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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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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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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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. 

The Niccacci historical Mill is closing

The flour from the Niccacci mill
was a must in the kitchen

The historical mill owned by a branch of the Niccacci family and located on Via della Molinella in Deruta will close at the end of the month of May.

It is a historical mill that goes back to the 1400s and supplied the Papal States located in Perugia. Originally the mill was operated by water.

Owner Agostino Niccacci says there is no more market for his flour. His flour was the best in the area and the most reliable in terms of quality and health. Larger operations have taken over for the retail supplies as well as supermarkets for the single customers, he says.

We are going to lose more than 600 years of history of our town. Ciao Molinella!

The 5% discount rule and the slaughter game

My father Renato Niccacci taught me the basic rules of selling ceramics when I was a little girl. One thing I learned from him is that if a customer asks for a discount, you cannot say "no" and the maximum you may offer is a 5% discount. I think this is the answer of an honest artisan. If you give a higher discount, that means you were asking for a higher price to start with or in some cases you are under pressure because of recession times, if we think of nowadays. This makes sense.

In my experience at Cama I never had to negotiate with customers and there was a lot of respect for the work of my family and workshop. Therefore at the workshop I applied the 5% rule.

Another important point is that customers always came back to Cama for her quality and for the services we offered. This was one of the most rewarding experiences I had as a sales assistant. Based on the quality of the products, the service and care, customers brought more and more customers by word of mouth, creating a community of friends of friends. A wonderful enchanted world with some echoing of the world around us in Deruta but enough to know that we were successful.

As you know Cama has recently interruped her production and I look forward to the reopening that I wish to happen within 2012 at a different address. While waiting for this to happen, I am taking clients to other workshops in Deruta for the first time in my life: a new world is opening up in front of my eyes!

Yesterday I had the opportunity of meeting my first small group of visitors. I have a story to tell because I watched a slaughter game. I will describe herewith what happened with notes of the critical points. I hope this will be of help.

We did a brief tour of downtown and visits to a couple of large producers in the lower part of town. I learned a lot of interesting information. First of all the first competitors of Deruta are not the Chinese or the Romanian but the Deruta artisans themselves, they are all competitors. This I knew from my previous experience. Second in Deruta there are no regulations in the prices applied. Actually most of the time there are no price tags at all. No rules for discounts. No rules for shipping costs. Differences apply if you buy from a workshop or from a store. Some places carry imported ceramics. Really puzzling. Third thing, lots of dust on their ceramics.

I took the group to a collegue's workshop in Deruta for the tour of the factory. This workshop has reasonable prices. Quality is acceptable on some pieces, other pieces are ordinary but they carries one variation of the Raffaellesco dinnerware I really like. Customers were interested in two Raffaellesco full place setting with accessories and another customer was interested in a different set. The customers decided they wanted to compare the selected items with other producers, therefore they would be back. Customers came back to the workshop asking for the same lower price they had found elsewhere. She said she couldn't afford such a discount which was about 25% from the original price. After some back and forth, at the end the workshop did not do the sale. What happened is that the customers bought their ceramics sets from an individual ceramicist who offered a variation of the same pattern, shipment included, for the price they had decided to spend on a Raffaellesco dinnerware set, offering them a big discount.

On my side I made the mistake of not following the group for the whole time. I waited at the workshop like I used to do at Cama. Therefore I did not see the products they purchased. I do not know what the quality level of the product was, I do not know if there is lead in the painting nor if the shipping service is reliable as well as their insurance service and so on. By doing some research afterwards, this ceramicist is possibly using the decal for the dragons and the rest of the product is handmade. By following them I might have warned them about what they were buying.

Moral of the tale: Customers bought the lowest price. Customers bought the price. For Deruta this can be a slaughter game. Now I am thinking about what I can do to help both, the customers and the producers. I am feeling concerned.

How to Be Efficient With Customers in a Store

Photo credit: Friends of Cama 

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

By bertabella, ex- eHow Member

May 1st, 2009 

Shopping is a treating experience! 

