Arms of the City of Deruta. To me this is the true origin of the name "DE RUTA" rather than from "Destroyed". Who wants to visit a town that is destroyed?

Have you seen the most recent movie with Nicholas Cage called "Season of the Witch"? You may see what the plagues were like.

Raffaellesco by Cama, artist Elena Niccacci

A third symbol of Deruta is the dragon of the famous historical pattern known as "Raffaellesco", which takes inspiration from the grotesques painted by the artist Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael) in the Vatican rooms. On his turn he was inspired by the Domus Aurea (Golden home) of Emperor Nero. The pattern dates back to the second half of the 16th century.

For more about the grotesques go to this link in this blog.

Renaissance lovers' cup
from Deruta

The symbol of the city of Deruta in the advertisements is the vase called "gamelio"  (photo) which is a Renaissance lovers'cup and specifically in the luster technique. The lovers' cup was the gift of men to their beloved for special occasions such as engagement and wedding and was selected among several shapes. This vase can be found in ceramics plaques in the edicules of the town of Deruta and on the city flags.


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Curiosity:
Nicholas Cage has purchased Cama products in the past, in particular the Raffaellesco goblets by Elena Niccacci either from Biordi's in San Francisco (Biordi Art Imports in San Francisco still has Cama pieces in stock) or from the Cottura stores in Los Angeles (wonderful stores no longer in business and Cama is proud to be among their suppliers). We would like to invite Nicholas Cage to one of our events in the United States in the future as guest star. Do you like Nicholas Cage?

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Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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Pinturicchio: the artist of the details and of little things

Ceramics reproduction of
a Renaissance broche
originally painted
by artist Pinturicchio. 

Pinturicchio is one of the artists who inspired the ceramics of Deruta along with Perugino as local artists. Pinturicchio was born in Perugia in 1452 and died in Siena in 1513.

He is famous for the details of his works that you may admire in the Cathedral of Siena (on the left side of the Church, the so called "Studio Piccolomini" which is stunning) and in Spello in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (on the right side of the street going up to the top of the town) in the Cappella Baglioni as an example as well as at the Umbrian National Gallery in Perugia.

In 2008  upon the celebrations for the 550th anniversary of his birth, Cama reproduced one of his broches, which in the Renaissance was synonymus with virtuosity. Men and women wore broches equally.

Cama, "The Chanel of Deruta": premises on Via Tiberina, 113 closed

Ciao 1950s! New millennium,
new home! 

I would like to inform the Cama customers and the Friends of Cama that as of June 18th, 2011 the workshop on Via Tiberina, 113 in Deruta is closed. This is an important step that will allow Cama to go forward and look for a new and exciting place, where resuming their art.

The original Cama logo 

whose letters 

are inscribed in the golden

number or golden section. 

The building you have visited until now was originally built late 1950s and was not the original building where Cama started her ceramics art. The workshop has been remodeled in the 1970s and late 1990s and has lost much of its original flavor. On the contrary we have kept the original logo and lots of enthusiasm to meet our friends and customers in a new place!

We have created a page on Facebook called "FriendsofCama" to honor the friends in the United States and in Europe who have been supporting Cama in her transition to a new rebirth.
Follow the Cama story through this blog and through Facebook. Become a fan!

Events and news coming up!

One of the best compliments ever received is that Cama is the "Chanel of Deruta". The works of Elena and Renato Niccacci are difficult to copy and right now there are people in Deruta struggling to make perfect fakes. This is quite a compliment, "imitation is the best way of flattering".

The original Cama Deruta logo is inscribed in a Golden Section also known as Divine Proportion, Golden Number, "Sezione Aurea" in Italian. The Golden Section was much in use in the Renaissance. The discovery is by graphic designer and stylist Marco Lucarelli from Perugia, Italy owner of Eidos. If you wish to contact Marco Lucarelli, email: eidos.staff@gmail.com, personable and exclusive creations for graphic and design projects.

How to Cope With Slow Times at Work

An article I wrote for eHow,  the famous social network in the United States. 

By bertabella, ex- eHow Member

1/6/2009

There are always slow times at Work!

I am a sales assistant for my family's operations and the slowest months in their business go from November to March. There is a lot of time for me to get bored or look for another job! With the economy slowdown things are apparently worse, therefore I think the secret is not to panic and on the contrary find creative solutions.

Things You'll Need:

• patience
• creativity
• hope
• interaction

Step1

What shall I do? Sometimes in certain kinds of business, you do not feel much the boredom because you are used to slow weeks and months. Especially in activities involving tourism, you work with customers only part of the calendar year. During show times you usually look for complementary activities to your job. This idea can be of help during slowdown! 

Step2

Find people tuned with you. The important attitude is to believe in what you do. During regular slow times it is important not to leave work or look for another job opportunity. On the contrary it is necessary to look for people stimulating your creativity and working with you on new projects.

Step3

Improve yourself if you want to help! Think that customers who like beautiful things have not disappeared. They are just scared or being careful with their money. Be patient. Do the same in your business. Do not invest on something that is not necessary. Invest on yourself only!

Step4

Do what your customers do! Try several attempts. Do not give up. Keep your budget as low as possible and work on ideas. Training is very important. Additionally, if you want to improve sales on a specific kind of merchandise, such as dinnerware, tableclothes and accessories, act at home as if you were your potential customer. As an example dress you table nicely and invite friends over to your home.

Step5

Shop for valuable things. Do not waste you money! Awareness is very important. Even during times of recession shopping is part of our life. Indeed it is a social event. A choral participation to life. Therefore encouraging the purchase of valuable pieces is a must. This would be a great help for everybody and prevent us from buying inexpensive things we do not need just because we are attracted by the lowest price.

Tips & Warnings

• do not panic
• be creative
• find complementary activities to your business
• be positive

Comments_

on 1/6/2009 Excellent article. I too am in the service business and need to keep a positive attitude until times improve!

On 1/6/2009 Good tips - thanks for sharing.

On 1/6/2009 Indeed. Good article, and you're right, people are shopping! The trick is to get in on selling what they all can't live without~ 5* and congrats on your new writing status!

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The original logo of
eHow. visit www.ehow.com

This is an article I wrote for eHow.com a couple of years ago. I had subscribed early 2009 while surfing the net in search of solutions for my family's ceramics business. I really enjoyed writing articles for eHow and I had an audience! I loved their ready made format for writing articles. It was cool! 
What happened with eHow is that they communicated to me that my writing was poor and they started erasing my beautiful articles. My writing was not up to the American standards. I got very sad about what happened and I quit eHow. If I were to analyse the problem now, I would not quit eHow, on the contrary I would ask them to offer an editing service to their members. They would have made money at least with me! I miss writing for them. 

Everybody can be creative.