Gabi Ehrminge creates intriguing shapes out from clay on the potter’s wheel. The resulting pieces appear distant as they only just touch the ground they rest on. With smooth stones, the semidry clay is continuously compressed. Through burnishing, Gabi creates an immaculate surface, it is a process of densification. Using an ancient technique, once practiced in the Neolithic age, Gabi allows for temporal density and creates an antithesis to the fast paced present. Her creativity has been recognised with awards at events in Naturns, Italy and Iznang, Germany, as well as the Staatspreis Baden-Württemberg 2020.

1632142639_3-ehrmingerkeramik-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

1632142648_1-2-ehrmingerkeramik-3-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

1632142652_3-gabi-ehrminger-5-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

1632142656_4-ehrmingerkeramik-1-foto-felix-ehrminger_1-jpg.jpeg

1632142661_5-ehrmingerkeramik-4-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

1632142666_gabi-ehrminger-portrait-foto-felix-ehrminger-portr.jpeg

1632142630_1-ehrmingerkeramik-5-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

1632142635_2-gabi-ehrminger-4-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

The surface of this oval ceramic vessel has been burnished, a technique of decorating the ceramic surface without the use of glazes, creating an interplay between distinct colours that meld into one another. The oval vessel is hand thrown from kaolinite clay on a potter's wheel before being fired multiple times. Gabi Ehrminger combines distinctive shapes and the smoothness of pure clay with the lively traces of fire from different wood firings.

Double-walled vessel

1632143125_ehrmingerkeramik-6-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

The surface of this oval ceramic vessel has been burnished, a technique of decorating the ceramic surface without the use of glazes. The oval vessel is hand thrown from kaolinite clay on a potter's wheel before being fired multiple times. Gabi Ehrminger combines distinctive shapes and the smoothness of pure clay with the lively traces of fire from different wood firings.

1632143091_ehrmingerkeramik-8-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

The surface of this oval ceramic vessel, hand thrown from kaolinite clay on a potter's wheel, has been burnished, a technique of decorating the ceramic surface without the use of glazes. Gabi Ehrminger combines distinctive shapes and the smoothness of pure clay with the lively traces of fire from different wood firings.

1632143030_ehrmingerkeramik-3-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

When treating the surface of this dark double-walled vessel, hand thrown from kaolinite clay on the pottery wheel, Gabi Ehrminger burnished the surface, a technique used to polish the ceramic without the use of glazes. She combines distinctive shapes and the smoothness of pure clay with the lively traces of fire from different wood firings.

1632142992_ehrmingerkeramik-1-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

This vessel is handbuilt from kaolinite clay (white clay) and hand thrown on a potter's wheel. The surface is burnished, a technique used to polish the ceramic without the use of glazes. Gabi Ehrminger combines distinctive shapes and the smoothness of pure clay with the lively traces of fire from different wood firings.

1632142955_ehrmingerkeramik-2-foto-felix-ehrminger-jpg.jpeg

German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks, ZDH) is responsible for the whole of the skilled crafts sector in Germany. It consists of two entities. First is the Chambers of Skilled Crafts, which provides advice on financial and legal matters and training in their vocational centres. All craft enterprises must join one of the 53 chambers. Second is the National Confederations of Skilled Crafts which have a voluntary membership and represent the specialist interests of a particular trade sector or skilled craft. The purpose of ZDH is to reach a consensus on all major issues in crafts policy in Germany. ZDH is also responsible for coordinating activities related to European policy affecting skilled craft companies.

zdh-jpg-5819.jpeg

9017-ZDH-portrait.jpg.jpeg

7773-panoramic.jpg.jpeg

germany_panoramique_2000x1000-jpg-1477.jpeg

Rosa Maria Kulzer’s background in Interior Architecture shines through when she talks about ceramics and the importance of coherence in her work and with its surroundings: her "pot families", as she calls them, compliment one another, and are objects to be seen and to be used. Surrounded by ceramics in her workshop, the importance of creating objects with a purpose and an aesthetic sense are at the core of this craftswoman's vision. Her tableware and vases invite us to see everyday objects as more than just practical.  Her love of clay, “an earthly material with infinite possibilities”, shows in the way she creates minimalistic shapes with natural colours and textures so that the stoneware can be presented at its best and most natural state.

