A COURSE IN SCULPTURE OF CISTERNINO STONE

If a soul, a spirit of Puglia exists, it lays in its stones.

The wind eroded stone of Torre dell’Orso near Lecce

Its mystery and secrecy are hidden in the silent music of its stone and the multi-faceted contradictory aspects of this region. The breath-taking cliffs of the Gargano; the endless dry-stone walls; the silent and mysterious wilderness of the Murgia, with its rough steppe-like features and hidden canyons (gravine); the smooth and polished paving-stones (chianche) of the farmhouses (masserie); the imposing, angular, block-like structure of the castles; the numerous breathtakingly beautiful Romanesque cathedrals; the characteristic trulli, the perfect synthesis between what is permanent and temporary; the ancient and mysterious dolmens and menhir stones in the midst of the countryside; and, finally, the stone of Baroque Lecce (‘the Florence of the South) - which you need to touch in order to understand its texture – to witness at first hand how it catches and reflects the sunlight with an almost physical  consistency.

THE SCULPTURE PARK “STONE FLOWER”
What better than a course in the sculpture of stone to understand the spirit of Puglia?
That’s what, at about 3 km from the Adriatic Sea coast, the sculptor professor Fernando Nicotera has done: as a matter of fact, he has founded the only Sculpture Park of Southern Italy. This place matches the masterly work of nature’s art and human creativity.
Professor Nicotera’s Sculpture Park is composed of 40 external and 12 internal sculpture works of art, some of them coloured with rust, some others matched with wood or cloth. The Park, anyway, is not meant to show off the personal artistic production of Fernando Nicotera, but to encourage and urge young sculptors to learn this art in a stimulating land such as Puglia is, and bring out their own creativity. At the entrance of the Sculpture Park, Fernando Nicotera has placed a natural sculpture work of art that he found underground during the building of his house in the Park itself. From this wonderful masterpiece, looking like a flower, the Park has drawn its name: “Stone Flower”. (in the picture “Penolope” by Fernando Nicotera)

THE SCULPTOR AND TEACHER
Fernando Nicotera (in the picture) , a Master of Art, took two Ph.D.s in Environmental and Industrial Drawing. He has worked as an experienced teacher of art in the American military bases of Germany, Bahrain in The Gulf, San Vito dei Normanni in Italy and, finally, in England.

THE COURSE IN SCULPTURE
The course carries out its program in the internal studio of the sculptor’s house, or outside, in the Sculpture Park “Stone Flower”, in the neighbourhood of the Masseria where the student will stay. The course lasts 10 days to be divided in 2 weeks (5 lessons each), from Monday till Friday, 4 hours a.m. per lesson.
The afternoon will be spent on tours throughout Apulia, especially to visit towns of art such as Lecce, Martina Franca, Ostuni, Alberobello, etc.
The student will work on a local limestone called Cisternino stone, something between the very hard Trani stone and the very soft Lecce one, used to realize architectural particulars of buildings, churches and palaces in the towns of Cisternino, Martina Franca and Locorotondo.
After a lesson on the work tools, the student will first pass into the plastiline the form created in his mind and then he will reproduce his work of art into the stone.
For this purpose it is necessary that the student / apprentice sculptor wears plastic safety glasses and work gloves; the rest of the outfit and material will be provided by the teacher sculptor, being present in his studio.

THE SCHOOL AND ITS TEACHING
“As stone to which the addition of carving makes more valuable than its original rock.”
Rhymes, by Michelangelo

Fernando Nicotera (in the picture) considers stone the supreme sculpture material and the ultimate challenge for any sculptor. He has no presumptions about teaching you art (the creative manifestations that will come out of you as an individual) but rather of placing in your hands the basic tools and skills which he hopes you will use and cultivate to produce works of art that will reflect your thoughts, feelings, etc. It would also be presumptuous and very optimistic on his part to expect young artists, who are being exposed to sculpture for the first time, to be able to express themselves, naturally and creatively under the rigid time schedule a course demands.
So you will consider what little you learn at this course and play with it when there is no time schedule, when you are in the mood and when you have something to say that words can’t express.
Remember that stone poses also a physical challenge, that throughout the millennia man has chipped it, whether with primitive hand tools or with nowadays carbide tipped chisels and power tools, the common denominator remains “a lot of sweat”.
Consequently, the real stuff will be a mallet, point, toothed chisel, flat chisel, rasp-file and riffle.
When you return to your country you may obtain information on the availability of stone in your state, by writing to the Bureau of Land and Mines.
Well, there is a lot more but you will have to discover it by yourself; and you will, if you are genuinely fascinated by stone and sculpture.

ACCOMODATION

The masseria is a manor house surrounded by secular olive trees.
Its 18th Century architecture has been perfectly preserved. The heart of the masseria is the lamione (a great vault), a stone-built room, once used as frantoio (an olive oil mill), serving as the main living room. Its thick walls provide cool shelter during the summer and warmth in winter.

The Masseria was built by the lady owner’s family in the 18th Century.
More than the owner, she considers herself the heiress and guardian of a tradition. After years of working as a journalist specialising in environmental and agriculture issues, she now spends her time studying local history and anthropology.
The masseria’s library is a source of great interest and curiosity for the guests.
Once you have selected the book of your choice you can retire to the garden where you will discover the joy of relaxing under the trees and just letting time go by in true Southern Italian style.


THE PROGRAM
€ 2.350,00 per person, which covers everything, from your arrival in Bari or Brindisi airport till your departure from the airport.

FIRST WEEK

DAY 1: Saturday
Arrival in the afternoon.
Welcome dinner along with the lady owner.
Overnight stay.

DAY 2: Sunday
morning
Breakfast.
Departure for Lecce and tour of the town.
Lunch in Alvino Caffè with the renowned pucce and pasticciotti .
Dinner in an excellent local restaurant.
Return to masseria and overnight stay.

DAY 3: Monday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spent in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 4: Tuesday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spent in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 5: Wednesday
morning
Early breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Departure for a tour of Cisternino and Locorotondo.
Return to masseria: dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 6: Thursday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spent in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 7: Friday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spent in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

SECOND WEEK

DAY 1: Saturday
morning
Tour of the near town of Bari.
Lunch in an excellent restaurant on the port of the town.
afternoon
Afternoon to spend in leisure or shopping.
Return to masseria, light dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 2: Sunday
morning
Breakfast.
Departure for Castel del Monte and tour of the Swabian castle.
Light lunch.
afternoon
Departure for Trani and tour of the town.
Dinner in an excellent local restaurant.
Return to masseria and overnight stay.

DAY 3: Monday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spend in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 4: Tuesday
morning
Early breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Tour of Ostuni and Martina Franca.
Dinner in a local restaurant.
Return to masseria for the overnight stay.

DAY 5: Wednesday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spend in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 6: Thursday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
afternoon
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Departure for Alberobello and tour of the town.
Dinner in a local renowned restaurant.
Return to masseria and overnight stay.

DAY 7: Friday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Free afternoon to spend in leisure or at rest.
Dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 8: Saturday
morning
Breakfast.
4 hour sculpture lesson in the Park Sculpture.
Light lunch in masseria.
afternoon
Greetings, transfer to the airport and departure.