TESTIMONIALS

I love love love it here probably the best trip of my life. The staff and my classmates are already very special to me.
Delilah DeMetro (USA)

I put up some pictures of the master class and of course the Sibille got a special place along with the certificate. I really got tears in my eyes while doing it!! It was such a special time for us, we will never forget. And as I said before, we both are already looking forward to come back to you some time!

The Sibille has had a lot of attention since we are back home. A person tipped the newspaper. And this had a snowball-effect: I was in the newspaper 5 times and also on the local radio! So because of this a lot of people came to visit my studio and had a look on my website. WOW!!! Overwhelming! I’ll also send you one of the interviews. So a lot has happened since the master class and that is also thanks to you! For all your help and the wonderful time you gave us!
Natasja van Stiphout (Netherlands)

I just wanted to thank everyone once again at Orsoni. Antonella was an amazing maestra, and I was honored to have taken a class under her guidance. I would highly recommend your workshop to any creative spirit. Thanks again for the wonderful experience. Everything was truly top-notch.
Angela Staehling (USA)

I've been wanting to say thank you so much for your particular attention to detail and generosity. Mirta, I was sorry to have missed getting to say goodbye to you.  I hope you know how much I appreciated your running around on my behalf and of course for the day at San Marco with my family.  You are invaluable in that setting. I can still hear your laugh and i hope to return to hear it again sometime! Antonella, you truly are the "maestra"! I know my proposal was different and perhaps frustrating for you because of that, but I watched you work so supportively with me and for that I am really thankful.Your suggestions and instincts were always solid and I admire you greatly. Of course, I hung on every word of Lucio's confidence and encouragement. The experience was indomenticabile!
Diana Stevens (Italy)

I want to express my sincere thanks for the instruction I received from both of you during the 3 day class last week. I feel like I really learned allot about mosaics and am looking forward to making more now that I am at home. I found it very relaxing and creative at the same time. Orsoni is very fortunate to have two such talented, bright, and engaging teachers as you!
Michael Krysty (USA)

We have back to Taiwan for more than 2 weeks, during the time we stay in Orsoni i appreciate your warm receipt and give us all the help, Thanks so much, i hope have another opportunity come to there again, and welcome you come to visit Taiwan. Sincerely yours truly, and miss you all.
Marena Chang (Taiwan)

May i take the opportunity to say thank you very much for your invaluable help with the English-Italian translation and the special help with my mosaic, particularly the creation with the tesserae with the words from Joyce. Hope you enjoyed doing that as well and I think you also like Joyce. I also felt the San Marco visit very inspiring.
Carlos Felippe (England)

I wanted to thank you once more for the guidance and the thing i learned once again is that my worst evil is that I always tend to have an idea in advance on how to execute a mosaic and that this idea mostly is keeping me from another result. I enjoyed my stay in Venice 12/2008 a lot and will be coming back. Being able to work at any moment is an enormous luxury and the rooms are inspiring. This was a great experience. The help of Antonella, the possibility to talk in English and the joy of hearing Italian, made it extremely enjoyable. The domus has an excellent position in the city and brings two worlds together: Tradition and luxury. The impression left by the firm is that it still feels like a family owned business, with the proximity to the client and the professionalism of a multinational (my compliments to the crew of people taking care of the hospitality and of leading the entire team). Having nice restaurants nearby, owned by locals make this world city feel as comfortable as being home.
Stefan Wolters (Belgium)

I think i speak for all the Belgian students when i say that we are very fond of the mosaic classes at Orsoni. The teaching is excellent, the materials abundant, the studio cozy (sometimes a bit hot in summer), the atmosphere among students great. The length of teaching hours is just right. You know we like to have time to walk around Venice before and after class and to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Being at Orsoni is a wonderful stimulus to the use of this material, smalti and gold. Each time I discover a new eagerness to explore its possibilities further that i would not have had at home with my regular colors. I love coming to Orsoni and challenge myself with a new project. The Domus is a most wonderful place to stay, very luxurious, and such great atmosphere with all the mosaics in the halls downstairs and upstairs. I even like the sound of the men starting their work in the foundry, the breaking of glass; it is all part of the atmosphere. The best part is that we walk in and out of the studio any time during the day.  That is a very relaxing way to work, no pressure.Thank you for everything, and your excellent guidance, we'll be back for sure!
Mireille Swinnen (Belgium)

I just wanted to write and say an enormous thank you for making the masters course so fantastic! I absolutely loved the experience of staying in such a beautiful place and having the opportunity to work on something so personal with such beautiful glass was a real privilege. You were both incredibly warm and generous with your time and energy, and i really appreciate all the help you gave me getting to grips with the new way of working with the hammer and hardie. I must admit, the first couple of days i hated being a complete beginner again, but by the end i loved it! Now i just need to get a tree trunk for my hardie at home and there'll be no stopping me! If i ever have the opportunity to do the course again i'll be right back!
Hannah Griffiths (England)