Kulzer, Rosa Maria

A passion for pots

1626683548_1-rosa-maria-kulzer-30-jpg.jpeg

1626683541_2-rosa-maria-kulzer-23-jpg.jpeg

1626682991_3-rosa-maria-kulzer-13-jpg.jpeg

1626683569_1-rosa-maria-kulzer-34-jpg.jpeg

1626683576_2-rosa-maria-kulzer-10-jpg.jpeg

1626683581_3-rosa-maria-kulzer-18-jpg.jpeg

1626683590_4-5-rosa-maria-kulzer-21-jpg.jpeg

1626683598_1-rosa-maria-kulzer-34-jpg.jpeg

Claudia Biehne opened her porcelain workshop in 2004, after taking a postgraduate course at HfKD Burg Giebichenstein in Halle, Germany, and studying further in Luxembourg, Prague and Helsinki. After her studies, she took a functional vase that she had designed and cut it into pieces, from which she built something new and non-functional. It was the first object that kickstarted the type of work she does today. Though she now possesses a strong base of skills and knowledge, every day she has what she calls her "first-time moment": the desire to start something new is always present in her work.

Biehne, Claudia

Porzellanatelier Claudia Biehne & Stefan Passig

Keeping an open mind

5864-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-INTERVIEW-1) Claudia Biehne portrait 03 - photo by Stefan Passig_1764821.jpg.jpeg

9122-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-MIX AND MATCH-4) Claudia Biehne portrait 10 - photo by Stefan Passig_1764828.jpg.jpeg

6117-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-MIX AND MATCH-5) Claudia Biehne 11 - Lumos - Porzellan - Foto von Stefan Passig.jpg.jpeg

1886-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-MIX AND MATCH-2) Claudia Biehne portrait 06 - photo by Stefan Passig_1764824.jpg.jpeg

8368-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-INTERVIEW-3) Claudia Biehne 12 - Porzellanatelier - work in progress - Foto von Stefan Passig.jpg.jpeg

2671-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-MIX AND MATCH-1) Claudia Biehne 03 - Landscapes in the mind - Porzellan - Foto von Stefan Passig - kl.jpg.jpeg

itw1-2-jpg-4938.jpeg

2252-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-INTERVIEW-2) Claudia Biehne 06 - Between the tides - Porzellan - Foto von Stefan Passig.jpg.jpeg

2882-GERMANY-CLAUDIA BIEHNE-MIX AND MATCH-3) Claudia Biehne portrait 02 - photo by Stefan Passig_1764831.jpg.jpeg

5086-panoramique_0005_Claudia Biehne.jpg.jpeg

Sebastian Scheid’s ceramic style matches old conventions with craftmanship and freedom. It all started with his parents turning the family farmhouse into a pottery workshop. As an adolescent, Sebastian began to travel the world, studying different styles. He acquired traditional skills working in English workshops, explored his more artistic side during an internship in the United States, and honed his craft skills by spending time in Japan. “These stays, away from the daily operations at home, gave me the courage to be free when engaging with the material,” Scheid says. “My approach to objects is that of a sculptor rather than a potter.” His works show their materiality and feature rough surfaces with precise processing details, like the beats made with a structured batten.

