Back at school!
Traditional arts and crafts are an important part of our culture and it is essential to keep these traditions alive and treasure them. We often speak about craftsmanship and, especially in cities like Venice, many are the initiatives to promote local artisan productions. I think it is our duty to take action in first person and contribute to this cause and, because children are our future, I strongly believe we must focus on them and involve them in manual activities, showing them how much fun and how rewarding these are.
In 2017 I started a voluntary activity that I carry out once a year that consists in going to a local elementary school and teaching the class the A,B,Cs of lost-wax, the technique I use to create my jewelry. It is something that gives me incredible energy and satisfaction.
Due to the speed in which the contemporary world finds itself, too often children are left in front of digital devices or, anyway, a screen. Instead, I oblige them to work with their hands and heart.
The incredible fact is that children are delighted to learn to create something from scratch. Their eyes shimmer and their smile, when they start seeing their own creation taking shape, is the biggest reward I could ask for. When they work with their hands they can immediately see results, something that definitely boosts their self-esteem. We start from the basics, from designing a model. Their imagination is triggered, they draw, cut and glue their 'prototypes', and I can't help noticing how seriously they undertake this task.
If you look at them, they are concentrated and engaged. They exchange ideas with one another, and this too is extremely important. Children are amazing students, and I wanted to share with you some of the special moments I enjoy with them.
I carry my wooden desk to their class, sometimes they write on it with a marker, leaving me a kind message or a signature. We tie bonds, we become friends in a certain way, although the truth is that they see me as a mentor and put their trust in me, so I do my best to convey the secrets of my craft and make sure they appreciate every single moment.
I have had the fortune to learn from other artists and designers and practice, practice, practice. For this reason I feel I must return my luck and give back a little positiveness, thus this small project of mine, these workshops in local Venice schools, is a great gift I feel grateful for. I hope you too will enjoy the photos of their faces and hands at work... and that by getting to know me a little more, you will also understand the emotional weight that there is behind everything I do and behind each jewel I create.
Thank you for reading me.
Yours,
Valeria