I loved the richly painted ceramics that decorated the table for our meals on the cruise. Each of the pieces beautifully mixmatched with one another. These ceramics can be found in restaurants, cafes and shops all along the Amalfi coast. The brightly painted pottery, dishes, wall hangings, table tops and panels originate from Vietri sul Mare the first {or last} of the Thirteen pearls of the Amalfi . Each “pearl” has it’s own personality, attractions and speciality. By land, Vietri sul Mare is just over 50 kilometers from Naples.
As lovely as they were on their own, I couldn’t help the urge to find a little something more for our table settings. On a stop to the island of Limpari I came across these massive, mottled and misshapen lemons and knew it was just what we needed to add a little more life to the table.
I also found this classic blue and white striped linen scarf to serve as a runner. There are several volcanic islands in the Aeolians and many emit pumice stones {you can see some natural pumice stones in the basket behind the lemons in the image above}.
The decorative blue and white stones below are also made of pumice, each one is hand carved with a sea creature and painted with the name of the town, a nice little memento from our visit and a perfect addition to our Tyrrhenian Sea dinner table.
The classic motifs for this pottery are simple images from the country side and the sea in bright, sunny colors, but you can also find more complex patterns.
Visiting this popular coast by boat during the peak of the season provided us a welcome retreat from the crowds.
Someday I’d love to return by car, off season, and visit Vietre sul Mare, and the other 11 pearls to see what I can find.
But until that opportunity arises, the good news is that you don’t have to go to Italy to enjoy these dishes in your own abode.
There are a number craftsmen willing to create custom plates and dishes and ship them to you. I brought home a few small pieces from Ceramiche Parlato, they have a great comprehensive website and will ship all over the world, they also offer workshops so visitors can learn more about their art.
Absolute Positano has a big presence in town, the following shots of informative plates are from their store front. Click on the name to send them a message, if any of these images catch your fancy.
Caio Bellas!
Emily these hand painted ceramics are so artfully gorgeous!! I love the variety of patterns! The lemons and scarf also added a very nice touch. Perfect!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Featuring Sharon Santoni
I have SO loved following along on your trip, Emily! What a treat to visit the Amalfi Coast by boat! I have adored Vietri pottery since I lived in Naples as a child and my mom began collecting it. We will be there in May…I can't wait! xoxo
How fun and so beautiful…..my first "big girl" purchase for tabletop was Vietri many many moons ago when we were newlyweds living in NYC, I was so excited……still have some of their beautiful pieces. Safe travels and hope you enjoy these last few days of summer.
Thank You Karena, the tablescape was really a joy to put together with those great dishes.
Sandy — I love hearing about your interesting upbringing.
Tina — My bff made a similar purchase when she was honeymooning over there, after revisiting on this last trip she is ready to restock some of the pieces that she and her family have used for over a decade now.
I love how these dishes trigger so many memories. Happy Labor Day everyone, it feels wierd to have it so late, don't you think?
I have really enjoyed following your trip. We had to cancel a trip to Italy due to family obligations. Thanks for the fix!!
Oh Emily, i havé been missing out on so much that inspires such grace and rustic beauty here.
Love the pottery, and in a few postings, well more then a few down on my post I did a very large vintage salvage wood POTTERY sign.
And of course had thrown myself into creating rustic like pottery myself, piece warped and a vibe of some relics un-eathed from a French villa. Your outing yachting in style with your pottery is moment-less, planting inspiration as to the meal to come. Yes indeed a way to clear your thoughts, relax, and smell the fine beauty life offers.
Your table setting vignette beckons a european flavor to its night.
Xx
Doré
Cindy — I am so sorry you had to cancel your trip. Oh well, it gives me more time to get you that information, it's on my list, it's coming, I promise!! Thank you for following along! ~ebh
Doré — I'll have to dig deeper into your fabulous blog to find this pottery sign and project… looking forward to it! ~ebh