Scheid, Sebastian

A free spirit

1632745734_3-werkstatt_06_foto_s_scheid-jpg.jpeg

1632745745_1-2-portrait-1_foto_peter_kristen-jpg.jpeg

1632745749_3-herstellung_02_foto_peter_kristen-jpg.jpeg

1632745753_4-herstellung_11_foto_peter_kristen-jpg.jpeg

1632745758_5-produkt-9_foto_s_scheid-jpg.jpeg

1632745770_1-2-portrait-1_foto_peter_kristen-portrait-jpg.jpeg

1632745730_2-herstellung_08_foto_peter_kristen-jpg.jpeg

1632745727_1-herstellung_03_foto_peter_kristen-jpg.jpeg

In the heart of the Westerwald lies Martin Goerg’s childhood playground: a clay mine. By spending his early years at his father’s clay mine and summers at his uncle’s ceramics workshop in southern Germany, Martin developed a unique connection to the material. “Ceramics sparked a deep passion within me that will last all my life,” he says. After finishing school, he pursued the traditional path of an artisan from apprentice to master, topped up with studies at the State College for Ceramic Design in Höhr-Grenzhausen. In 1990 he opened his own workshop in the town, where he still works today. Over the years, Martin has constantly reinterpreted and refined the ceramics traditions of his home region.

Goerg, Martin

Born to be a ceramicist

3124-interview_3.jpg.jpeg

7461-mixmatch_3.jpg.jpeg

293-mixmatch_4.jpg.jpeg

7416-mixmatch_5.jpg.jpeg

1598254521_portrait-jpg.jpeg

3124-interview_2.jpg.jpeg

1614765166_material-jpg.jpeg

7134-mixmatch_1-2.jpg.jpeg

1598254252_itw1-jpg.jpeg

Your authorizations

Developed in partnership with Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte and made possible by the support of Cartier, Homo Faber in Città gives you a rare chance to visit over 70 artisan workshops. The project is developed in collaboration with Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Confartigianato Imprese Venezia, CNA Venezia, Consorzio Promovetro Murano, The Venice Glass Week and Venezia da Vivere.

Our Partners

Step inside the workshops and ateliers to learn the secrets of local master artisans and manufacturers

Try your hand at different crafts with an authentic experience

Marvel at examples of fine craftsmanship by doing our itineraries

This september, the second edition of Homo Faber in Città invites visitors to step off the beaten track and discover the artisanal addresses where Venetian craftspeople create objects of exquisite beauty. A rare opportunity to witness Venice’s master artisans and young talents demonstrating their crafts and presenting the tools, materials and skills involved in contemporary Venetian craftsmanship.

Enrich your experience beyond Homo Faber 2024: The Journey of Life

Account and data history

Name

Homo Faber Guide is an online portal dedicated to contemporary craftsmanship, showcasing artisans, ateliers, museums, galleries, shops and experiences. Create your user account for access to exclusive features on Homo Faber Guide: save your preferred pages, hear about hot topics first, leave recommendations for your favourite artisans and much more.

Create your account

Although the Michelangelo Foundation researches the talents for its projects autonomously, collaboration with our ambassadors is fundamental. Over 120 associations, schools and institutions allow us to map the continents for craftsmanship and to have partners in each country who share our vision and goals. In addition, we have asked well-known personalities in the craft, design and art world to be our ambassadors in the cities where they live, so that their recommendations can offer a unique insight into craftsmanship in the major cities of Europe and beyond.

Who are our ambassadors?

Download our free Homo Faber Guide app (iOS and Android) to discover artisans, museums, galleries, shops, and experiences by location. Search Homo Faber on the App store on your mobile device.

Find craftsmanship destinations on the go

Discover the addresses of esteemed manufacturers, well known for producing high quality objects across a wide variety of crafts. Read their stories and find out where you can shop their contemporary pieces, see their archive collections and even in some cases visit their workshops. Find exceptional ateliers where artisans collaborate creatively to create fine pieces of craftsmanship. Reach out to them to commission something special.

Ateliers & Manufacturers

All the artisans and small workshops featured in Homo Faber Guide have been carefully researched and selected. They are presented and narrated through a selection of images and an interview, which allows readers to immerse themselves in the universe of these makers who exemplify excellence in their individual fields or are promising talents of the future. Find masters and rising stars who share the same passion and determination, and whose workshops are ready to share their secrets with visitors.

