Translation of the article published by L'Italo-Americano on August 18th, 2014 available online in the original Italian edition:
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| DERUTA talking coat of arms with the castle (Deruta) and the Gryphon (Perugia) protecting the city. On top of the tower a plant of rue, the herb of grace, a symbol of good luck |
The history of the brand name “Cama” has its roots in
Deruta, the most important ceramic production city in Italy. It is also linked to
California and to most areas of the United States by a common thread.
The name “Friends of Cama” was originally created by a
group of American customers from the Bay Area, who in 2010 came together to
raise a “crowdfunding” in order to save the ceramic factory from imminent
closure. They wanted their favourite
artisan workshop to stay in business as for 30 years they had become
collectors, and closure meant they would not be able to acquire any more genuine
Cama pieces.
This sincere initiative for the workshop, visited by
many people, was “Cama” which is an
acronym for Cooperativa Artigiana Majoliche Artistiche (Majolica Artistic Handicraft Cooperative), founded in the fifties
specializing in hand-painted Renaissance dinner services.
It is thanks to the artist Elena Niccacci that the
classical Deruta patterns reached their perfection, a quality much appreciated
by her American customers. Elena’s style became a fashion statement on the
dinner tables in many American homes, also in Starbuck’s cookery book entitled
“Passion for Coffee” and in films (“Mrs Doubtfire, 1993).
In 2010 Elena Niccacci celebrated 60 years in the
world of ceramics, as well as being the
first woman entrepreneur to revive the Deruta classical patterns. As a young girl, she believed passionately in
her work, at a time when the art of pottery was reserved for the elite.
During difficult times for Cama, a bridge was created between the US and Italy
but it needed more time and resources in order to envisage new horizons. Reopening the workshop as it had been
operating before was unprofitable and attempts to merge with another factory in
Deruta were in vain.
Therefore the members of Friends of Cama began to take on a supportive role in the company’s
transition and innovation. Starting from a common sharing and a great
relationship with Cama’s customers, the daughter Roberta Niccacci took over the
intangible heritage of the company in the search for new paths. So far it has taken five years. A challenge that has changed Roberta’s life.
“It has been a journey that I never imagined to
do. As each door closed I went
forward. I learnt not to give up; to fight and to stay focused. I became very strong because having a vision
makes you resilient” said Roberta Niccacci.
“It’s like living a dream. And I
want this dream to come true. I’m ready
to celebrate with my many friends all over the world starting from the United
States. Thank you to all the friends and
customers of Cama, and the people unknown to me, for supporting me in an
impossible mission – never attempted in Deruta before.”
In Deruta Roberta was the face of Cama; she took care of the clients with
considerable talent together with her brother Andrea, who supports the project to make Cama revive in an original way. With the help of her
Italian mentor, who believed in her potentialities, Roberta has moved from
sales assistant to innovator.
Roberta Niccacci
writes about her journey on the Cama Facebook page www.facebook.com/FriendsofCama and on the blog www.friendsofcama.blogspot.it.
Overcoming the vicissitudes in Italy, where she
experimented, researched new methods, knocked on doors; this year Roberta finally visited the Friends
of Cama in the Bay Area returning to San Francisco after twenty years. She has never forgotten her love for the city
and her long-standing friendships.
Now Roberta’s project is ready to take the plunge,
possibly with an American business partner, and make her dream come true: to revive Cama and once again serve the loyal
customers who patronized her family’s workshop.
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| Follow Friends of Cama. Participate to the change. |
Follow my life story. Enjoy my creative journey.
