Tír Na HiFi

terrybites wrote:Came across this extraordinary alabaster workshop in Volterra, Tuscany....

That looks like a really interesting place!

My final floral contribution for the moment gets to the heart of the matter with a bit of close up photography....

[That looks like a really interesting place![/quote]

It is Fergus. The town itself is west of Sienna. It's castellated, very beautiful and well worth a visit if you are ever in the region. We came across the workshop by accident. Not at all touristy and very much rooted in age-old tradition and craft. One of the owners (family operation for generations) was working a piece on a lathe and you wouldn't believe the amount of dust. No protection. Had to laugh when I spotted the 'Vietato Fumare' notice later. Thin end of the wedge! We explored a little further and came across the spaces pictured. Stunning sculptures, plaster casts and ancient equipment. Not much of a snapper (used an iPad) but the content is rich.

Best.

Terry

Terry wrote:
It is Fergus. The town itself is west of Sienna. It's castellated, very beautiful and well worth a visit if you are ever in the region. We came across the workshop by accident. Not at all touristy and very much rooted in age-old tradition and craft. One of the owners (family operation for generations) was working a piece on a lathe and you wouldn't believe the amount of dust. No protection. Had to laugh when I spotted the 'Vietato Fumare' notice later. Thin end of the wedge! We explored a little further and came across the spaces pictured. Stunning sculptures, plaster casts and ancient equipment. Not much of a snapper (used an iPad) but the content is rich.

Best.

Terry

Cheers Terry,

I have travelled a bit around Northern Italy and I am not surprised at all with your description of the workshop and its Health & Safety regime!! Different world and mind set altogether but visits to such places are very enjoyable nonetheless; closer to the "real thing" perhaps?

I'm heading to Tuscany shortly for a photo trip and volterra is now on the list!

Fran wrote:I'm heading to Tuscany shortly for a photo trip and volterra is now on the list!

Anywhere in Tuscany or Umbria will do Fran, it's an incredible part of the world. For me Volterra was off the beaten track and when we spent a day there I actually found little except lovely cafés, shops and of course scenery. Terry was very lucky! Sienna itself is stunning and tourist towns such as San Gimignano, while a cliché, are a snappers paradise. High in the Tuscan hills you can see for hundreds of miles. Assisi is a good one too.... lots of religious irony!

Fran wrote:I'm heading to Tuscany shortly for a photo trip and volterra is now on the list!

If you have not been in the region before you are in for a real treat Fran. If you have been there before you will know what to expext! Either way enjoy it! You said it was for a photo shoot so if you have not been in the region before I would advise you to bring plenty of black and white film stock as there will also be ample opportunities for monochrome photography.

I think "photo trip to Tuscany" might even beat "organ trip to Holland".

Oops just noticed Ivor had covered all this earlier in the thread.

Got to Volterra this year. Nice hilltop town,great views some tacky albaster but some very nice stuff as well. Some american orchestra where playing in the square. We went there years ago when we drove all the way.All that region is very enjoyable.San Gimignano, Siena,Lucca and Pisa among lots more. If kids in tow beware of the twisty roads as it can induce a reaction!