Being efficient with customers is very important to promote and give start to the so-called word of mouth. To me it is the best and most inexpensive way of advertising your services.

Things You'll Need:

• Sincereness
• promptness
• patience
• interest
• care for people
• efficiency

Step1

Something beautiful for their home. The most important attitude is to be sincere with your feelings towards customers. It is important that they make the best usage of their money and they are happy to shop with you.

Step2

Something original for their table. Listening to their needs is also vital. Stop thinking about yourself and be at the customers' complete disposal. If you catch a sign of interest, be supportive. Be honest with them. Tell them what is trendy and what is traditional. Give them color opportunities.

Step3

A little history from the past. Give customers historical pieces of information about what is going to be part of their home. Give them time to make their final decisions. Be sure they are doing the right selection.

Step4

Remember your customers. When customers are ready, start writing down their selection. For items that are available on the counter, be sure you are going to send the exact ones they sorted. Give them a shipping expected date. Ask for their approval.

Step5

Shipment is ready! When your customers have left, start working immediately on the paperwork and shipping procedures. Be tidy and precise. Write down everything correctly. Remember to take a picture of the final shipment for your files.

Tips & Warnings

• do not push sales.
• have a friendly attitude.
• do not think about making money.
• all interactions must be true.
• keep experiences  with previous customers as universal rules only.
• Focus on the customers in front of you.

Comments_

on 1/5/2009 great tipsand well written

on 1/5/2009 good tips on Customer service




visit: www.ehow.com 

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The Church of Saint Francis in Deruta

The central windows of the apse belong to
the original church. 

One of the beautiful things to admire in a romanesque church like the Church of Saint Francis in Deruta is its glass windows.

The apse contains three couples of windows, the central one only is original, the ones on the sides are new. The new windows portrait the latest Popes from John XXIII to John Paul II.

The apse of the Church of Saint Francis
in Deruta 

The tradition of glass windows in Umbria dates back to the 13th century, which is about the same as the ceramics tradition of Deruta. 

In Umbria the most famous town for its glass tradition is Piegaro. 

The glass windows of the Cathedral of Orvieto were made in Piegaro (1320 A.D.) . Nowadays Piegaro produces glass bottles for the Fiuggi water, Martini & Rossi, for Campari and other important Italian producers on industrial scale. The new operations are located right outside of town. 

In terms of the Piegaro glass history there is a vast literature and two historical monuments in town that are worth the visit: the Glass Museum, which was the second glass factory established in the 1800s and "L'Antica Vetreria" which is the first original glass factory and where you can now stay for your vacations!

Ceramics plaque with the history
of the bell 

The Church of Saint Francis in Deruta is also famous for the original bell which was casted for the canonisation of Saint Francis. 

Luisa Spagnoli and Giovanni Buitoni: A Love Story from Perugia

Romantic candies from Perugia:
BACI 

The love story of Mrs. Luisa Spagnoli is sealed with famous and immortal chocolates: "Baci"!

Mrs. Luisa Spagnoli was born in Perugia in 1877 and died in Paris in 1935. She is a famous Italian eclectic entrepreneur.

Her name is linked both to the "Perugina" chocolate company and to the "Luisa Spagnoli" clothes company. This company is recently in the headlines thanks to Kate Middleton, who selected the Luisa Spagnoli red suit for her first official public appointment after her engagement with Prince William.

The official photo of Mrs.Luisa
Spagnoli (1877-1935),
great entrepreneur and
a philanthropist in Perugia, Italy

The story of Luisa Spagnoli as an entrepreneur started when she bought a drug store downtown Perugia. In 1907 along with partners she opened the first "Perugina" chocolate store in town. She was the inventor of the "Baci" chocolate, which in the beginning was called "Punch".

Indeed the candy's name was changed when Luisa fell in love with Mr. Giovanni Buitoni. This candy was celebrating their love with the sweetest name on earth for a chocolate candy:  "Bacio" (kiss).

