The Orsoni family is the only glass-making furnace that exists in the city of Venice, while the others are on the island of Murano. Angelo Orsoni was fortunate in that he began producing glass mosaic tiles only for his family’s own use. He was not deemed a threat to city’s fire hazard code because his production levels were so low. However, after the popularity of his intricate and high quality designs, many new customers began to seek out his work. Therefore, he was grandfathered into being the only glassmaker allowed in the city of Venice.
Today, Angelo’s factory has grown to include about twenty employees. They produce all opaque glass tiles, which are considered the highest quality of mosaic tile. Everything is made by hand, from the coloring of the glass, to the cutting of the tiles. Any product that uses Orsoni glass, such as a floor, wall, or tabletop, has been designed and tiled by hand. Nothing is ever mass-produced.
This week I had the pleasure of taking a 3-day mosaic workshop at Orsoni. We were given a hammer and chisel and free reign to any color in the glass library. Our instructor even showed us how to concoct a paste made by boiling flour, honey, water, glycerin, and gum arabic (truly the traditional way). It is a craft that I appreciate much more now, given the arduous technique and labor that goes into creating each design. Hmmm…..maybe I’ll stick to painting. Actually, I love mosaics and can’t wait to work on more when we get home!
Our class.
Cutting glass by hand. This glass has gold foil embedded in it.
Our instructor, Antonella, in her studio.
Some masterpieces. Check out the precise cutting of the tiles.