A selection of the best artisans

Are you eager to discover a city through craftsmanship? Do you wish to spend a few hours visiting an applied arts museum or attending a course on a craft with one of the masters featured in Homo Faber Guide? Browse the section dedicated to experiences and find your next adventure.

Experiences

An expert artisan is an accomplished artisan who has been in activity for more than ten years. He or she may also be engaged in passing on their knowledge to the next generations, but they have been doing so for less than seven years. Beyond this, they will become a Master artisan.

Who is an Expert artisan?

Homo Faber Guide provides you with a selection of the best addresses across Europe and further afield, where you will be able to discover and purchase exceptional objects, some of which are created by artisans featured in Homo Faber Guide.

Galleries

Homo Faber Guide is an online platform dedicated to craftsmanship that allows you to discover artisans and their masterpieces; explore museums, visit galleries and shops selling unique objects; enjoy experiences in cities across Europe and beyond.

Homo Faber Guide is a signature project developed by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, an international non-profit organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, which was set up in 2016 thanks to the intuition of Franco Cologni and Johann Rupert. The Michelangelo Foundation’s mission is to celebrate and preserve master craftsmanship, and for this reason it has created a map of the most significant representatives in this field, with the aim of connecting all its protagonists: artisans, designers, gallery owners, art curators, collectors and enthusiasts of high-quality handmade pieces.

About the Guide

Are you an artisan, atelier or manufacturer? Would you like to be featured in Homo Faber Guide? The Michelangelo Foundation encourages self-assessment initiatives and is pleased to evaluate new members to appear on the Guide or in other projects. Thanks to the Master’s Touch Evaluation Tool, every artisan can send their application: register and access a questionnaire to see if you fulfill the 11 criteria for excellence that stand behind all the activities of the Michelangelo Foundation. If your answers reach the minimum requirement, your application will be brought to our attention; if, on the contrary, you should score below the minimum requirement, we will give you some points for improvement, in the hope that you may participate in future initiatives of the Michelangelo Foundation.

Join the Homo Faber Guide!

Our artisan labels

A master artisan is an accomplished artisan who has been in activity for more than ten years, and who has also been engaged in passing on his or her expertise to the younger generations for more than seven years. This is in keeping with one of the key values of the Michelangelo Foundation: the transmission of knowledge in craftsmanship.

Who is a Master artisan?

Find museums handpicked for their links to contemporary craftsmanship and the exquisite collections they have on display. In each city, discover a museum of interest and organise your visit. From Italian museums displaying coral collections, glass pieces and ceramics to decorative art museums in Russia and Greece, marvel at the variety of museums exhibiting masterpieces, showcasing techniques and recounting histories.

Museums

A rising star is an artisan who has been active for less than ten years, and who is capable of expressing his or her craft with competence, creativity and originality. Whether self-taught or trained, the rising star represents the future of craftsmanship, in creativity, concerns and approaches.

Who is a Rising star?

The artisans featured in Homo Faber Guide have been selected through a meticulous assessment process based on the 11 criteria for excellence, identified by Alberto Cavalli, Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation, in the volume The Master’s Touch, written with researchers Giuditta Comerci and Giovanna Marchello. The members of the Michelangelo Foundation’s network who have been invited to participate in sourcing artisans for the Guide use an evaluation tool based on these criteria. In this way, they can identify the most suitable artisans to include in the project.

Simple rules for a transparent selection

In which city does the artisan work?

In which country does the artisan practise?

What craft does the artisan practise?

What is the artisan’s Instagram page?

What is the name of the artisan you are recommending?

Does the artisan have a website?

Hello, I thought you would be interested in this ambassador of crafts I found on Homo Faber Guide:

Hello, I invite you to explore craft through the Homo Faber App:

Hello, I thought you would be interested in this craft experience I found on Homo Faber Guide:

Hello, I thought you would be interested in this craft venue I found on Homo Faber Guide:

Hello, I thought you would be interested in this craft discovery itinerary I found on Homo Faber Guide:

Hello, I thought you would be interested in this handcrafted object I found on Homo Faber Guide: