Alessio surprised us all by bringing bucchero pottery to the studio. These 20th-century replicas of later Etruscan artworks were truly awe-inspiring. We were able to touch and admire the delicate decorations, created with a unique tool made from a hare’s whisker.
Inspired by the bucchero vases, one group continued to coil their vases, focusing on crafting elegant necks. The other group finished their plates by finishing the edges nicely and adding a border underneath the plate. Their excitement for the upcoming Christmas project was palpable as they eagerly began cutting snowmen, stars, trees, and snowflakes from the clay.
To conclude the lesson, we collectively reviewed the fourth chapter of our fairytale story.
An Exciting Visit
For two weeks, Mirko and Marika returned to the rock to check on their clay animals. Every day, the color changed slightly, from dark gray to a delicate white. And every day, the fairy awaited them, singing a sweet melody. “How are our masterpieces?” Mirko asked one day, with a beaming smile. “I think they’re ready to be fired,” Marilù replied. “Fantastic!” Marika exclaimed, clapping her hands. “We’ll take them home to fire them in the kitchen oven!” But the fairy shook her head, worried. “Ceramics are fired in a special oven, not at home!” “But where do we find such an oven?” Marika asked, perplexed. “On the other side of the forest, in the dragon’s cave,” the fairy replied. Mirko and Marika exchanged a worried look. “Do we have to go to the dragon?” Mirko asked. “He’s a little grumpy, but he’s not bad,” Marilu reassured them. They prepared a soft basket for their animals and, after saying goodbye to the fairy, they set off towards the cave.
When they arrived, they found the dragon asleep in front of the entrance, with a little smoke coming out of his nostrils with every breath. Marika shivered. “Are you scared?” Mirko asked her. “A little,” she replied. “Should we wake him up?” At that moment, the dragon opened one eye and asked, “What do you want?” “We brought our sculptures to bake them in your oven,” Mirko explained, trying to remain calm. “Then you’re in the right place,” the dragon replied, standing up. “Come in, the oven is over there.”
With shaking legs, the twins followed the dragon into the cave. “What beautiful creatures,” the dragon commented, admiring their creations. Carefully, he placed them in a large, red-hot oven. “First they cook, then they have to cool slowly.” “How long will it take?” Marika asked. “About two days,” the dragon replied. “See you then,” Mirko said. “Bye!” Marika shouted, as they ran out of the cave.
After a hundred meters they stop, in the shade of a huge tree, the excitement overwhelming them. “He is even more mysterious than we imagined,” Marika exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Mirko, despite feeling his heart beating wildly, forced a smile. “Yes, I can’t wait to go back,” he said coldly, but a shiver ran down his spine.