Studio Le Nid Ceramic Workshop - Paternò, Sicily

After visiting Exedra furniture factory,  Riccardo took me to the ceramic workshop of Le Nid Studio in rural Paternò with Mt. Etna serving as a snow-capped backdrop.  Founded by renowned ceramic artist, Barbaro Messina and now directed by his sons Vincenzo and Fillipo, I was given the tour of the facility and Barbaro's second floor gallery featuring an abundance of his creations.   Barbaro's many works consists of glazed slabs of Mt. Etna lava rock with depictions of the Sicilian physical and social landscape.

When we arrived, they were just putting the finishing touches on a set of glazed cut lava stone city markers for the communities surrounding the Mt. Etna UNESCO World Heritage Site, while artists were working on hand painted ceramic pieces depicting the Stations of the Cross.

Vincenzo Messina, director of Studio Le Nid brushes on a protective coating of lacquer on glazed cut lava stone pieces of lava rock signs to placed in the communities surrounding the Mt. Etna UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vincenzo Messina, director of Studio Le Nid brushes on a protective coating of lacquer on glazed cut lava stone pieces of lava rock signs to placed in the communities surrounding the Mt. Etna UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vincenzo Messina, director of Studio Le Nid brushes on a protective coating of lacquer on the glazed cut lava stone pieces of lava rock signs to placed in the communities surrounding the Mt. Etna UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Studio Le Nid artist paints a design on a ceramic tile to be used in a Stations of the Cross installation.

Le Nid Studio artist work on hand painting ceramic pieces to be used in a Stations of the Cross installation. 

Le Nid Studio artists' tools and paints.

Small souvenir pieces of cut lava stone from Mt. Etna with a ceramic veneer and hand-painted design.

Barbaro Messina talks about the process of creating his cut lava stone and ceramic glazed artwork in his Le Nid upstairs studio and gallery.

Barbaro Messina shows off his cut lava stone and ceramic glazed artwork depicting the Sicilian landscape in his Le Nid upstairs studio and gallery.