The value of Wiener Werkstätte jewelry came not from the raw materials but from its aesthetic, the purview of artists and designers, and its craftsmanship, handled by the workshop's expert artisans.
The works, shown in editions of three, at galleries in as many cities, are large painted porcelain casts and wood carvings, executed by expert artisans, of tchotchkes that include the Michael Jackson piece, a simpering Cabbage Patch doll, and a saccharine John the Baptist clutching a cross, a pig, and a penguin.
Using the high standards of the privately published books in the 19th century — an ideal known as the "book beautiful" — as a starting point, FMR sought expert artisans from various fields to create something Ms. Ferrari described as "a work of art in itself".
It takes many expert artisans to bring cast bronze and stainless steel sculptures to life, and American Fine Arts Foundry is the only foundry in the world entrusted to cast the only sculpture known to have come from the hand of Leonardo da Vinci.
The throngs of tourists will be jostling alongside stonemasons, restoration experts and other artisans paid by the French government's $37 billion economic stimulus program.
Terra Madre, or "Mother Earth," is an international meeting of farmers, food policy experts and food artisans who gather every two years in Turin, Italy, where the Slow Food organization was founded by Carlo Petrini.
Award-winning gelato artisans and experts from Frozen Dessert University by Carpigiani (Baron W. Von Gottsaker) and Carpigiani Gelato University(Marco Filippelli) will share what it takes to be a gelato chef and professional.
This 6-day culinary program immerses visitors in all aspects of Tuscan country living, from olive picking to regional meals and visits to artisans, wine experts and cheese-makers.
Believe it or not, the ice cream here is among the best in the world, and dulce de leche and malbec flavors are absolute must-haves, according to luxury travel expert Leah Reilley of Artisans of Leisure.
