Submitted by Katherine Winkelman
Italian ceramic pottery is referred to as Maiolica because painted pottery to arrive in Italy during Roman times came from Spain through the island of Mallorca before the 15th century. Down the road from Rome boasting the finest terracotta in the land was a small village, Deruta, in the province of Umbria not far from Perugia a bustling Roman city. Since the mid 1400’s pottery has been made in Deruta and throughout Italy. Since the Renaissance, the art has flourished using a special tin glaze to bring out the finest colors. The only closure was during the two World Wars. and now due to Covid. In our small personal Italian import business Gioia Company Italian Art Products we wanted to help to preserve this art through a program called Gioia Luce, Shine the Light on Italian Artists.
In every part of Italy where Italian Artist friends live and work, they share the same sentiment: It is very dark in Italy for arts. “Joy for Those Who Give and Those Who Receive” is the founding motto for our small personal business. Can you imagine four generations of Lace Makers and Fabrics business in Burano Island of Venice having to close for half a year? The history of the linens and laces can be traced back some 30,000 years in the world. The legend in Venice from ancient times is that lace evolved from a beautiful seaweed that a sailor gave to his love and she used thread to preserve its beautiful pattern. Visit Burano and the museum of the laces. It is these arts and others that I wanted to personally help sustain for future generations. We help to keep the lights on in Italian Art studios. Learn more >