Introduction

Five days dedicated to the creation of fine jewelry in porcelain, a ductile, precious and resistant material. The workshop is an opportunity to learn different methodologies that can be applied also on large objects or sculptures back in your own studio.

Techniques taught

Luca Tripaldi will introduce a variety of making and firing techniques, from designing a porcelain jewel to different approaches of assembling necklaces, bracelets and earrings, many ways of making porcelain elements, the decoration of the surfaces with texture and how to valorize the beauty and sensuality of the unglazed porcelain clay body. Students will learn how to make porcelain rings, how to get reliable sizes and how to prevent the warping in the firing.

Teaching method

The instructor will start the workshop with the viewing of jewelry images by contemporary artists, encouraging students to a personal interpretation. He will share the tips and tricks derived  from his long experience. Students will make many small pieces and some of the jewelry will be finished according to each student’s project. The practical approach will help to understand and fix the memory of the processes, but students should also be prepared to take notes, given the large amount of practical and theoretical information conveyed.

The artist

Luca Tripaldi was born in Turin, Italy, where he currently lives and has his studio. After training in graphic design, he worked for ten years in Mario Audello Studios as a sculptor, making masks and special effects for many opera houses like “Scala di Milano” and “Arena di Verona”. In 1998 he opened his own ceramics studio in Turin. He uses porcelain, preferring unglazed surfaces or only glazed in some parts with crystalline glazes and dry glazes, in order to get strong contrasts. The most part of his jewels are in black or white porcelain, decorated with ceramic transfers. He conducts an intensive teaching activitie, holding workshops throughout Europe and the United States. He writes a technical ceramic column for the Italian ceramic magazin ”La Ceramica in Italia e nel Mondo”. www.lucatripaldi.com