I wanted to let you and Antonella know that I really enjoyed the course last month. One week just wasn't long enough. You might think I'm crazy, but I'm going to see if i can come back next year for two weeks. I loved everything about the trip - the city of Venice, staying at the Domus, and of course, being able to work in the Orsoni workshop with all of the beautiful glass.
Sharon Hersh (USA)

I just wanted to thank Antonella and you again (along with the rest of the Orsoni team) for a life changing experience. Last week in Venice was one of the most fulfilling times in my life. Slowly I will be building my little studio here at home and start my own mosaic journey.
Neida Mora-Maus (USA)

The manner of teaching there was just perfect to me, everyone can find the help he is looking for. Since each person works at his own preference, assistance is given individually. I appreciated that very much. I keep this week in mind and all of the members working there. It was a wonderful atmosphere in a wonderful surrounding. I certainly recommend all that to everyone interested by a master class.
All the staff so friendly made this week a very special week in a lifetime.

Do Keller (Switzerland)

Antonella is a very good teacher; she explains very well, is always present to give informations and help. It was also good to have the advises of M. Orsoni is also very important. Materials: a dream! Every time we dream something, it appears. And it is very nice to have the ladies cutting for us in case we need it. It is fantastic to be able to use all the material (all colors, gold...) and to be able to do what we want. In general life, it is impossible to work with such a range of colors! It is a big advantage to have this fantastic choice.
Catherine Bufford (Switzerland)

The whole experience of taking a course at Orsoni is wonderful - the class itself and being able to work with the beautiful materials, staying at Domus and being surrounded by mosaics, seeing a working glass factory, and working with all the wonderful Orsonsi staff (Antonella, Mirta and everyone else). It was an honor to meet Mr. Orsoni and to see some of the amazing mosaic work he has done. Thanks to everyone at Orsoni!
Debra Hagen (Canada)

This course was way more than I expected. Everyone at Orsoni was wonderful. The studio, the patio, the garden, the singing of men in the foundry in the morning, the feeling of being in this gorgeous secret garden of color and light was the most wonderful experience. I could never have imagined such luxury.
Gabrielle Meaney (USA)

The mosaic class was an amazing experience and provided me with a new understanding and appreciation of the mosaic arts. Being immersed in the mosaic environment in Venice, with the factory, artisans, historical sites, and the passion of Lucio Orsoni made it the experience of a lifetime. Everyone did whatever it took to accommodate our needs and could not have been more gracious. 
Lewis Goetz FAIA, FIIDA  (USA)

As both a high school art instructor and an artist, I have benefited in many ways as a result of my three courses in the Master program at Orsoni.  I have learned a great deal about technique, method and design principles from "Maestra" Antonella Gallenda.  She has an exceptional ability to see whatever may be needed to enhance, correct or improve a piece.  The staff at Orsoni complement the course program in so many ways that serve to enhance the overall mosaic course experience.  Likewise, I have enjoyed staying at Domus Orsoni for each of my course programs.  Staying at Domus Orsoni has made me feel that Venice is a home away from home.  It is my hope to return there each year for this very special artistic experience. Through his heritage and mosaic artistry, Maestro Lucio Orsoni has created an artistic educational experience that can bring new avenues of artistic growth for any mosaic artist in the enchanting city of Venice.

Jayne Vitale (USA)

The mosaic workshop is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was a unique opportunity to learn an ancient art form from the masters and actually create a piece of my own, choosing my own colours, cutting the glass and forming my mosaic. I had a very fun time and will treasure my mosaic forever. Thank you!

Jacky Kwong     

While  contemplating adding comments to the testimonial page for Orsoni I wondered just how I could write down in a few words just what I feel for the Orsoni experience. But let me see if I can try,  my first class I attended was the Masters class. I remember the first time Maestro Orsoni walked into the classroom I was as speechless as a school girl with her first crush. Imagine little ol' me not only staying at the place where the finest Venetian glass is made, but taking a class from Maestro Orsoni himself. People who know me know i am NEVER speechless but I was then. What a learning experience it was. Class number two was the Micro Mosaic class, what's not to love, torches and melting your own glass you have got to do this class, seriously. Class three, yes I came to Orsoni three times, this time it was the Portrait class.  Sometimes you just know something is not right about a part of your mosaic, well Antonella knows, and she will tell you right away what needs to change. You make the change and amazingly it's exactly what was needed. It's not just the class instructions and knowledge i love but the entire Orsoni experience. Mirta, Lianna, Luca, Manuela are there with smiles they come to see the progress of every ones projects. While staying at the Domus you meet Valentina and Virginia who will make sure your stay is fabulous, coffee and hot milk every morning yummy. The first time I heard the furnace guys singing in the morning while they were making the glass, well, you have just got to experience this yourself. Watching the gold being made you understand very quickly why the Orsoni gold is the price it is. The girls cutting the glass are always first with Buon Giorno and smiles. I have taken every class they have offered, and would do it all again, now, I manage to visit Venice and stop in at Orsoni to say Hi. They still remember me. Now while I am working away in my studio on some project, I just smile at the memories and friends I have met. I call them my Orsoni family.  

Connie Giacobbe