If you can imagine it, I can create it.

1. What do you create and propose to your customers in your workshop?
I’m mostly concerned with children, but, above all, the child inside each of us, who always wants to make us surprised and delighted by beautiful things. My creations range from hand and finger puppets (more than 50 characters) to small theatres, puppets, dolls, animal- and flower-shaped bags and knapsacks, fabric panels for furnishing with a thousand pockets, brooches, hair clips, costume jewellery, bonbonnières for important events and all the ideas (also the craziest) that we want to produce together.

2. Why are your creations unique?
Every article is invented by me, from the initial design to the final realization. It is not possible to produce two equal items.

3. What materials do you use and transform? Do you employ any special techniques?
I mainly work with pannolenci (a high quality wool felt invented in the early 20th century for making artistic dolls) of different thicknesses. I also use synthetic fur or plush. But, in the end, everything is the result of my creativity.

4. Where did you learn how to do this work and how long have you been doing it? Will you pass your wealth of knowledge and experience on to anybody else?
I learned by myself trying and trying again. In 25 years I have perfected a very personal style. Up to now, I haven’t found anybody to whom I can pass on my knowledge and experience. If there are any candidates, step forward!

5. In what way does your activity belong to the history and traditions of this city?
Production of items made of pannolenci used to be widespread in Italy. In Perugia there were numerous workshops that worked with this material, producing artistic objects for various uses (also for the Perugina chocolate factory). Now they are all gone, except for me. I feel like a panda!

6. What is your personal way of participating in the future of Perugia?
My little workshop is the only commercial activity left in via Cartolari. All the others have given up for various reasons. I resist in the certainty that a manual and creative work like mine can still be valuable for this city. Indeed, my workshop is a meeting place for many people.

7. What arouses your enthusiasm and what makes you the proudest of what you do?
I find working with my hands exciting. It gives me great pleasure when the things I make with passion fascinate others!

8. What is the greatest emotion that you would like to convey to someone who buys one of your creations?
I wouldn’t like to arouse emotions that vanish too quickly. I hope that all my works establish a relationship with the buyer. It is not by chance that I often become a friend of my customers.

9. How would you persuade, in a few words, a customer to enter your workshop?
“You are lucky! You are about to enter a unique workshop. There isn’t another one like it anywhere in the world.”

10. What are your customers’ most frequent comments about your creations?
How long does it take you to make them? I can’t stand hearing this (you are warned!), because time is the only thing that I never take into consideration. If time is well spent, quantity is of no importance. They also tell me (above all, for creations made on request) that these items also reflect their personality.

Bottega artigiana dei Secchi,
Tel./fax: 075 5734163
www.bottegasecchi.com – info@bottegasecchi.com