Santi Carbonari & Franco Donati

Artefacto Madrid

Ceramic decorator

©ArtefactoMadrid

Painting the stars to bring smiles

Franco and Santi quote kitsch and camp aesthetic as a source of inspiration
Their work combines tradition and modernity
Their workshop, Artefacto Madrid, is where they make pieces that make people happy

Franco Donati and Santiago Carbonari share a creative academic background in Fine Arts and Graphic Design. They met in 2004 in their hometown of Rosario, Argentina. After moving to Spain, the duo founded Artefacto Madrid in 2013, driven by curiosity, attention to detail and experimentation with materials. Franco and Santi’s vision of beauty is very personal; the making process of their one-of-a-kind pieces starts with researching and rescuing antique porcelain pieces. The aim is to give them a second life, and tell a story. They use traditional techniques of glazing and contemporary illustration, inspired by baroque, kitsch and camp art, Lowbrow art, comics, and pop culture. Their successful pieces exude a kaleidoscope of colours, loved also by Hollywood celebrities.

Interview

©ArtefactoMadrid

©ArtefactoMadrid

What techniques do you employ?: Franco: We experiment with porcelain restoration and decoration, illustration, traditional painting (watercolour and oil) and third fire porcelain decoration. Our colours are vivid and unique. We also master decoupage on glass, using our own illustrations.
Did your family background inspire you?: Franco: My great-grandfather Ángel was my mentor. He lived until I was 13 and was a multitasking creative soul, mastering blacksmithing, jewellery making and machine building. He passed on his love of art and craft to me, teaching me everything from macramé to how to make gunpowder!
Is there something about your work that people do not usually know?: Santi: Many of our antique plates and porcelain pieces have different combinations of materials and have already gone through the third fire decoration process. This is why an utmost care is mandatory in the process of restoring and re-firing them.
What do you love most about your profession?: Santi: I enjoy working with Franco, sharing ideas, searching for and handpicking old plates and pieces, before creating new ones. Our creations tell a story, almost as if they had feelings. We like to think that owning one of our creations make people happier. We work with and for happiness, through beauty.

Santi Carbonari & Franco Donati are master artisans: they began their career in 2013 and they started teaching in 2013