Mr. Giovanni Buitoni was also an extraordinary entrepreneur with more than one obligation. In Deruta, Mr.Giovanni Buitoni was among the investors in the "Società Majoliche Deruta" ceramics factory, one of the first factories that relaunched Deruta ceramics in the first half of the 20th century.

Mr. Giovanni Buitoni was originally a co-owner of the Perugina chocolate factory. He moved to New York in 1939 where he opened the first Perugina store on Fifth Avenue. Additionally soon after in 1940, Mr. Giovanni Buitoni founded in New York the "Buitoni Foods Corporation" producing noodles, "pasta".

Giovanni Buitoni  

The "Buitoni Foods Corporation" was among the most important ambassadors of Deruta ceramics, by importing ceramics products from Deruta and promoting them with their food products.

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In the United States, Hershey's is also famous for its Kisses. Their commercials are great! By director Carl Willat, Cama customer since 1992. He is a stop motion director and artist. He is based in San Francisco. Visit his dedicated page to Hershey's Kisses. His work is original, smart, witty, and charming!

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Renaissance grotesques in Assisi

The Domus Propertius in Assisi,
a wonderful example of
Roman Art. 

By visiting the Roman homes you may be aware of where artists of all time took their inspiration for their patterns. In the long alley that takes to the "Viridarium" (tr. pleasure garden", see photo of a detail) of the Propertius' home in Assisi, it is possible to admire small frescoes in the shape of framed paintings as if it were a picture gallery. It is so modern that you may think of your home!

On the contrary to admire the original grotesques the place to go is the "Domus Aurea Neronis", the golden home of Nero in Rome. The story says that Renaissance artists like Raphael went to the home of Nero to get inspiration from its grotesques. Indeed the current ceramics pattern known as "Raffaellesco" comes from Raphael and the grotesques that he painted in the Vatican Rooms, specifically grotesques with dragons.

Grotesques in the Nero Home, where Raphael took
inspiration for his Renaissance grotesques. 

Currently in Rome there is an Exhibition about The Emperor Nero (from April 12th to September 18th 2011). The exhibition takes place in different places of the city including the Colisseum and where Nero actually lived. Funny enough I am thinking of the play on word of the famous computer program called "Nero burning". This is exactly what the exhitibion wants to do: rehabilitate the image of Nero, who was subject to a propaganda by the artistocracy of his time which has left an indelible mark about this emperor until today.

See also the official web site of the  Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities  and the official website of the Italian Archaeological Heritage which has organized the event along with the publisher Electa. Famous Italian scholars have contributed to the event. Worth the visit! 

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A blast of flowers in Eleonora's Rooms

Eleonora da Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de' Medici, Duchess of Florence
1522-1562. Portrait by artist Bronzino. 

The new Valentino's collections are a celebration of flowers and buds, a true spring blast.

They make me think of the beautiful hand-painted walls of the apartments of Eleonora da Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de' Medici.

The personal room of the Duchess was painted in green with wonderful details of birds, vines, flowers, and jewelry. 

Detail of the apartments of Eleonora da Toledo in Palazzo Vecchio

The theme of vines, flowers, and birds is not new to the Italian history of art. Indeed in a Roman home in Assisi called "Domus Propertius" it is possible to admire the so-called "Viridarium" (tr. pleasure garden). The Viridarium is part of a covered porch known as a crypto-porch. It is a recessed area framed in red and painted with vines, red flowers, and more than 90 different birds,  half the way of a long wall, and was meant to be a place for relaxation.

The "Viridarium" in the house of Propertius in Assisi

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Palazzo Vecchio is closed on Thursday afternoon and the "Domus Propertius" in Assisi is accessible four days a year under the celebrations of the week of Italian Heritage (weekends of 9-17 April 2011 this year ). At the Domus Propertius it is not possible to take photos. Accessible through a guided tour only. Archaeological site. 

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