Those who cross the province of Matera cannot help but notice the arid and barren clay mountains along the road. They are the splendid Calanchi.
In Pisticci, immersed in this landscape, there are those who have been able to work and manipulate the clay, creating unique artisan creations of this material so only apparently lifeless and easily moldable.
Earth, water, air and fire, the four elements that have always been the basis of cosmogony, merge, therefore, in an ancient tradition ennobled in Basilicata thanks to the skill and tenacity of masters such as Felterino Onorati and Anna Maria Pagliei. In the their laboratory located in the historic center of Pisticci, they forge small works of art, transforming the white clay, typical of the area, into valuable ceramics.
The entrance to the shop is heralded by a series of “tacky” and decorated ceramic plaques that show some local sayings, intriguing tourists and passers-by, leading them to the workshop which is now a “must” for those visiting this beautiful town.
In a time when the return to the authenticity of the past is a precious gift, what has been achieved by the two Pisticcese artisans also becomes a “territorial branding” tool, through which to promote the local culture with its peculiarities.
This is how their artistic ceramics and their terracotta tell Pisticci and its badlands, its sea and its history, its picturesque white houses. Various types of objects come to life from the furnace of the two artists: cups, wall plates, lamps, utensils, oil jars, souvenirs, favors, flower boxes and small sculptures that draw on the farmers’ life.
Their talent is also expressed in the creation of terracotta nativity scenes that they have had the opportunity to present on several occasions throughout the territory.
e