Paola Biancalana

When i was asked to make 200 Ladybugs I was a bit puzzled, spent a momet thinking of it, I would have made 200 slipped earthenware whistles, ladybug-shaped, but the choice fell on a red enamel.
Ladybugs presents for a wedding party. I want to enjoy this work.
It’s a long time since i used enamels last, for various reasons i gave up glazes, mainly because Iim fine with the sober colors of the earth.
But I have enjoyed these tiny ladybugs , and now looking at them at the pasture, I feel like i’m gonna use colorful enamels soon.

gave it Artemia as a name, i was about an iron junk, i’ve been looking so much for something like this. Now it’s at the brick factory, just time of rearranging and painting it

an old dough mixer

Working for a while in a Hand made Bricks Factory: Fornace Fedeli.
After a couple of Summer Schools by Nino Caruso, i started a research about Architectural ceramics;
here in this ancient Brick Factory, the starting point is obviously the hand made and wood fired brick, as they use from centuries in Castel Viscardo.

tiles

These tiles are first thought as decorative ones, but i’m now testing low density materials, for both sound and thermic insulation.
I’m useing local clay and other natural materials, like volcanic stones, straw, and sawdust.
The production techniques are an evolution of the ones usually practiced in the factory.
The pieces are fired at about 1000C°, we only use a wood kiln, which gives unique colors and texture.
I’m designing and producing -with their help- prototypes for specific surfaces and needs.