My father was a very skilled and valued artisan in the community, a mentor to many coppersmiths. From a young age I had the ambition to become better than him. I started working in copper at the age of 12 and the first object I created was a coffee pot.

I usually work with copper sheets with a thickness of 1-2 mm (sometimes up to 5 mm), which I heat over a fire to make malleable. Once a sheet is heated, I turn it into a slightly curved object using the hammer and anvil. For a coffee pot, for example, the sheet needs to be fired up to 65 times to bring it to the desired shape.

The work should exceed client expectations and its finish should be delicate. It is what I am teaching my son, who will take my place one day: be patient and invest as much time as necessary in perfecting a piece so that it never needs to be remade or refurbished.

At the Homo Faber Event in Venice in April 2022, I included collections that reflect a mix of traditional and contemporary art. I create modern shapes with ancient skills, challenging the perceived limitations of a rigid material such as silver.