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Visiting artisans' studios

As part of our initial activities of the Fall 2017 semester, we’ve had the chance to visit studios of local artisans, learning about their backgrounds, training, and crafts.

We had a great visit this week to the artisanal stained-glass studio in the historic center of Siena, Vetrate Artistiche Toscane with our students from the Siena Art Institute & Siena School for Liberal Arts, exploring the traditions and modern innovations of this fascinating craft.

During our trip to San Gimignano, we had the chance to visit Balducci Ceramica and learn about their artisanal pottery, and the lifetime of experience which goes into their handiwork.

We also visited the studio of master stone-carver Maestro Frati in Siena with our fall semester study-abroad students, discussing his work for the Tempo Zulu interventions in the paving stones of the historic center, his personal projects of inlaid stone, and his work restoring and conserving the stones of Siena’s cathedral pavement! He is truly living history!

Sart life